174 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



village green, where each produced three cocks, 

 and the bell was appended to the hat of the 

 victor. In this way it was handed down from 

 one successful captain to another. It was not 

 until 1836 that these contests were discontinued, 

 and in their place there is now an annual hunt. 

 The bell of 1G55 continued a parochial insti- 

 tution for 217 years, and had long graced the 

 hats of " cocking champions," or the white rods 

 of sham mayors. 



Although many of the more famous cock- 

 pits now exist, they are grass-grown and 

 unused. With regard to the actual fighting, 

 the plucky birds were supposed to set an ex- 

 cellent example to virtuous youth; and to 

 arouse a noble emulation in fighting the Gallic 

 or other wide-throated cock that dared to crow 

 defiance or flap his wings. In this connection 

 it may be added that in some of the endowed 

 schools before mentioned as much as half the 

 master's salary had, by arrangement of the 

 founders, been made to depend upon the cock- 

 pennies. 



Cock-fighting was also popular in Scotland 

 at a very recent date. With what zeal it 

 was practised may be inferred from the fol- 



