THE PEACOCK. 27 



the eyes are set between two stripes of white ; the 

 feathers of the tail, are a changeable mixture of green, 

 blue, purple and gold ; towards the end, each one has 

 a dark spot, surrounded with gold and green, appear- 

 ing like eyes. The whole of this train the bird can 

 spread into the form of a half circle, when it becomes 

 one of the most brilliant and beautiful objects ima- 

 ginable. 



The Peacock, though a native of Asia, was at a 

 very early period carried to various parts of the 

 world. In the days of Solomon, we find that these 

 birds were imported from the east, in order to gratify 

 the taste of that monarch for the beautiful productions 

 of nature. Among other articles which his ships 

 brought him, are mentioned " gold, silver, ivory, apes, 

 and Peacocks." First of Kings, chap. 10, verse 22. 



Among the Romans, in their days of luxury and 

 extravagance, Peacocks were held in the highest esti- 

 mation ; and the person who first ordered them to be 

 served up at his table, as an article of food, became so 

 celebrated on this account, that his name is known to 

 this day. 



After their first introduction to the table, it soon be- 

 came fashionable among the great men at Rome to eat 

 Peacocks ; not probably on account of their goodness, 

 but because their expense was such as to prevent 

 most people from offering so costly a dish ; so that 

 the man who first undertook the business of fattening 

 them for the markets, made his fortune by the trade. 

 In Greece, at one period, these birds were so highly 

 esteemed, that the price of a pair of them was more 

 than a hundred dollars our money ; and we are told, 



