154 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Elegant tuft Characteristics. 



head is decorated with a tuft, the elegant diadem 

 of beauty in no respect similar to those of other 

 birds. This ornament is composed of twenty- 

 four strait distinct feathers, of a green gold co- 

 lour, rising to the height of about two inches 

 above the head; these are nearly bare their 

 whole length, and are tipped with a tuft at the 

 top. 



This beautiful bird is about the size of a young 

 turkey-cock of the first year; his usual length, 

 from the end of the bill to the extremity of the 

 tail, is three feet eight inches; the tail is about a 

 foot and a half long, and the wings, when ex- 

 tended, are about five inches shorter. The bill, 

 which is convex and thick, is about two inches 

 long, and of a brown colour. The feet of the 

 male have but a single spur, very thick, about 

 three quarters of an inch long, and terminating 

 in a sharp point. But the character which par- 

 ticularly distinguishes the peacock from the nu- 

 merous family of gallinaceous birds, is the extra- 

 ordinary length of the feathers which cover the 

 tail; these feathers forming a kind of train, or 

 false tail, have on each side of their stem, long 

 distinct barbs, and are terminated by other barbs, 

 adhering to each other; round the top they are 

 ornamented with long fringes, and expand into 

 circles, marked in the middle with spots, in the 

 form of eyes, all of which are beautifully vari- 

 egated. 



The head, throat, neck, and belly of this bird 



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