The New York herald., 1871-12-18
COCK-A-DOUULE-DOO.
The Science and Amusement Of Breeding
and Fighting Game Chickens.
How It Has Been in England aud How II
Is In the United States.
The Strains Produced About New
York This Year.

Breeder-The Game Birds Of New Jersey,
Long Island and Other Places
The Mains to Come OF.
'Ivs Hooded with fowl"
1sThey are thick as bees"
"Good deal arc In Jersey, good deal on Long
Island. aud good deal everywhere around here and
you can bet tnere'll be pum-up ngnting this sea-
SON"
These entertaining remarks In relation to the out
look Of the approaching gamecock lighting season
were pleasantly made day or two since by one OF
the many genial breeders Of these feathered fighters
In his hostelrie few miles removed from New
York. And the information was the prelude TO
much more that win be found OF interest to every
c0cknehter aud bree der in the land.
''Wen. tell me all about what the boys have been
doing. Have they stuck to old strains tried ex.
perlments In rhe introduction OF new ones ?"
"Both. But It's o long story and you must give
me time to think.n
I And while the breeder Is putting together the
facts in his mind picked up in nightly c0nversa-
tons with brother breeders during months past
AMIss TO LOOK BACK,
ana for a moment note that since the days when
the nobility OF England fought great cooking mains
In the presence OF crowned heads judges, marshas
and the selected few OF the arstocracy, the game.
cock has not, pernaps improved al all In his supe-
rl0r breeding has he fallen from his high estate.
He is still as lofty In his bearing, as regal In his
port as stubborn In his valOr Jealous In his ma
ture and as vndctive In his disposition In those
days long gone. Now, as then he can be seen per-
scouting the turkey gobbler and letting 20 at the
head OF the clamorous gander, or aught else with
feathers on his walk, and at times he can be Oh.
served leaving his own territory and wandering
like knight OF the chivalr1c period IN quest
OF SOMETHING TO FIGHT
Yet from being the champion OF houses OF high
ancestral name, whose daughters decorated the
bags which he honored with the armorial bearings
Of their fathers, worked In coors and rich Silks
he has descended to more plebeian surroundings
and to mercenary transactions. But times change.
greatly 80 regarding the pastime Of cocknghtlng.
In England tho gameoock, though not extinct Is
now quite out OF fashion. From being the pride OF
large estates and OF country families and next to
the Dlooded racehorse, The idol or Brtains neart,
he is now chiefly reared there by retired clergymen
and old ladies, who love and value him for his
Bymmetry Of form, beauty Of plumage and flavor as
table fowl, and think his invcterate pugnacity
rather an evil than great desldcratum.
TDE vALoR0Us INSTINCTS
Of the gamecocK have been the delight OF some OF
the eminent men and cultivated members OF society
Of ancient ana mooern times. They have cncour-
aged the amusement and lent their presence to the
pit where the contests are fought, and around
which they have Infused the spirit OF quietude ana
respectability. During the life OF the Earl or
perby-a nobleman by nature as well as by birth
this pastme in England was at lis heighth. and that
Ocular impaired to the sport the prominence it
then attained eQualling the interest aud exclement
surrounding their great turf contests
x IN THE UNITED STATES
many respected public mon, those standing FORE
patronized the cockpit and thought il not wrong.
Even Washington had true admiration for the gamo
mitted to friend, as . little extenuating circum-
stance for seeming neglect that he had Just left
s or S SS sna
bushed not to RECORD It. Cocknghting In this C0un-
try has remote oriEin and certainty is one or the
had the Southern people up to the time Of our late
little d,ficulty, ndulged in inc breeding and nghting
Df gamecocks year after year noLing an increased
PIT WAS DESERTED
for sterner scenes by field aud hood While the war
lasted the production of game birds In the South
almost entirely ceased, and on thousand and one
MS sk n sne beeSna anS
training there was no longer the martial crow OF
eager cocks, and the oloest and youngest darkey
Tor q time sighed that the good old days Of fighting
favorite chickens had departed. With the closing
OF the war tue renewal Of breeding gamec0cks
renewal Of the old sport OF pit and gar until n0N
uen OF note with the cnfranchised darkey forget tho
lions generally, sinking the statesman into the
lighter and fancieT OF game chickens.
NEW YORK FIRST KNEW
this amusement about fifty years ago. Men OF aris-
t0crauc tcnuencies and whose names are now re.
membered as boing synonymous with wealth,
the spacious halls OF their mansions and repaired to
the cockpit where they gave the sport that pr0mi-
times lii every principal city IN the Northern states
has the pit been established and the amusement
N s Of an
for two years past the number OF mains, or battles,
the character OF the birds, the amount OF stake.
money and the nature the contests have been such
rs to entitle tho
Ehus given 1t by this arcle and the reason OF the
present mutually pleasant meeting OF reporter and
breeder.
The latter person devotes his time to the breeding
the business and he has been quite successful In
producing STRAIN OF birds possessing all the beauty,
Endurance aud rapid hghting qualities which are
etriven for among oil In his avocation. Usually
men Of this character keep their own counsel, and
1t is difficult TO extract the least Information from
cient make the breeder open his mouth and tell
the ,ale so for as he was posted, OF the prepara-
to be as severe as
When 1s.,s The rsrSy: ys,s, and Nsylo'
And And RI, rushed he'd IKE raging devils
The breeder had collected his thoughts, and, with
his elbows on the arms OF o comfortable cane
seated chair and his head resting lightly in the
PAINS Of his hands. thus commenced:-
THIS YEARS PRODUCTION.
"Well, where shall begins You know that last
winter we had plenty Of fun and lots or good fgnt
be a great exaggeratton to state that bushels of
greenbaCks changed hands In those two meetings
The impetus given TO the sport then and In mains
previous to and following these high-toned AFFAIRS
resulted In the most extensive breeding last spring.
Not alone did tho big guns go In for heavy work in
this respect but hundreds that only went to the Dit
before and Invested their money on lavorite DIrds,
commenced TO produce them, and IN little out OF.
tbe-way back yards and places unheard OF In the
raising oil game fowls clutches were brought to
hight"
srrle hardest thing IN the world many OF such
breeders only knowing that some time or the other
the bio0d they have got made spanR-up hghtu
''Ths result-the little coop IN the corner and the
garret and cellar progeny-together with that Of the
recognized individuals who raise and train these
FOWL, made me remark the extraordinary revival