CHANTICLEER. 
159 
in nature, and of all natural sounds it is the most 
universal " All climates agree with brave Chan- 
ticleer. He is more indigenous even than the 
natives. His health is ever good ; his lungs are 
sound ; his spirits never flag." He is a pet bird 
among tribes that have never seen the peacock, goose, 
and turkey. In tropical countries where the dog 
becomes dumb, or degenerates into a mere growler, 
his trumpet never rusts. It is true that he was 
cradled in the torrid zone, yet in all Western 
lands, where he " shakes off the powdery snow," 
with vigorous wings, his voice sounds as loud and 
inspiriting as in the hot jungle. Pale-faced 
Londoners, and blacks, and bronzed or painted 
barbarians, all men all the world over, wake at 
morn to the " peaceful crowing of the cock," just as 
the Athenians woke of old, and the nations older, 
still. It is not, therefore, strange that this song 
has more associations for man than any other sound 
in nature. But, apart from any adventitious claims 
to our attention, the sound possesses intrinsic 
merits and pleases for its own sake. In our other 
domestic birds we have, with regard to this point, 
been unfortunate. We have the gobbling of 
turkeys, and the hoarse, monotonous come back 
of the guinea-fowl, screaming of peacocks and 
geese, and quacking, hissing, and rasping of 
mallard and muscovy. Above all these sounds the 
