224 TUEKEYS, ORNAMENTAL POULTRY, AND WATER-FOWL. 



shrubbery. She lays generally from five to nine eggs, but 

 sometimes considerably more. The time of incubation is 

 about twenty-eight to thirty days. One cock should not have 

 more than three or four hens. 



It is no use setting Pea-fowl eggs under common hens, 

 which forsake their chickens in about two months, long before 

 the young Pea-chicks can endure the night air. The Pea-hen 

 goes with her brood at least six months, and the chicks need 

 this. They are fed and cared for as turkeys, so far as keeping 

 them from rain is concerned ; but must be let out on the grass 

 always in dry weather, or they will not thrive. The food is 

 also similar in general ; but some worms or other insect food 

 should be provided in addition, in default of which some raw 

 meat cut fine is the best substitute. 



Pea-fowl are tolerably familiar, and if regularly well fed 

 will get very tame, and tap at the window when neglected. 

 They are, however, ill-natured, and frequently beat and even 

 kill other fowls, sometimes even attacking children. From 

 this cause they are ill adapted to keep in a general poultry- 

 yard, apart from their natural impatience of restraint. Young 

 chickens in particular the cocks will often kill, and we believe 

 even eat afterwards. Their proper place is on the lawn or in 

 the park, where the splendid hues of the cocks show to great 

 advantage, and their peculiar shrill ssredin is not too near to 

 be disagreeable. 



They cannot be considered, of course, under the head of 

 profitable poultry, being always kept for ornament. The flesh 

 of a year-old bird is, however, excellent, and carves to a great 

 advantage on the table. Of the adult birds we have nothing 

 to say, never having known any person who had attempted 

 to eat one. They do not reach maturity until three years 

 okl. 



