COCKERS MANUAL. 57 



RULES OF THE PIT. 



NEW YORK RULES. 



Article i. — The pit shall be a circular pit, at least twelve feet im- 

 (iiametcr and not less than sixteen inches in height, the floor of whicfe 

 shall be covered with carpet or some other suitable material. There 

 shall be a chalk or other mark made as near as can be to the center oC 

 the pit. There shall also be two outer marks which shall be one foot 

 each way from the center mark. 



Art. 2. — The pitters shall each choose one judge who shall choose- 

 a referee. Said judge shall decide all matters in dispute during the 

 pendency of the fight ; but in case of their inability to agree then ifc 

 shall be the duty of the referee to decide, and his decision shall be 

 final. 



Art. 3. — Chickens shall take their age from the first day of Marchj, 

 and shall be chickens during the following fighting season, to-wit ~ 

 From the first day of March to the first day of June the following year„ 



Art. 4. — It shall be deemed foul for either of the respective pitters 

 to pit a bird with what is termed a foul hackle; that is, any of the- 

 feathers left whole on the mane or neck. 



Art. 5. — No person shall be permitted to handle his fowl after her 

 is fairly delivered in the pit unless he counts ten, clear and distinct^, 

 without either fowl making fight, or shall be fast in his adversary, oi- 

 fast in the carpet, or hung in the web of the pit or in himself. 



Art. 6.— Any fowl that may get on his back the pitter thereof shalb 

 turn him off it, but not take him off the ground he is lying on. 



Art. 7. — Whenever a fowl is 'fast in his adversary, the pitter of ths..r 

 fowl the spurs are fast in shall draw them out, but the pitter of a iowH 

 has no right to draw out his own spur, except when fast in himself, or" 

 in the carpet, or in the web of the pit. 



Art. 8. — When either pitter shall have counted ten tens successively,^ 

 without the fowl refusing fight, making fight, again breasting theixi 

 fair on their feet, breast to breast and beak to beak on the center scorse 

 or mark, on the fifth ten being told, and also on the ninth ten beirngj 



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