Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



his mate. This may have been the starting- 

 point for the musical traits in Pan, Vaino, Fion 

 and the Fenians, of whom the latter indulged 

 in a very odd humming sound or chant called 

 the dordfhiann. Concerning Faunus of Italy 

 we know very little indeed ; but of Pan of 

 Greece, Vaino of Finland and Fion of Ireland 

 we know that they were unfortunate in love ; 

 their wives or chosen ones fled from them. 

 Perhaps we find the root of this in the be- 

 havior of the peahen, who seems not only 

 insensible to the strutting, the solar display, 

 the arch of plumes and low humming of her 

 pyrotechnical lover, but positively averse to 

 him. At least she pretends to disregard his 

 suit and constantly makes off, leaving her 

 lord and master apparently appalled at her 

 bad taste ! 



The bird of Juno seen on coins of Samos, 



where it is depicted standing on the prow of 



a galley, was all the more valued because it was 



not a native of Europe or Asia ; it must have 



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