2 I 



When the chicks were old enough to distin- 

 guish sexes, the beginnings of combs and 

 wattles were cut away and seared close, the 

 sores being anointed with butter until the place 

 healed. "' This will make them have fine, 

 small, slender and smooth heads ; whereas to 

 suffer the comb to grow to his bigness and then 

 cut it away, will make him have a gouty thick 

 head with great lumps " 



The chickens were separated when they 

 began to peck at one another, and sent to 

 separate walks 



Here it may be observed that until compara- 

 tively recent times, landlords used to insert in 

 leases a clause binding tenants to run game- 

 cocks for them. It may be doubted whether 

 such clauses were very necessary in the clays 

 when cock-fighting was every man's sport. 

 Tenants would be only too eager to receive 

 and care for a well-bred fighting cock 



Much stress was laid on the necessity for 

 isolating game-birds from common poultry : 

 the sitting hen was kept where the barn-yard 

 fowls could not disturb her ; and when the 

 young birds were old enough to be sent to 

 their walks, the quietest places were held the 

 best: "Wind-mills or Water-mills, Grange- 

 houses and such like, where he (the cock) may 



