July 
about from twig to twig, 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 glittering 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 eliminating 
the voice and the vanity, and estimating it at 
its feathers’ worth, it is a superb creation, and 
201 
