216 LECTURE VI. 



gance. The Peacock is a native of India, and 

 when the conquering Alexander led his deso- 

 lating Myriads into the peaceful plains of India, 

 he is said to have been so struck by the sight 

 of the Peacock in its native regions, and in the 

 full magnificence of its plumage, as to have for- 

 bidden any one to destroy a Peacock under pain 

 of death. It may not be improper to observe, 

 on the subject of the Peacock, that the beau- 

 tiful set of feathers springing from the lower 

 part of the back, and usually called the tail, do 

 not constitute the real tail, which is situated be- 

 neath them, and is short like that of a hen, and 

 serves as a support to the long and beautiful 

 feathers constituting the admired train, which, 

 together with the upright and slightly revolute 

 feathers on the head, constitute the characters 

 of the genus Pavo. 



There are two remarkable genera of birds, 

 which are placed by ornithologists in different 

 Orders j some referring them to the present 

 Order Galling, while others rather choose to 

 rank them among the Gralla. These are the 

 genera called Struthio and Otis or Ostrich and 

 Bustard. In reality the birds which rank under 



