56 cocker's manual. 



within the rules. A good handler is a man of many resources. Nu- 

 merous fights have been won more by the handling than by the heel- 

 ing or the fighting qualities of the birds. 



As regards heeling we remark that many fowls are close hitters, 

 while others are wide. The latter should be heeled more closely, in 

 this respect differing greatly from the manner of heeling close hitting- 

 birds, with whom the greater caution is to be observed to prevent 

 them from cutting themselves. Every heeler should be thoroughly 

 acquainted with his fowls before he attempts to heel them. The ama- 

 teur after heeling should try the cock, and following this practice will 

 learn the proper way of setting the heels. 



Never pit a fowl that is sick or out of condition, for no matter how 

 good a heeler you have you can hardly be successful ; in fact, condi- 

 tion is everything, as otherwise the fowl will lack wind, muscle, will 

 be weak, and his style of fighting will not be determined but extreme- 

 ly feeble. The fowl that is in the best condition invariably wins the 

 battle, although through chance his opponent will get in a blow that 

 will disable him. It has been our experience that condition and style 

 of handling is of greater importance than the heeling, for if in poor 

 condition the fowl can hardly use the heels to advantage. 



The pit should be either sixteen or eighteen feet in diameter, and 

 can be made with either six or eight corners, or if preferred can be 

 of circular form. It should be from sixteen to twenty-four inches in 

 height in order to prevent the cock from breaking his heels should he 

 while fighting force his opponent too near the side of the pit. It 

 should be lined with some cheap material, dark color preferable, with 

 a stuffing of either cut hay or straw, making a soft cushion the entire 

 distance around it. In all regular pits the bottom is covered with 

 carpet or other suitable material, a mark being made as near the cen- 

 ter as possible ; two other tnarks are drawn one foot each way from 

 the center. 



