74 



COCKER S MANUAL. 



ered, and when cut out for the pit those birds so closely resemble each 

 other in shape and feather as do wild ducks. The last of the breed 

 was a few years since in possession of a noted feeder who was always 

 wont to swear by them. He left three hens with a gentleman he was 

 in the habit of feeding an annual county main for, and at the decease 

 of the feeder the writer was requested to take the office, and after win- 

 ning a closely contested main was asked to state his charges, which 

 were expenses and one of those same hens, and since then she has 

 never hatched anything but gray chickens, although she has been 

 mated with a black, brass-back, and a black-red as well as a gray cock. 

 It is said the celebrated Mr. Nunis (or butcher) grays were of this 

 strain, one of which after winning in eleven mains had thirty-six sons 

 fought in a main at the royal pit and only four of them were whipped ; 

 so much for blood. A portrait of this bird with particulars was pub- 

 lished at the time. Halford's yellow-legged light reds and Elwess' red 

 duns, one of which fought twenty-seven battles, were equally famous, 

 and one of Sir Francis Boynton's won the same number of battles and, 

 was known as the Yorkshire herd. Col. Millish, who the late Duke 

 of Wellington declared was the best aids-de-camp that ever crossed a 

 horse, also bred a wonderful strain of cocks which he backed for fabu- 

 lous sums. The Dean of York strain and Sir Henry Goodrich's were 

 general favorites with the dark reds of Mr. Green ; but all these could 

 scarcely equal the Tassels of John Weightman, known as the Park 

 House Reds. Weightman fought and beat the Lancashire men at 

 Burton with these cocks for the largest amount ever fought for, not- 

 withstanding it is stated in Rural Sports that the main for _^i,ooo a 

 battle and ^^5,000 the odd, which was won by Gilner at Lincoln, were 

 the largest stakes. I have just seen one (if not the very last) of the 

 pure-bred Parkhouses on a brood walk where he has got fine chickens 

 this season although he is from twelve to twenty years old, and is a 

 real good type of the breed, having a long narrow tassel, short taper 

 head, very strong boxing beak, prominent, quick, fearless red eye, 

 long, strong, thick neck, short, broad, flat body, white, clean, blood- 

 like feet and legs, dark, shady breast, light red, with the brightest and 

 glossiest plumage. 



The Strokshire Reds and Duns have proved more than a match gen- 

 erally for the very best cocks that could be pitted against them, and 

 the fighting qualities of the Cheshire Piles are proverbial and unsur- 



