THE PEA-FOWL. 



225 



The best food for young pea-fowls are ant- 

 jggs, as they are called, barley-meal paste mixed 

 ,vith sweet curd, and hard-boiled eggs chopped 

 ine ; when grown up, they live on any kind of 

 ^rain. The young do not attain their full plu- 

 nage until the third year, and only the males 

 possess the vivid tints and lengthened train, the 

 "emale being a comparatively ordinary bird. 

 A. white variety of the peacock is not uncom- 

 mon. In this case, the eyes of the train feath- 

 ers are slightly marked with a kind of neutral 

 tint. 



But however beautiful may be the outward 

 form of this gaudy bird, its disposition is of a 

 rery different character from its plumage ; it is 

 said to " have the plumage of an angel, the voice 

 )f a devil, and the stomach of a thief." Its loud, 

 darsh voice grates unpleasantly on the ear ; while 



its insatiable gluttony and spirit of depredation 

 more than counterbalance the beauty of its ex- 

 ternal form. Exclusive of the consideration of 

 ornament to the mansion, the peacock is useful 

 for the destruction of all kinds of reptiles ; but, 

 at the same time, some are said to be vicious, 

 and apt to tear to pieces and devour young 

 chicks and ducklings suffered to come within 

 their reach, on account of which we discarded 

 them from our premises. 



Peacocks are not worth the attention of the 

 farmer on the score of profit, but they may be 

 made useful to keep watch ; as they will roost 

 on the highest chimney, the top of the barn, or 

 any elevated place, and from it they will issue 

 their loud and piercing cry on the approach of 

 any stranger or enemy, taking the place of the 

 watch-dog. 



