Frederick Birds Do Well, But Virginians Have Little Money to Bet.

INTERSTATE COCKING MAIN.
Frederick Birds Do Well, but Virginians Have Little Money to Bet– Forty Birds Fought.
[Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.]

POINT OF ROCKS, MD., March 24.– The second cocking main of the season between Maryland and Virginia took place last night on the Virginia shore of the Potomac, about two miles below this town. On account of the storm not more than a hundred sports attended, and they presented a sorry sight after plodding through the mud to reach the scene of the battle from this place. Many went ankle deep in the yellow clay.

Forty birds were placed in the pit and more than half of them were left dead on the field. The battles were fought in an 18-foot ring in a large barn. The ringside’s were padded with chopped hay. The ardor of the Frederick boys was not only dampened by the weather, but their spirits were depressed because there was little money offered to back the Virginia birds. On their choice cocks the Frederick men offered 10 to 5 and even 15 to 5, but they found no takers.

The main began at 9:30 in the evening and continued until about 4 o’clock this morning, the place being illuminated with torches and lanterns. The Browningsville (Md.) birds, which achieved the honors at the previous fight in December, were badly whipped by the Bakerton (W. Va.) cocks, which were introduced later in the night.

Frederick lost only two birds, the first a black red-breasted Irish game, but its “gaffs” were improperly adjusted and on the first “fluff” it pierced its own head with its “gaffs.” Throughout the remainder of the fight, which lasted twenty-five minutes, the bird was groggy and finally succumbed to its antagonist.

Frederick’s second bird, a Dominick cock, was clearly defeated by a Virginia Irish slasher in five minutes, but it was soon discovered that a foul had been perpetrated, as the bird was outclassed by substituting a stag which outweighed the Maryland bird by five ounces. A vigorous protest was entered and a dispute arose, in which warm words were used. It was finally adjudged a draw, and all bets were declared off.

To prepare birds for these battles usually requires several weeks of training. About three weeks before the fight they are taken in off the walks and placed in a coop, where they are given a physic and then fed on mush and milk for five days. After this they are fed on fried hominy for breakfast, a small allowance of broiled steak for dinner and mush and milk for supper. Each day they are pitted against another cock with cork or blind gaffs, after which they are rubbed down, their legs bathed in brandy and their heads and necks rubbed with a mixture of rum and vinegar. The day they fight they are allowed no rations at all and only a small quantity of water.