THE PEACOCK. 223 



gence of these capricious pursuits, walls cannot easily confine 

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

 waste the labors of the gardener, roots up his choicest seeds, 

 and nips his favorite flowers in the bud. Thus its beauty 

 but ill recompenses for the mischief it occasions ; and many 

 of the more homely looking fowls are very deservedly pre- 

 ferred before it. 



Nor is the Peacock less a debauchee in its affections, than 

 a glutton in its appetites. He is still more salacious than even 

 the cock ; and though not possessed of the same vigor, yet 

 burns with more immoderate desire. He requires five females 

 at least to attend him ; for this reason, the pea-hen endea- 

 vors, as much as she can, to hide her nest from the male, as 

 he would otherwise disturb her sitting, and break her eggs. 



The pea-hen seldom lays above five or six eggs in this cli- 

 mate before she sits. Aristotle describes her as laying twelve ; 

 and, it is probable, in her native climate, she may be thus 

 prolific ; for it is certain, that in the forests where they breed 

 naturally, they are numerous beyond expression. This bird 

 lives about twenty years ; and not till its third year has it 

 that beautiful variegated plumage that adorns its tail. 



" 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 trees ; and the fowler often ap- 

 proaches them at that season with a kind of banner, on which 

 a Peacock is painted to the life on either side. A lighted 

 torch is fixed on the top of this decoy ; and the Peacock, when 

 disturbed, flies to what it takes for another, and is thus caught 

 in a noose, prepared for that purpose." 



There are varieties of this bird, some of which are white, 

 others crested : that which is called the Peacock of Thibet, is 

 the most beautiful of the feathered creation, containing in its 

 plumage all the most vivid colors, red, blue, yellow, and green, 

 disposed in an almost artificial order, as if merely to please the 

 eye of the beholder. 



