4 8 



something to do with it, as The Royal Pastime 

 of Cocking says " close cutting makes them 

 appear sneaking." Close cutting was also 

 objected to on the ground that it weakened 

 the bird's beak. It may be doubted whether 

 it produced this effect 



The greater exactness which had been 

 arrived at in breeding is shown by the impor- 

 tance this authority attaches to " close heeling " 

 or "sure pointing," in other words, to accurate 

 striking. There were " many ways to help a 

 cock and make him point well," but the 

 cocker's great object was to breed from a strain 

 of "sure heelers," avoiding birds that were 

 "dull heeled, wide, or short stricken." Hence 

 the scrupulous care bestowed upon the feet : 

 perches wrapped round with straw ropes to 

 give safe and comfortable foothold were used 

 with the object of keeping them in good order. 



As for the natural spurs to which paramount 

 importance attached in previous days, these 

 naturally became of no moment now artificial 

 weapons had come into general use. They 

 were cut short, the " heel " if used at all, 

 serving as a foundation on which to place the 

 metal spur 



The spur was not by any means always put 

 on exactly where the natural " heel " grew ; on 



