496 pltnt's i^atural history. [BookX. 



mass, manifesting great delight in having them admired by 

 the spectator. The peacock loses its tail ever}" year at the fall 

 of the leaf, and a new one shoots forth in its place at the 

 flower season ; between these periods the bird is abashed and 

 moping, and seeks retired spots. The peacock lives twenty- 

 five years, and begins to show its colours in the third. By 

 some authors it is stated that this bird is not only a vain crea- 

 ture, but of a spiteful disposition also, just in the same way 

 that they attribute bashfulness to the goose. '^^ The character- 

 istics, however, which they have thus ascribed to these birds, 

 appear to me to be utterly unfounded. 



CHAP. 23. WHO WAS THE FIRST TO KILL THE PEACOCK FOE 



FOOD. WHO FIRST TAUGHT THE ART OF CRAMMIIfG THEM". 



The orator Hortensius was the first Roman who had the 

 peacock killed for table ; it was on the occasion of the banquet 

 given by him on his inauguration in the college of the priest- 

 hood. M. Aufidius Lurco^^ was the first who taught the art 

 of fattening them, about the time of the last war with the 

 Pirates. Prom this source of profit he acquired an income of 

 sixty thousand sesterces.''^ 



CHAP. 24. (21.) — THE DUNGHILL COCK. 



Next after the peacock, the animal that acts as our watch- 

 man by night, and which Nature has produced for the purpose 

 of arousing mortals to their labours, and dispelling their slum- 

 bers, shows itself most actuated by feelings of vanity. The 

 cock knows how to distinguish the stars, and marks the 

 difi'erent periods of the day, every three hours, by his note. 

 These animals go to roost with the setting of the sun, and at 

 the fourth watch of the camp recall man to his cares and toils. 

 They do not allow the rising of the sun to creep upon us un- 

 awares, but by their note proclaim the coming day, and they 

 prelude their crowing by clapping their sides with their wings. 

 They exercise a rigorous sway over the other birds of their 



""^ It would be curious to know how the goose manifests its modesty, 

 or " verecundia." We are equally at a loss with Pliny to discover it. 



"3 Tribune of tlie people, b.c. 61. He was maternal grandfather of the 

 Empress Livia. " Lurco " means a " glutton. 



7* About 12,270 francs, Ajasson says. 



