YEARS. YEARS. YEARS. YEARS. Stags 1 with hens 2 man 18 woman 22 Cock 2 with pullets 0 man 25 woman 22 Cock 2 with hens 2 man 25 woman 22 Cock 3 with hens 3 man 40 to 50 woman 45 Cock 4 with hens 3 man 50 to 60 woman 45 It is said that a game cock that happened to be on board Rodney’s ship on the memorable 12th of April, during that glorious action, exhibited the most undaunted courage, by crowing and clapping his wings.—_Vide_ _Hoyle_, _article_ GAME COCK. Cocks, when they crow at unwonted hours, often foretel a change of weather. We have often noticed this before rain. During the calm, still, dry, dark, and warm weather, sometimes occurring in the winter months, and which may be called the halcyon days of our climate, cocks keep a constant crowing all night and day. There appear to be three principal cock-crowings in ordinary weather, namely, about midnight or soon after, about three in the morning, and at daybreak; the latter is never omitted. We have noticed, however, that when cocks crow all day, in summer particularly, a change to rain has frequently followed. * * * * * _Cocks and hammers._—If the sportsman has no objection to its clumsy appearance, I should be inclined to recommend the solid cock which falls on its end, instead of being stopped in the middle by the lock plate. It will therefore admit of main springs as strong as you please: and, by this means, add considerably to quickness in firing. But if you have very strong main springs, with the common cock, the resistance from the hammer spring, to prevent its breaking, must be so great, that you would soon wear out hammers, by being obliged to use an immoderate quantity of flints. With this another part of the lock also is safer, because the solid cock is received on a firm support annexed to the pan; while the one on the other construction suddenly catches the lock-plate, and is therefore liable to jar, and break either the tumbler itself, or the pin of the tumbler. A solid cock has many other advantages, from its durability and strength: it is proof against all awkward hands, and particularly desirable on guns which are liable to meet with rough usage in a boat.—_Sporting Repository_—_Hawker_—_Foster._ COCK, _v._ To set erect, to hold upright; to fix the cock of a gun for a discharge; to raise hay in small heaps. COCKER, _s._ One who follows the sport of cock-fighting: a small spaniel. _The Cocker_—(_Canis extrarius, Var. B._ LINN.)—This dog is much smaller than the springing spaniel, and is generally used for woodcock and snipe shooting. His diminutive size peculiarly fits him for ranging in low and thick coverts, for which purpose nature seems peculiarly to have adapted him.