Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

Mr. Thomas J. Roach of San Jose, California, reports having purchased several months ago, a lot of fine cropple-crowns which he kept aloof from his less aristocratic fowls, in a small yard. The chief of his family was a large, black bird of an exceeding haughty disposition. He was monarch of all he surveyed till a week since, when Mr. roach procured a white bird of the same breed and turned it into the yard among the cropple-crowns. The two male birds immediately joined battle, which, after a gallant display of courage by both contestants, resulted in the defeat of the black cropple. The unsuccessful bird took the defeat sorely to heart. In fact, life was no longer worth possessing since honor had departed. The bird was seen trying to kill itself with its own spurs. Not succeeding, it tried to jam its head under a gate, but also failed. It then flew upon a barrel half filled with rain-water, and after carefully surveying the situation plunged into the cask. Mr. Roach ran out, and found the bird with its wings closely folded to its side, its beak open and apparently endeavoring to repress the natural struggles at self-preservation.”