in zoology, the English name of the males of gallinaceous birds, but more especially used for the common dunghill cock. See Phasianus.

Black Cock. See Tetrao.

Cock of the Wood. See Scarabaeus.

Cock-Chaffer. See Cyclopterus.

Cock-Paddle, Lump-fish, or Sea-owl. See Cyclopterus.

Cock-Pit, a sort of theatre upon which game-cocks fight.

It must appear astonishing to every reflecting mind, that a mode of diversion so cruel and inhuman as that of cock-fighting should so generally prevail, that not only the ancients, barbarians, Greeks, and Romans, should have adopted it; but that a practice so savage and heathenish should be continued by Christians of all sorts, and even pursued in these better and more enlightened times.

The ancient Greeks and Romans, as is well known, were wont to call all the nations in the world barbarians; yet certainly, if we consider the many instances of cruelty practised among them, there was very little reason for the distinction. Human sacrifices were common both to them and the barbarians; and with them the expelling of infants, the combats of men with wild beasts, and of men with men in the gladiatorial scenes, were spectacles of delight and festivity.

The islanders of Delos, it seems, were great lovers of cock-fighting; and Tanagra a city in Bœotia, the isle of Rhodes, Chalcis in Eubœa, and the country of Media, were famous for their generous and magnificent race of chickens. The kingdom of Persia was probably included in the last, from whence this kind of poultry was first brought into Greece; and if one may judge of the rest from the fowls of Rhodes and Media, the excellency of the broods at that time consisted in their weight and largeness (as the fowls of those countries were heavy and bulky), and of the nature of what our sportsmen call shakebags or turnpikes. The Greeks, moreover, had some method of preparing the birds for battle, by feeding; as may be collected from Columella.

It should seem, that at first cock-fighting was partly a religious and partly a political institution at Athens; and was there continued for the purpose of improving the seeds of valour in the minds of their youth; but was afterwards abused and perverted both here and in the other parts of Greece to a common pastime, without any moral, political, or religious intention, and as it is now followed and practised among us.

At Rome, as the Romans were prone to imitate the Greeks, we may expect to find them following their example in this mode of diversion, and in the worst way, viz. without any good or laudable motives; since, when they took and brought it to Rome, the Greeks had forgotten every thing that was commendable in it, and had already perverted it to a low and unmeaning sport. Signior Hyam thinks the Romans borrowed the pastime from Dardanus in Asia; but there is little reason for making them go so far from it, when it was so generally followed in Greece, whose customs the Romans were addicted to borrow and imitate. However, it is probable, they did not adopt this opinion very early. It may be gathered from Columella, that the Romans did not use the sport in his time. This author styles cock fighting a Grecian diversion; and speaks of it in terms of ignominy, as an expensive amusement, unbecoming the frugal householder, and often attended with the ruin of the parties that followed it. The words are remarkable. "Nos enim cenfemus instituere vestigal induhii patria familiae, non rixofarum avium lanifae, cujus plerumque totum patrimonium pignus alae, victor gallinaceus pyctes ablutit?" Where he describes, as we think, the manner, not of the Romans, but of the Greeks, who had in his time converted the diversion of cock-fighting into a species of gaming, and even to the total ruin of their families, as happens but too often in England at this day. The Romans, however, at last gave into the custom, tho' not till the decline of the empire. The first cause of contention between the two brothers Baflianus and Geta, sons of the emperor Septimius Severus, happened, according to Herodian, in their youth, about the fighting of their cocks; and if the battling between these two princes was the first instance of it, probably they had seen and learned it in Greece, whether they had often accompanied the emperor their father.

It is observable, that cocks and quails pitted for the purpose of engaging one another, a outrance, or to the last gasp, for diversion, are frequently compared, and with much propriety, to gladiators. Hence Pliny's expression, Gallorum—ceu gladiatorum; and that of Columella, rixofarum avium lanifae; lanifae being the proper term for the matter of the gladiators. Consequently one would expect, that when the bloody scenes of the amphitheatre were discarded, as they were soon after the Christian religion became the establishment of the empire, the wanton shedding of men's blood in sport, being of too cruel and savage a nature to be patronized and encouraged in an institution so harmless and innocent as the Christian was, one might justly expect that the otrypoumav and the axiropoumav would have ceased of course. The fathers of the church are continually inveighing against the spectacles of the arena, and upbraiding their adversaries with them. These indeed were more unnatural and shocking than a main of cocks; but this, however, had a tendency towards infusing the like ferocity and implacability in the breasts and dispositions of men.

Besides, this mode of diversion has been in fact the bane and destruction of thousands here, as well as those of lanifae avium, "cock-feeders," mentioned by Columella, whose patrimonial fortunes were totally dissipated and destroyed by it.

