274 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



It is pretty obvious that the pugnacity of 

 the cock was developed in the first place for 

 the sake of enabling him to acquire and to keep 

 guard over his wives. High as is his courage, 

 and formidable as are his weapons, they could 

 have been of little avail against eagles, tiger- 

 cats, and jackals. What is the natural history 

 of the splendid valour of the game-cock ? As 

 a rule, a combat between two such birds, armed 

 only with their natural weapons, lasts a long 

 time. Of course when the brutal folk who take 

 a delight in cock-fig-hting- fasten steel blades to 

 the legs of the birds, fighting-cocks soon cut 

 one another to pieces ; but it is not an un- 

 familiar sight in a farmyard to see a couple of 

 roosters fighting until both are completely ex- 

 hausted, and renewing the struggle from day 

 to day until one acknowledges himself to be 

 vanquished. Under such circumstances it is 

 quite plain that the bird which had sufficient 

 pluck and determination to keep on fighting in 

 spite of innumerable wounds and intense ex- 

 haustion would be more likely to win his battle 

 and his hens than one which, after receiving 

 severe punishment, began to debate within him- 

 self as to whether the game was worth the 



