HANDLING
,—a term applied by COCKERS to the judicious handling of a COCK, when brought up from his walk, to ascertain whether he is in proper condition to be placed in the PENS, and prepared to fight in either the MAIN BATTLES, or the byes. This is done by a particular mode of taking the girt of the body by grasp, to discover the shape and substance, the bone, the probable strength, as well as the firmness or flaccidity of the flesh; upon the aggregate of which so much depends, that in proportion to these qualifications, he is ACCEPTED or rejected accordingly.