The National tribune., 1906-02-08


then year after year of careful breed
ing and selection has developed quail
ties which could be secured in no other
way. Birds are raised only from WIN
ncrs and sisters of winners.
The chickens are kept together from
the time they are Matched in the Spring
until the young cOckerels, or stays. be-
gin to manifest fighting proclivities.
That comes in the Fall
They are then separated. and each
stag is placed on q walk. That means
that a farmer or negro is paid to take
the cock and keep him on his farm
with not more than six hens in such
place that he will not come in con-
tact with any other cock for a year.
One might think the bird should be
fighting all that time to develop his
mettle. but careful study has shown
year the bird sees no other cocks: he
Is absolutely king of the little realm in
which he rules and he realizes it.
He grows i'm stature. dignity and
courage. In few months nothing can
encroach on his territory without a
challenge and stubborn fight, be it cow,
horse. mule, dog or man.
At the end of the year these cocks,
sometimes spread over territory 20
miles in circumference, are gathered in
and cooped up, preparatory to testing.
The fancier holds little mains for his
In this way finds out what qualities the
cocks possess. A fight means death to
one bird. and In consequence there is
thinning out.
Sometimes when two birds of excep-
tfonal worth are put together they are
separated after they have demonstrated
their good qualities. because they are
too valuable to be sacrificed. The best
birds are then shipped to various parts
OF the country to take part in big fights
main. or cockfight. is an interest
ing affair. A couple of men. for in
5000. $500 or $500, with $40, $40 or
$50 on each fight. If one man wins II
fights he gets the purse, plus the
amount on each fight he wins and the
loser gets the money for the fights he
wins. This helps him to pay expenses.
Large sums Of money are also put up
on the result Of the main. or on each
separate fight. by the company as
sembled. Sometimes the fancier's
friends come with him and back his
birds to their last cent, but generally
the money Is placed by lIen on birds
they fancy, and which their educated
judgment tells them will win.
The preparation of a game cock for
the pit. usually ring filled with tan
bark to prevent the birds from injuring
themselves when they fall. is nearly as
elaborate as that Of a prizefighter. First.
TIC COCK > natural spurs are cut down
to short stump. perhaps half an inch
long. chamois strips are wound around
this and about the leg, and over this
the gaff. or steel spur. is fitted and tied
on securely.
Next, the wings and tail are cropped
short. the former for the purpose Of
making them hit harder. and the latter
probably because it makes the bird look
fierce. The hackle feathers are then
cropped and the soft downy feathers Of
the breast are cut close to keep the bird
cool.
The cocks are held together for
minute. and then dropped on the bark.
and in q few minutes there is a blur
of feathers. The fight may last five
seconds or an hour but 20 minutes is
a good average.
When the birds get hung together,
they are separated for moment and
the owners blow down their threats to
revive them, but the rest is Of short
duration. and the cocks are set at 1t
again.
In many cases the training of birds
is elaborate. The birds are dieted and
exercised to tougher them for the con-
test. Two birds are often put together,
rugged out with muffs or miniature
boxing gloves, for this purpose. They
are exercised by tossing them up and
down on a padded table.
A bird that Is not dead game" and
will not "stand steel" has it's throat cut
as soon as it's owner finds it out. and
the same disposition made of the cock
that uses it's bill and not its feet when
fighting,