July 



about from twig to tv/ig, constantly spreading 

 its tail, it has the appearance of being on excel- 

 lent terms with itself, and of thinking that every- 

 one else will be who sees it — a rather entertain- 

 ing bit of egotism, as daintily hinted by the 

 redstart as it is vulgarly paraded by the pea- 

 cock, which is the most ghttering and shallow- 

 pated instance of vanity that is to be found in 

 the whole animal kingdom. A flock of these 

 gorgeous creatures in the Ramble daily de- 

 light themselves no less than their observers, as, 



" Coloured with the florid hue 

 Of rainbows and starry eyes," 



they flaunt their charms upon the ground, and 

 sometimes give an exceedingly tropical tone to 

 the landscape by perching in the higher branches 

 of some large elm overhanging a rocky ravine. 

 Having magnificently adorned the tail, nature 

 promptly points a moral by giving the bird a 

 voice with which, in the loudest and most con- 

 vincing way, it advertises its need of vocal cult- 

 ure. If the peacock only knew that the rarest 

 jewel in all the galaxy of virtues, graces, and ac- 

 complishments, is modesty ! But ehminating 

 the voice and the vanity, and estimating it at 

 its feathers' worth, it is a superb creation, and 



20I 



