AMUSEMENTS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB OF PARIS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 690, 13 March 1852, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB OF PARIS.

[From the Times, November 4.] The long-talked-of fight between Lord H.’s two owls, Iron Beak and Young, and twelve rats came off at midnight on the 28th of October, in the drawing-room of the Jockev Club. } The bets on the side of the rats, amount-

ing to £1250, were all taken by LortHj who backed his plumed champions. ***• The most perfect order prevailed in u, drawing-room. The place of every SDtc . , was assigned to him by the judges of the h tie, whose orders were implicitly anhmt?> to. Lord H. had on his right poet of Marseilles, who while the Wa ’iJ* preparations were going Qn improvised dozen strophes inspired by the singular * casion. 6 ® c ’ At about half-past 11 o’clock, Victor C i turier introduced the rats. The large ° U in which they were contained wa* placed a table in the middle of the room, in w d that the inmates, who had fasted for 24 bou might be publicly fed. Tbe dish chosen u sustain their strength and animate their a dour was a pasty of Perigord truffles, pr j' pared by that worthy successor of Vate’l th' bead cook of the club. h. three minutes these delicacies were disposed of with au evi dent relish and apnreciation which could hardly have been predicated of rats. t or j H. then ordered his falconer to bring j n t h e owls. Iron Beak and Young were born in Scotland, upon an estate of his Lordship, where for two years they inhabited an old tower in which they were one day surprised and can. tured by William Perkes, the falconer. They are owls of the largest kind. They are each two feet high—their eyes of ghastly transpa. rency — their plumage a mixture of various shades of gray —their talons remarkable fo r their form, strength, and flexibility. As tb e clock struck 12 tbe signal for the combat wa s given. Victor Couturier let loose the ]o rats. They had previously occupied each a separate compartment in the cage, and finding themselves on the floor of the drawing-room while the digestion of the truffles was goi B » on. were aboat to fall foul of each other° when M r illiam Perkes turned the two owls into the arena. At this moment a religious silence prevailed among the spectators. Nothing was heard but the piercing cries of the rats, and the gnashing of the beaks of the owls.

Iron Beak opened the war by flying al Robert Macaire, alias the Greek, and seizing him by the haunches, pounded him as completely as a boa-cons.rictor would do a calf that he was about to swallow. Young at tbe same time as effectually disposed of the on. lucky f-oquard, alias the Book-keeper. Prince Petulant, alias Chamouski, Rodilard, alias the Vagabond, and Brisquet, alias Cut Knuckles, fell altogether upon Young and hung on to his claws. Young caused Rodilard and Brisquet successively to bite the dust; but Prince Petulant obstinately renewed his attacks upon Young’s posteriors, and broke his thigh in two places. By this time Iron Beak had slain Voltaire, alias the Enemy of Obscurity, tbe brave Ratapoil, alias the \exer, and Darkness alias the Pancakeeater. But he had sustained the injury of a broken claw. The chances were now nearly equal. The two owls were seriously wounded, but five rats only, more or less injured, survived. The interest of the battle was at this moment at its height, P ulas'rol, alias the M’igmaker, who had hitherto cohered io a corner as if ashamed of himself, suddenly rushed upon Young, threw him upon bis side, and literally ate out bis eyes. The owl uttered a horrible scream, but in his dying struggles tore open tbe bowels of Poulastrol with his berk, and the two enemies- expired side by side at tbe same moment, Itonßeak was now singly opposed to Tourlouron, alias the Brushmaker, the Marquis, alias Hide* yoor-Love, the Parisian, alias the Chaffer, and Prince Petulant. The latter, who had eaten more truffles than any other rat, was furious beyond measure. He clung to tbe sound leg of Iron Beak, and continued to gnaw it while the owl killed all the remaining rats. Of all the gallant combatants, Iron** Beak, the owl, and Prince Petulant, the rat, alone survived, both mortally wounded, dis*, abled, but still flashing sparks of fury at each other from their eyes. The judges it this stage declared the battle a drawn one for ths present, but decided that the stakes are to be handed to the owner of the combatant tbel shall live tbe longest. Upon-this announcement Victor Couturier carried off Prince P 8 *, tulant to be doctored and nursed. M’illi Bra Perkes, the falconer, took care of Iron Beek, and the backers on either side are now awaiting with anxiety the result of the skill of respective medical attendants of the mutilate 8 heroes.