604 APPENDIX. 



The Peacock in the Crystal Palace. 

 To the Editor of the Illustrated London News. 



" Ad imum 

 Qualis ab incepto." 



Sir, When spring has showered her choicest bounties upon our 

 favourite feathered tribes, 'tis then we see the peacock's train in all 

 its pride and glories. But when the Rev. Mr Dennis tries to " copy 

 nature in all her ways," 'tis then he makes a mockery of nature, and 

 shrouds her every charm. 



Feathers in the tails of birds are moved by one muscle, and the 

 movement must, of course, be uniform. Unlike our fingers, a shaft 

 in the peacock's tail cannot move singly. Hence the whole of the 

 radiation is regular. Had our operator trusted to his hands and to 

 time alone, without the marring use of wires, he might possibly have 

 been successful in some degree. But as the bird now stands, there 

 can scarcely be seen two shafts which radiate equally, whilst all the 

 minor plumage is irregular and distorted. In fact, there is no truth 

 throughout the entire train. He has produced, at best, a gorgeous 

 display of taxidermal impotence. We may say of this peacock what 

 the Roman poet said of the young married lady, splendide mendax. 

 The wings are on a par with the rest. Their skin cleaves to the 

 bones, and thus causes the pinions to be as angular as Don Quixote's 

 horse. 



The Reverend Taxidermist, having cited me by name before the 

 public, and having expressed at the same time a hope that, perhaps, 

 " Mr Waterton " will allow his peacock to be good enough for 

 the " British Museum," I had no alternative but to meet the 

 summons. 



Wishing the peacock of the Rev. J. B. P. Dennis a safe journey 

 to its intended destination, and thanking the editor very sincerely 

 for his attention in admitting my scraps, I have the honour to be 

 his very obedient servant, CHARLES WATERTON. 



SCARBRO', October 29, 1851. 



