A KING AMONG ANGLERS. 139 
soon loses the stampeders round a bend of the 
road. The bull was not unfrequently turned out 
at midnight for a fifteen mile burst, and, it is 
said, became quite used to the nightly visitation. 
At Oxford, where was a famous cockpit, 
Wilson was one of the great “cockers” of his 
time. At Elleray his game birds engrossed as 
much time as his boats; and in his walks abroad 
he usually carried a game-cock under his arm, 
to pit against those of his neighbours. It is 
even reported upon trustworthy evidence, that 
the Professor indulged in the pastime in his 
drawing-room on Sunday afternoons, and we know 
that he did so upon one memorable week-day. 
In his diary are frequent reminders of the sport. 
Thus: ‘ Black Edinburgh hen set on Tuesday, 
the 23rd of June, with twelve eggs—middle of the 
day. Sister to the above was set with five eggs 
on Thursday, but they had been sat upon a day 
or two before.” And side by side with some 
beautiful lines from the “Isle of Palms” is ranged 
“Ca list of cocks for a main with W. and T.,” and 
then comes ‘‘ Lord Derby,” ‘‘ Caradice,” and the 
rest of them. Wilson kept only the purest game- 
fowl, and bred from the best fighting strains in the 
country. Although this erstwhile moral philo- 
sopher was a keen cock-fighter, he was eminently 
kind and gentle to animals in general. There 
