200 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



almost a proverbial expression. In this mode of fighting each man tossed in his cock ; there was a 

 "■eneral fi<rht, and the last living cock won all the money staked. In all regular mains, the nearest 

 weio-hts were matched together. There were other modes of fighting which we need not occupy 

 space in describing. 



The rules of cock-fighting we shall not give in detail. We have already said that in England 

 the Westminster Rules are in force ; in America there are various rules, such as the New York Rules, 

 the Boston Union Club Rules, the Southern Rules, &c. ; but fighting is more usually conducted under 

 the New York Rules. These go more into detail, and in some respects differ considerably from the 

 Eno-lish Rules; the size of the pit, the position of the score-lines in centre of it, S:c., being all laid 

 down ; but we need not state more than that at a revision of the New York Rules, made very 

 recently (we believe in 1872), it was enacted that spurs should in future be uniformly one and 

 a quarter inches in length. The effect of this provision, though apparently merciful to a thoughtless 

 reader, is simply to prolong the battle by lessening the fatal character of the wounds, and thus 

 really adds to the torture of the birds. We will only add that by all the rules we have seen, regular 

 legal provision is made for birds being struck blind ; and what is to be done in such cases is clearly 

 laid down. Cocks, also, which have lost one eye in previous fighting (usually termed " blinkers ") 

 are provided for, and allowed certain advantages, which are supposed to counterbalance the 

 defect in sight. 



That any author should openly apologise for cock-fighting in these days — at all events, in 

 England— may appear strange ; but Mr. Tegetmeier, in the second edition of his work on Poultry, 

 just published, if he does not actually do so, comes so very near it that any distinction is difficult to 

 perceive. We quote his argument in full, because it is that almost always urged in favour of the 

 "sport," because of the position of the author, and because we have never seen hitherto any 

 serious attempt to answer it : — 



" Cock-fighting has been an institution that has been viewed with favour by a very large 

 portion of the human race from time immemorial. At the present period its practice in Great 

 Britain is illegal ; although on what ground other and far crueller sport should be allowed and 

 positively encouraged by all ranks from the prince to the peasant, and this suppressed, it would 

 puzzle a casuist to explain. 



" In all animals that associate together in flocks or herds consisting of one male and several 

 females, the males are provided with horns, spurs, or some other deadly weapons, by which the 

 • strongest male destroys or drives away the weaker, and so perpetuates the most vigorous and 

 perfect race. These animals are all endowed with a great amount of combativeness and courage, 

 and fight, whenever they come in contact with one another, with an instinct implanted in them by 

 a higher than human intelligence. 



" It is frequently alleged against cock-fighters that they supplant the natural spurs by others 

 of steel or silver. It should be remembered, however, that these. Being more efficacious even than 

 the natural weapons, render the combats only less prolonged. To any one who will view the 

 question apart from prejudice, or the maudlin sentimentality that is current at the presctit tune, 

 it must be obvious that a far greater amount of cruelty is evidenced in the setting a pack of hounds 

 to pursue a fox for hours together, till the wretched animal sinks exhausted, and is, whilst still 

 living, torn limb from limb— we beg pardon, "broken up" is the delicate expression by \\hich this 

 dismemberment is described. But, say the advocates of the chase, that sport is redeemed by the 

 manly courage exercised by the hare and fox-hunter; as though his risking his own neck could 

 lessen one iota the suffering of the animal he is pursuing. 



