9 o 



Here it may be noted that cock masters who 

 long survived the legal prohibition of the sport 

 attributed the superior quality of the table 

 poultry they knew in their youth, partially at 

 least, to the fact that game-fowls were bred in 

 great numbers and always from young birds. 

 The promising cock was taken up at two years 

 old for the pit and his place as brood cock 

 taken by a stag. Thus our fathers and grand- 

 fathers were constantly breeding from young, 

 healthy, vigorous birds of the most perfect 

 shape and conformation 



Much importance was attached to intimate 

 knowledge by the feeder of the birds in his 

 care ; the more experience the man had with 

 his employer's cocks the greater the prospect 

 of success. Sketchley attributes the fact that 

 his own Black Reds won five out of six mains 

 against Mr. Cussans' Greys at Loughborough 

 and Derby, to his retention throughout of John 

 Beestal as his feeder, whereas Mr. Cussans 

 discharged his feeder and engaged a ne\v one 

 for each main 



Cocks were very liable to change in con- 

 stitution if moved from the country of their 

 birth. Sketchley's remark in this sense must 

 be- understood as applying to the movement of 

 birds from one district in England to another ; 



