Monkey-baiting is a blood sport involving the baiting of monkeys against dogs.

[The Westminster-Pit: A Turn-up between a Dog and Jacco Macacco, the Fighting Monkey

by Henry Thomas Alken Illustration, 1822 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Jacco5.jpg]

Background

The English were always keen for something new to challenge their dog fighting breeds. This resulted in unusual fights, sometimes with very surprising outcomes. 'Dog versus Monkey' was shown to be such a match-up. These monkey gladiators proved to be a formidable opponent for the canine warrior; owners and handlers of fighting dogs frequently underestimated the monkey's abilities. The monkey's intelligence, dexterity, unorthodox fighting style and gameness proved to be overwhelming for many canine opponents.

Jack

The following occurrence is from The Sporting Magazine in the year 1799: This monkey-baiting inspired the famous English animal painter, Samuel Howitt, to illustrate this account in the engraving entitled The Battle of the Bulldog and the Monkey circa 1799, which preserved this fight for future generations.

[The Battle of the Bulldog and the Monkey

by Samuel Howitt Engraving, published 1799 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Battle///of///the///Bulldog///and///the///Monkey%2C///Samuel///Howitt%2C///1799.JPG]

Jacco Macacco

Jacco Macacco was a fighting ape or monkey who was exhibited in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in London in the early 1820s. He achieved some measure of fame among the sporting community through his reputed prodigious record of victories against dogs. He was described as ashy, with black fingers and muzzle and may have derived his first name from his association with the Jack Tars that brought him into the country. Jacco was reported to weigh 10 to 12 lb and was pitched against dogs of up to twice his weight for a bet from ten to fifty pounds that the dog would not last five minutes. According to William Pitt Lennox : "His mode of attack, or rather of defence, was, at first, to present his back or neck to the dog, and to shift and tumble about until he could lay hold on the arm or chest, when he ascended to the windpipe, clawing and biting away, which usually occupied him about one minute and a half, and if his antagonist was not speedily with drawn, his death was certain; the monkey exhibited a frightful appearance, being deluged with blood - but it was that of his opponent alone; as the toughness and flexibility of his own skin rendered him impervious to the teeth of the dog." Lennox writes that after several fights, Jacco adapted his technique and would overcome his canine opponents by leaping directly on their backs and manoeuvring himself into a position where he could tear at their windpipes while remaining out of reach of their jaws. The following is a fictionalized account by Pierce Egan from Life in London in which his heroes, Tom and Jerry, visit the Westminster Pit in the year 1820: Jacco had finished off fourteen dogs in a row, but then he was challenged by a canine named Puss, who had a similar record. Puss suffered a lacerated neck and Jacco had his jaw torn off, both died shortly after the match.

[Tom & Jerry sporting their Blunt on the phenomenon Monkey Jacco Macacco at the Westminster Pit

by George and Isaac Robert Cruikshank Copperplate engraving, 1821 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Jacco1.jpg]

[Fight between Jacko Maccacco, a celebrated Monkey, and Mr Tho.Cribbs, well known bitch Pus

by Edwin Henry Landseer Illustration, 1825 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Jacco4.jpg]