COCK, the male of the domestic fowl of the genus Gallus. One species of Gallus is found in the wild state in the Malay Peninsula, two in Sumatra, two in Java, and one in the Philippine Islands. But no bird of the genus in the wild state is found in Borneo, Celebes, or any island of the Molucca Seas. The two of Java are distinct species ; they will pair, and the progeny is a beautiful bird, kept by the wealthy Javanese as an ornament of their poultry-yards, under the name of pakiser. The wild fowl of the Philippines are sometimes tamed, axe very brave, and always come off victors with the large cocks of China ; and they will contend with the famous gallant breed of the Loguno. Most of the advanced nations of the Asiatic islands are gamblers, and the favourite shape which gamin°. takes with tbem is cock-fighting. This incluees the people of Bali, Lombok, Celebes, and all the Philippine Islands, the only material exception_ being the Javanese. The passion for cock-fighting, is im pressed on the very language of the Malays. Thus
there is a specific name for cock-fighting, one for the natural spur of the cock, and another for the artificial ; two names for the comb, three for the crow of the cock, two for a cockpit, and one for a professional cock-fighter. The passion is nowhere carried further than in the Spanish dominions in the Philippines. There it is licensed by the Government, which derives from it a yearly reven ue of about 40,000 dols., or about £10,000. Nations of Central Asia seem, from time immemorial, to have used the cock in sacrifice, being especially sacred to the sun in Sabman worship. And this still continues. It is offered in sacrifices on the new-yeax's clay by the old Parsee fire-worshippers. The Aryan Hindu and the non-Aryan races all sacrifice the cock at the shrines of the earth goddesses.—Crawfurd, Diet. p. 113. See Birds.