The Descent of Man

namely spurs, which can be used with fearful
effect. It has been recorded by a trustworthy
writer (11. Mr. Hewitt, in the 'Poultry Book' by
Tegetmeier, 1866, p. 137.) that in Derbyshire a
kite struck at a game-hen accompanied by her
chickens, when the cock rushed to the rescue,
and drove his spur right through the eye and
skull of the aggressor. The spur was with difficulty
drawn from the skull, and as the kite,
though dead, retained his grasp, the two birds
were firmly locked together; but the cock when
disentangled was very little injured. The invincible
courage of the game- cock is notorious: a
gentleman who long ago witnessed the brutal
scene, told me that a bird had both its legs broken
by some accident in the cockpit, and the
owner laid a wager that if the legs could be
spliced so that the bird could stand upright, he
would continue fighting. This was effected on
the spot, and the bird fought with undaunted
courage until he received his death-stroke. In
Ceylon a closely allied, wild species, the Gallus