Brutalising Effect of Cock-fighting. 
30 9 
man who, after declaiming against cock-fighting, will go down to his “ gun-club ” to maim and 
torture defenceless pigeons by the dozen — nay, so far as cruelty to the animal goes, he is the 
most cruel ; for the Game cock fights on equal terms, while the pigeon has little chance against 
the central-fire breech-loader of our aristocratic “ sportsman.” Still, the suffering inflicted by 
cock-fighting is far more than cock-fighters usually admit. In Dr. Cooper’s work on the Game 
fowl is quoted at length, with high commendation, an account of the “Great New York 
Main against the Daffodil Cocking Club of Porchester,” won by the “ Daffodils, ” with birds 
of his own favourite “Tartar” strain. The main consisted of seven battles, which were won 
respectively as follows: — First, eight minutes; second, forty minutes; third, thirty minutes 
(drawn) ; time of fourth and fifth not stated ; sixth, forty-three minutes ; seventh, thirty- 
three minutes. In spite, therefore, of the deadly weapons with which they were armed, nearly 
all these birds suffered far more than the “ very few minutes ” carelessly spoken of by various 
apologists. Of the nature of that suffering, we find it rather difficult to give a good idea without 
actually quoting the account of the battles : but we may state that one poor bird fought on 
with a broken wing for forty minutes; while in another battle “ an unlucky coup blinded ” the 
Daffodil cock, which nevertheless kept on, till at last he managed to get hold of the other, and 
“ finished ” him. This bird is accordingly compared enthusiastically with the “ Old Jacksons,” of 
which the almost incredible explanatory remark is made that this strain “ had the reputation of 
fighting better after losing their eyesight /” In an account of a main at New Jersey so late 
as January, 1873, it is stated that ten battles were fought, and in four of these blinding 
occurred; such expressions as “New York had both eyes torn out” being employed to 
describe this result. Further details would but sicken the reader; and we will only add of 
this main that, while some of the battles were very quickly over, we find also the time of 
twenty-three minutes, twelve minutes, thirty-two minutes, twenty-eight minutes, and fourteen 
minutes recorded. 
But it is no part of our purpose to estimate the greater or less amount of suffering involved 
in all this ; and no doubt other sports cause as great or greater to individual animals. What we 
desire to point out clearly — because hitherto we have never seen the distinction recognised — is 
that even the worst of these sports stands on a radically different footing to that now being 
considered. The cruelty involved in them is a cruelty of thoughtlessness. The sportsman gives 
pain for which his own diversion may possibly be held to be no excuse ; but this pain in no 
degree enters into or forms part of his pleasure ; he simply forgets and overlooks it. In cock- 
fighting it is otherwise The poor birds are there before all eyes, and every stroke is eagerly 
canvassed, “ telling ” directly in the shape of changes in the betting, as shown in any account 
of a match. Hence cock-fighting as a rule steadily brutalises those who take part in it, and 
causes ultimately a disregard of animal suffering in some individuals almost beyond belief. Only 
the other day an earnest American champion of the diversion boasted that he could take one 
of his cocks and cut off both legs and wings, and the bird would fight then ! and in certain quarters 
of England the shocking tale is still whispered about of how the wicked Ardesoif, being angered 
by a bird on which he had betted heavily turning tail at the last, after winning many battles, 
tied the recreant cock to a spit,* and deliberately roasted him alive , refusing, with deep and 
* Several accounts were published of the circumstances attending this horrid piece of cruelty ; but the only one we can find 
room for is the bare statement of the facts contained in the obituary of the Gentleman's Magazine for April, 1789, and quoted by 
Cowper in a note to some verses (of no particular merit) founded upon the incident. “ Mr. A. [John Ardesoif, Esq., of Tottenham] 
was very fond of cock-fighting, and had a favourite cock, upon which he had won many profitable matches. The last bet he laid 
upon this cock he lost, which so enraged him that he had the bird tied to a spit and roasted alive before a large fire. The screams 