The cock is not only an useful animal, but lately in his figure, and magnificent in his plumage. "Imperialis furo-gerena," says Pliny, et regnum, in quacunque fuit domo, exercet." Aristophanes compares him to the king of Persia; most authors also take notice of the "spectatilimum infigne, ferratum, quod eorum verticem regiae corona modo exornat." His tenderness towards his brood is such, that, contrary to the custom of many other males, he will scratch and provide for them with an affluence almost equal to that of the hen; and his generosity is so great, that, on finding a hoard of meat, he will chuckle the hens together, and without touching one bit himself will relinquish the whole of it to them. He was called the bird, κατά τον ἀνθρώπου, by many of the ancients; he was highly esteemed in some countries, and in others was even held sacred, inasmuch that one cannot but regret that a creature so useful and noble, should, by a strange fatality, be so enormously abused by us. It is true, our αληθερωματικός, or the massacre of Shrove Tuesday, is now in a declining way; and, in a few years, it is to be hoped will be totally disfraced but the cock-pit still continues a reproach to the humanity of Englishmen, and to their religion; the purest, the tenderest, and most compassionate, of all others, not excepting even the Brachmannic.

It is unknown when the pitched battle first entered England; but it was probably brought thither by the Romans. The bird was here before Caesar's arrival, but no notice of his fighting occurs earlier than the time of William Fitz-Stephen, who wrote the life of archbishop Becket, some time in the reign of Henry II., and describes the cocking as a sport of school-boys on Shrove Tuesday. From this time at least the diversion, however absurd, and even impious, was continued among us. It was followed, though disapproved and prohibited by Edward III.; also in the reign of Henry VIII.; and A.D. 1569. It has by some been called a royal diversion; and, as every one knows, the cock-pit at Whitehall was erected by a crowned head, for the more magnificent celebration of it. There was another pit in Drury-lane, and another in Javin street. It was prohibited, however, by one of Oliver's acts, March 31, 1664. What aggravates the reproach and disgrace upon Englishmen, are those species of fighting which are called the battle-royal and the Welsh-main, known nowhere in the world but there; neither in China, nor in Persia, nor in Malacca, nor among the savage tribes in America. These are scenes so bloody as almost to be too shocking to relate; and yet, as many may not be acquainted with the horrible nature of them, it may be proper for the excitement of our aversion and detestation to describe them in a few words. In the former, an unlimited number of fowls are pitted, and when they have slaughtered one another for the diversion (Dii boni!) of the other wife generous and humane Englishman, the single surviving bird is to be esteemed the victor, and carries away the prize. The Welsh-main confuses, we will suppose of 16 pair of cocks; of these, the 16 conquerors are pitted a second time; the 8 conquerors of these are pitted a third time; the 4 conquerors the fourth time; and lastly, the two conquerors of these are pitted the fifth time; so that (incredible barbarity!) 31 cocks are sure to be most inhumanely murdered for the sport and pleasure, the noise and nonsense, the profane cursing and swearing, of those who have the effrontery to call themselves, with all these bloody doings, and wish all this impiety about them, Christians; nay, what with many is a superior and distinct character, men of benevolence and morality. But let the morality and benevolence of such be appreciated from the following instance recorded as authentic in the obituary of the Gentleman's. books to his fair defendress. Philosophy sojourns in the neighbourhood of religion; these philosophic reveries would naturally lead a thoughtful mind to that subject; and taking into her consideration the tenets of her present faith, she began to discover their indefensible grounds: she therefore resolved to renounce it, and published a vindication of her change in 1707; and returning to the established church of Scotland, she changed her condition likewise the next year, 1728; and was married to Mr Cockburne, a learned divine of that church. The duties of a wife and mother called Mrs Cockburne from her books and pen many years; and domestic cares engaging her attention, we hear nothing of her as a writer till 1726, when her zeal for Mr Locke's opinions drew her again into public light. She exercised her pen afterwards as occasion offered; and in 1739 she entered into the controversy concerning the foundation of moral duty and obligation. In that controversy she wrote two treatises, the first of which she transmitted in manuscript to Mr afterwards Dr Warburton, the late bishop of Gloucester, who published it, with a preface of his own, in 1747. Mrs Cockburne survived this publication two years only. She died in 1749, and was interred at Long Horsley, near her husband, who died the year before her, with this short sentence upon the tomb, "Let their works praise them in the gates." Prov. xxx. 31. Her works were collected and published in 1753, in two volumes 8vo, with an account of her life prefixed.—This collection is an incontestable proof of the author's genius. But her abilities as a writer will not be seen without attending to the peculiar circumstances in which her writings were produced: her early youth, for instance, when she wrote some; her very advanced age, and ill state of health, when she drew up others; the uneasy situation of her fortune during the whole course of her life; and an interval of near 20 years, in the vigour of it, spent in the cares of a family, without the least leisure for reading or contemplation; after which, with a mind so long diverted and encumbered, resuming her studies, she instantly recovered its entire powers; and, in the hours of relaxation from domestic employments, pursued to the utmost limits some of the deepest researches the human understanding is capable of. Her character is that of a most uncommon lady, no less celebrated for her beauty in her younger years, than for her genius and accomplishments. She was small of stature, but had a remarkable liveliness in her eyes, and a delicacy of complexion which continued to her death.