cocker's manual. 65 



Art. 5. — An interval of minutes shall be allowed between the 



termination of one battle and the commencement of another. 



Art. 6. — No pitter shall pull a feather out of a cock's mouth or 

 from over his eyes or head, or pluck him by the breast to make him 

 fight, .^r punch him for the like purpose, under penalty of forfeiting 

 the battle. 



Art. 7. — The pitters are to give the cocks room to fight, and are 

 not to hover and press on them so as to retard their striking. 



Art. 8. — The greasing, peppering, muffing, and sooping a cock, or 

 any other external application, are unfair practices, and by no means 

 admissible in this amusument. 



Art. 9. — The jndges, when required, may suffer a pitter to call in 

 some of his friends to assist in catching the cock, who are to retire 

 immediately when the cock is caught, and in no other instance is the 

 judge to suffer the pit to be broken. 



Art. 10. — All cocks on their backs are to be immediately turned 

 over on their bellies by their respective pitters at all times. 



Art. II. — A cock when down is to have a wing given him if he 

 needs it, unless his adversary is on it, but his pitter is to place the 

 wing gently in its proper position, and not to lift the cock; and no 

 wing is to be given unless absolutely necessary. 



Art. 12. — If either cock should be hanged in himself, in the pit, or 

 canvas, he is to be loosed by his pitter ; but if in his adversary, both 

 both pitters are to immediately lay hold of their respective cocks, and 

 the pitter whose cock is hung shall hold him steady while the adverse 

 draws out the heel, and then they shall take their cocks asunder a 

 sufficient distance for them fairly to renew the combat. 



Art. 13. — Should the cocks separate and the judges be unable to 

 decide which fought last, he shall at his discretion direct the pitters 

 to carry their cocks to the middle of the pit and deliver them back to 

 back, unless either of them is blind ; in that ease they are to be 

 shouldered, that is, delivered with their breasts touching, each pitter 

 taking care to deliver his cock at this, as well as at all times with one 

 hand. 



Art. 14. — When both cocks cease fighting it is then in the power 

 of the pitter of the last fighting cock, unless they touch each other, to 

 demand a count of the judges, who shall count forty deliberately. 



