Tiie Illustrated Book of Poultry . 
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bitter curses, the entreaties which the poor bird’s horrid screams forced even his fellow-sportsmen 
to urge for a merciful death. These things are not accidents, but natural results of such a sport. 
The quarrelsome disposition of true-bred Game fowls makes this breed altogether unadapted 
to the pui poses of the ordinary poultry-keeper. The young cock chickens have been known to 
fight for two whole days consecutively, only leaving off with daylight, and resuming hostilities 
as soon as there was a glimmer to see by ; and this disposition is sadly in the way of many who 
would otherwise be glad to keep them. Their light and active grace, the singular beauty of colour, 
their free step and undaunted spirit, always secure admirers ; and at most poultry-shows the Game 
classes are the most thronged of any. Many of the hens are excellent layers, averaging as high as 
200 eggs per annum on a good range ; but other varieties fall far short of this. All Game fowls, 
however, if killed moderately young, are the choicest eating possible. They will not bear 
fattening ; but if taken up just as they are, after good feeding, are almost like the pheasant in 
quality of flesh. Merely as a table fowl, the larger strains of hen-feathered Game would be 
preferable, as cocks may easily be bred reaching nearly eight pounds, and by breeding young 
birds together the highest quality of meat may be obtained ; but the want of the sweeping 
sickles sadly detracts from their beauty in most eyes. All Game fowls are very deceiving as to 
the weight of meat they carry. Compared with most other poultry they look small ; but on taking 
them up it is found that they are larger than they look, and that they feel almost “ like lead ” in 
the hand. When, therefore, they can be allowed free range round the country house, with space 
sufficient to prevent much fighting, they are sometimes an advantageous breed to keep, though, as 
a rule, more adapted to the purposes of the genuine fancier or exhibitor. By these they will 
always be prized ; though there is no doubt the great improvement during late years in the quality 
of their chief rivals, the Game Bantams, has to some degree thinned the ranks of breeders of 
the true Game. 
Game chickens are certainly very tiresome to manage. The quarrelsome disposition shows 
itself at a very early age ; and we have known a bird fight till its windpipe was torn open, long 
before it was fully fledged. Even the little pullets will often fight freely, but their quarrels 
rarely produce much harm. As they will generally live peacefully enough after the mastery 
is once thoroughly decided, many breeders get over the difficulty by buffeting with a bag or 
handkerchief what seem to be the weaker birds, thus hastening the victory of the stronger 
ones ; after which, for a time at least, the trouble is over. Temporary separation is not of 
the slightest use, only making the fighting worse than ever when the little sinners are allowed 
to meet again ; once the quarrelling begins, it must be decided before peace can be re-established. 
Later on, when the chicks are old enough to be separated and live apart from the hen, there is much 
less difficulty ; as the cockerels may be put up together with a strong old cock, who will 
keep order. It is very strange that this should be the case with so combative a breed ; but 
it has been proved again and again that a good old Game ,cock will not allow young ones 
to fight in his presence, but will walk up and stop them, administering severe punishment if 
his commands be disregarded. In this way the walk may be preserved in peace for a considerable 
of the miserable animal were so affecting, that some gentlemen who were present attempted to interfere, which so enraged Mr. A. 
that he seized a poker, and, with the most furious vehemence, declared that he would kill the first man who interposed ; but in the 
midst of his passionate asseverations he fell down dead upon the spot.” Such a crime, followed so swiftly by such an awful 
judgment, could not fail to produce a most profound impression ; and there is not the slightest doubt that it did much to awaken 
public attention to the cruelty of cock-fighting, and produce an opinion against it which ultimately became strong enough to put all 
open practice of it entirely down. 
