92 A HISTORY OF 



I do not know that the peacock is much used at our entertainments at 

 present, except now and then at an alderman's dinner, or a common- 

 council feast, when our citizens resolve to be splendid ; and even then 

 it is never served with its cotton and camphire. 



Like other birds of the poultry kind, the peacock feeds upon corn, 

 but its chief predilection is for barley. But as it is a very proud and 

 fickle bird, there is scarce any food that it will hot at all times cov.t 

 aad pursue. Insects and tender plants are often eagerly sought at a 

 time that it has a sufficiency of its natural food provided more nearly. 

 In the indulgence of these capricious pursuits, walls cannot easily 

 confine it, it strips the tops of houses of their tiles or thatch, it lays 

 waste the labours of the gardener, roots up his choicest seeds, and 

 nips his favorite flowers in the bud. Thus its beauty but illy recom- 

 penses for the mischief it occasions ; and many of the more homely 

 looking fowls are very deservedly preferred before it. 



Nor is the peacock less a debauchee in its affections, than a glut- 

 ton in its appetites. He is still more salacious than even the cock : 

 and though not possessed of the same vigour, yet burns with more im- 

 moderate desire. He requires five females at least to attend him ; and 

 if there be not a sufficient number, he will even run upon and tread 

 the sitting hen. For this reason, the peahen endeavours, as much 

 as she can, to hide her nest from the male, as he would otherwise dis- 

 turb her sitting, and break her eggs. 



The peahen seldom lays above five or six eggs in this climate be- 

 fore she sits. Aristotle describes her as laying twelve ; and it is r>ro- 

 oable, in her native climate, she is thus prolific ; for it is certain that 

 in the forests where they breed naturally, they are numerous beyond 

 expression. The bird lives about twenty years, and not till its third 

 year has it that beautiful variegated plumage that adorns its tau. 



" In the kingdom of Cambaya," says Taverner, " near the city of 

 Baroch, whole flocks of them are seen in the fields. They are very 

 shy, however, and it is impossible to come near them. They run off 

 swifter than the partridge, and hide themselves in the thickets, where 

 it is impossible to find them. They perch by night upon tree*.; and 

 the fowler often approaches them at that season with a kind of ban- 

 ner, on -vhich a peacock is painted to the life on either side. A light- 

 ed torch is fixed on the top of this decoy ; and the peacock, when dis- 

 turbed, flies to what it takes for another, and is thus caught in a nooze, 

 prepared for that purpose." 



There are varieties of this bird, some of whicli are white, others 

 crested : that which is called the Peacock of Thibet, is the most beau- 

 tiful of the feathered creation, containing in its plumage all the most 

 vivid colours, red, blue, yellow, and green, disposed in an almost ar 

 Jficia) ordei, as if merely to please the eye of the beholder. 



