BIEDS AND THE AETS 119 



As VAIN AS A PEACOCK 



We have read your correspondent's letter about his 

 peacock, in last week's Spectator, with much interest. 

 Our favourite and much petted peacock can be kept happy 

 any length of time looking at his reflection in the window 

 pane or in a looking-glass. He comes in daily to tea, 

 making no mistake about the hour, and spends much time 

 en route gazing at himself as he appears in the glass of 

 the French windows by which he enters the room. One 

 side of our garden is bounded by a public footpath, which 

 we reach by a stile. On Sunday afternoon this path is 

 greatly frequented, and our bird takes up his position on 

 the top of the stile in good time on that afternoon, but 

 seldom on other days (he hears voices, no doubt), to hear 

 himself admired by the passers by. He hangs his tail 

 over the fence to the best advantage : he knows his name, 

 and will stand still a long time, or show off his tail for 

 warm words of admiration. He eats from our hands, and 

 if we forget him for a minute he will snatch the cake or 

 bread before it can reach our own mouths. If lam sewing 

 and do not speak to him when he comes into the room, he 

 will gently put his head quite close, almost touching my 

 ring or needle, for he likes bright things, till I have to 

 give up working and talk to him, as with a small child 

 whom one is afraid of pricking. His mood varies towards 

 our two hens, sometimes being patronizingly affectionate, 

 sometimes rather tyrannical ; in the nesting season he 

 roosts by himself in a separate tree, and does not bestow 

 the slightest attention on them when they sit, or when 

 their chicks are hatched out. On the other hand they eat 

 or wander about unconcerned when he spreads his tail 

 and demands admiration in the spring. Often they will 

 not give him one glance in half an hour. They get be- 

 hind him so as not to see him, and he is kept perpetually 



