THE COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO 
VER since that far-off day in the prehistoric 
past, when some unknown Aryan skikari 
captured a pair of Gallus ferrugineus and 
domesticated them, the fowl has been the 
constant companion and friend of man. The utility of 
the hen bird soon rendered her indispensable to human 
beings, while the proud bearing and the valour of the 
cock gained for him the admiration of mankind. 
Idomeneus bore on his shield at the siege of Troy 
a representation of the gallant chanticlere. The war- 
like Romans held the birds in high esteem; they were 
in the habit of using them as augurs. The method of 
ascertaining the will of the gods was to place food 
before the sacred birds. If the grain was consumed 
quickly, the omen was favourable; if, on the other 
hand, the fowls were slow in disposing of the victuals, 
the omen was evil. Since both cocks and hens have 
a habit of devouring their food as though they were 
travellers, determined to have their money’s worth, 
eating dinner at a railway restaurant with the train 
waiting impatiently outside, it was not often that fowls 
gave an unfavourable omen. On one memorable occa- 
sion, however, they seem to have been off colour ; the 
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