GALLUS, Ray, Brisson, Vieill. Tem. Leach, PIIASIANUS, Lin. &c. Cocx.
Bill somewhat thick, with the base smooth, convex above, slightly curved, and bent down at the tip; nostrils situated at the base, half covered with an arched scale, and open ; cars naked ; tail compressed, and composed of fourteen feathers; feet four-toed, gressorial, anterior toes connected at the base by a membrane; tarsi with a long incurred spur ; wings short.
The fowls to which these characters refer, have, in con formity with the more natural arrangement of the elder ornithologists, been again detached from the genus Pha sianus,as instituted by Linne; and our domestic cock is a pretty fair type of the manners of the race. As has happened to other animals that have undergone a long series of domestication, their varieties have been greatly multiplied, and their native abodes are not easily ascer tained with precision ; but they are seldom found in a wild state, except in the warmer regions of the globe, parti cularly in the forests of Southern Asia and America, where they subsist on worms and insects, but principally on seeds and grains, which they swallow entire. The fe males have many young ones at a brood, and, at the same time, take a tender charge of them, leading them abroad, sheltering them under their wings, and indicating their food. The young are, at first, invested with a thick soft down. They afford a supply of wholesome and delicate food at every table.
G. giganteus, Tem. Gigantic, Paduan, or Jago Cock. Twice as large as the common species, with red caruncles and wattles. Found wild in the forests of Sumatra and the western parts of Java. According to Mr. Marsden, it is so much elevated on its legs, that, with its bill, it can reach to food placed on a common eating-table, and that, when fatigued, it reposes on the first articulations of the legs, and even then is higher than the common cock when standing. In a domestic state it is common in many places, particularly about Padua, in Italy ; and Caux, in Normandy, where it attains to a great size, and often weighs ten pounds. It has a very large denticulated comb, which is often double; and the body is variegated with brilliant colouring, as in the common species. Its voice is remarkably rough and hoarse.
G. Sonneratii, Tem. Phasianus gallus, Gmel. Gallus Indicus, Leach. Jungle Cock, FITild Cock, or Indian Phea sant. Comb toothed, mouth wattled beneath, feathers of the neck elongated, spotted with white, black, and fulvous, with membranaceous tips ; throat, breast, abdomen, and back, grey, striped with white; wing-coverts reddish-cies nut ; the tips of the feathers dilated, cartilaginous, and fulvous; the quill and tail feathers deep black. Female smaller, and destitute of comb and wattles; head feather ed ; body more obscure, varied with brown and red. Abounds in the large forests of India, and alleged by some, though without sufficient proof, to be the source of the domestic cock and hen.
G. domesticus, Steph. Phasianus gallus, Lin. &c. Domestic Cock. Comb toothed, throat wattled, feathers of the neck linear and elongated, body variegated with beau tiful colours, tail compressed and ascending. Comb and wattles of the female less than those of the male. The common dung-hill cock and hen are so familiar to our daily observation, that any minute description of them would be quite superfluous, and yet inadequate to com prise the shadings and varieties; for, with the exception of the pure white individuals, scarcely any two are per fectly alike.
The Crested cock has the head ornamented with a crest, in addition to the comb ; but some few are found having the latter appendage nearly obliterated, and, in place of it, a very large crest. The plumage of individuals of this
variety differs as much as that of the more common sorts; and the crest often contrasts with the rest of the feathers, some birds being white, with a black crest ; others black, with a white crest ; or the crest is black and orange, while the body is white, or varied with several colours. This breed is not uncommon in England, France, &c. In Egypt it is much in request for the delicacy of its flesh. It is said to be less prolific than some but to fatten more readily. The Bantam and Turkish tribes are either identical, or, at least, very nearly allied, being both of small dimensions, and attired in showy plumage; and the legs of the bantam are sometimes so thickly feathered as to impede walking. The hen lays a great number of eggs, without sitting ; and the cock is very courageous, not shrinking from measuring his strength with one of another race that is double his own size.—A scarcely larger than the common pigeon, occurs in Eng land, France, China, &c. and is cherished on account of the fertility of the female.—The Dorking cock, of La tham, and others, is of a somewhat larger size than the ordinary sort, and has five toes, two of which are placed behind. It is very common in England, and particularly about Dorking, in Surrey. The Game-cock, when in full plumage, and not mutilated for the purpose of fighting, has a line and animated appearance. His head, which is small, is adorned with a spacious red comb and wattles; his eyes sparkle with fire; and his whole demeanour be speaks boldness and freedom. The feathers on his neck are long, and fall gracefully down on his body ; which is thick, firm, and compact. His tail is long and arched; his legs are robust, and armed with sharp spurs, with which he defends himself and attacks his adversary. When surrounded by his females, his whole aspect is full of ani mation, and he admits no competitor; but, on the ap proach of a rival, rushes forward to instant combat, and either drives him from the field, or perishes in the attempt. To render his blows still more deadly, he is occasionally armed with an artificial spur, called a gaffle. The origin of cock-fighting is lost in the periods of remote antiquity; yet even the polished Athenians allotted one day in the year to this barbarous sport : the Romans seem to have borrowed it from the Greeks, and the ancient Britons from the Romans. Su addicted was Henry VIII. to this inhu man spectacle, that he caused a commodious house to be built for its exhibition, and which still retains the name of the Cockpit; and the practice was perversely promoted in our public schools. In China, the rage for cock-fight ing is still more prevalent than in this country ; and in Sumatra, a man will hazard not only his property, but his wife and children, on a favourite bird ! Besides races, or breeds of this species, individual varieties, or anomalies, of a marked complexion, also oc casionally occur, some of which may be regarded as ex traordinary, or monstrous productions. " A Jew," says M. Schwartz, " exhibited for money, in 1302, at Posen, in Poland, a hen, with her face like the human, which had been hatched on a farm near Wryesnier, and which he had received in payment of a small debt." A particular account of a well authenticated case of a hen having the profile of an old woman, may be found in the eighth volume of Thomson's Annals of Philosophy. Various examples of defect or redundancy of organs, and of other irregularities of 1 onformation, have been observed, especi ally in chickens produced by artificial hatching, but which it would be tedious to enumerate.