GAME COCKS. 221 



men, but no dram is necessary to excite the courage of a true information 

 game cock, or a British soldier. respecting 



The Rev, Mr. P is a native of Yorkshire, and may [^g, ancfm^*"' 



possibly be able to give you some information on the breeding nagement of 



of horses, and the training of jockies. At ail events, an appli-^^"^^*^ *' 



cation to him, mentioning my name, can do no harm, and you 



will find him an obliging and intelligent man. He lately sent 



me a letter on the culture of spring wheat, which I sent to the 



board. 



I am, dear Sir, 



With great respect, &c. 



P. S. I had forgotten one fact worthy of notice; when a 

 cock had been fought so hard that he is even apparently dead, I 

 have known him restored to life by covering him up, all but 

 his head, in a warm horse dunghill, or a common hot-bed in a 

 garden. On this you may depend, and I have no doubt that, 

 the cocks I speak of would have died but for this treatment. 



A short Account of the Mamiers in which GaiJie Cocks are bred up 

 and trained for fighting. By an exparienced Feeder. 



It is a general principle in breeding cocks, that large bones 

 are not desirable, but that large muscles are. The thigh should 

 be long, with as much muscle as possible. The legs should be 

 of a medium length, and not short like the Bantam breed. They 

 cannot stand too high if the thighs are long. They should be 

 round bodied and not deep (cailled) breasted. A small head is 

 of essential importance, and it is a good sign to be hazle-eyed 

 with black eye-brows. The black breasted red cocks in gene- 

 ral stand the penn better than any other sort. 



Parentage is certainly of great consequence, though there is 

 often a very material difference between cocks hatched at the 

 same time and from the same parents. The blood principally 

 comes from the female. The likeness or outward shape from 

 the male. The hens of the game breed are very spirited and 

 even violent, and will not suffer a strange cock to have any 

 connection with them. 



Breeding cocks in and in, or stale breed as it is called (that 

 is keeping uniformly the same stock) is a very bad system. It 

 reduces their size, and takes away their vigour to so great a 



degree. 



