BOOK X.] History of Nature. 203 



praised lie spreadeth his Colours, which shine like precious 

 Stones, and which he most commonly turneth towards the Sun; 

 for so they shine with the most glittering Lustre. And at the 

 same Time also his Tail takes the Shape of a Shell, and Shades 

 are formed by the Reflexions of other Colours, which shine 

 the brighter when contrasted with the dark ; and he draws 

 the whole of his Feathers together into an Accumulation, 

 which it rejoiceth the Eyes to look at. When he hath lost 

 this Tail, which is at the turn of the Year, when Trees shed 

 their Leaves, until it grows again with the Flowers, as if 

 ashamed and lamenting, he seeketh retired Places. The 

 (Peacock) liveth twenty-five Years. At three Years of Age 

 he beginneth to pour forth his Colours. Authors say that 

 he is not only a vain-glorious Creature, but also as mali- 

 cious as the Goose is unassuming; for so have some of them 

 recorded their Remarks on these Birds : but they are not 

 satisfactory to me. 



The first that killed a Peacock for the sake of Food was 

 the Orator Hortensius, in his solemn Supper when he was 

 consecrated Priest. And M. Aufidius Lurco was the first 

 that contrived to fatten them ; which was about the Time of 

 the last Pirates' War; by which Invention of his he obtained 

 a yearly Profit of 60,000 Sesterces. 1 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Of Cocks ; and how they are emasculated. Also of a 

 Dunghill Cock that spoke. 



NEXT, these our Sentinels by Night, and whom Nature hath 

 created to break Men of their Sleep, to arouse them to their 

 Work, have also a Sense of Glory. They know the Stars ; 

 and they distinguish the third Hour portions by their crowing. 



of a cook (Xenia, 65); and Tiberius put a man to death for stealing a pea- 

 cock e viridariO) from a green-house. Long before this they were so 

 rare, and so much admired, as to be among the importations of Solomon 

 (1 Kings, ch. x). They appear to have been kept tame, even so early as 

 the time of Job (ch. xxxix). Wern. Club. 

 1 468 lib. 15 shil. 



