1 62 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



strength with which to renew the combat, profiting also by 

 the confusion which he will bring upon his adversary by his 

 sudden revival. 



Although the combatant motive which we find in the 

 males among our barnyard fowls has doubtless been devel- 

 oped through their combats with each other, the valiant spirit 

 which has come from it often leads the creatures to attack 

 the enemies of their flock. I have seen a nimble game-cock 

 strike a hawk which was pouncing to its prey, delivering the 

 blow some feet above the surface of the ground, and this so 

 effectively that the marauder was driven away in a sorely 

 hurt condition. I have seen males of the game variety 

 attack a number of other larger animals which in any way 

 threatened their charges. 



Although our barnyard fowl are almost the only ground 

 birds which have ever been brought to a state of perfect 

 domestication, there are several other species of the same 

 group which have been taught in a measure to adhere to man. 

 Of these perhaps the longest in domestication is the peafowl. 

 This creature, though it has edible, indeed we may say savory 

 flesh, has retained its small place in civilization solely on 

 account of its extraordinary beauty. For its size it is doubt- 

 less the most beautiful of animals, its plumage, especially the 

 magnificent display of the tail, exceeding that of any other 

 natural object. There are other birds of small size which vie 

 with the peacock in the details of ornamentation. Those 

 jewels among the feathered tribes, the humming-birds, have 

 a more delicate beauty. The birds-of-paradise and the lyre- 

 birds have a grace in the attitudes of particular feathers which 

 is unequalled ; but for splendor none of them approach the 

 peacock in his best estate. 



