BRITISH BIRDS. 335 



lull of dignity ; his head and neck bend nobly 

 back ; his pace is slow and solemn, and he fre- 

 quently turns slowly and gracefully round, as if to 

 catch the sunbeams in every direction and produce 

 new colours of inconceivable richness, accompanied 

 at the same time with a hollow murmuring voice. 

 The cry of the Peacock, at other times, especially 

 on a summer evening and night, is often repeated, 

 and is very disagreeable. 



The Pea-hen is somewhat less than the cock, 

 and though furnished both with a train and crest, 

 is destitute of those dazzling beauties by which he 

 is distinguished. She lays five or six whitish 

 eggs, in some secret spot, where she can conceal 

 them from the male, who is apt to break them : 

 she sits from twenty-five to thirty days, according 

 to the temperature of the climate or season. 



These birds were originally brought from the 

 distant parts of India, and thence have been dif- 

 fused over the civilized world. The first notice of 

 them is to be found in holy writ,* where we are 

 told they made part of the cargoes of the valuable 

 fleet which every three years imported the treasures 

 of the East to Solomon's court. They are some- 

 times found wild in many parts of Asia and Africa : 

 the largest and finest are said to be met with in the 

 neighbourhood of the Ganges, and on the fertile 

 plains of India, where they attain a great size : un- 

 der the influence of that climate this beautiful bird 

 exhibits its dazzling colours, which seem to vie with 

 the gems and precious stones produced in those 

 delightful regions. In colder climates they re- 



* 2nd Chron. ix. 21. 



