THE GULNEA HEN—THE PEACOCK. 37 



eggs from under her, which he carefully covered. This induced 

 the owner to have another nest made, and several eggs put into 

 it for the cock ; who appeared highly gratified with this mark 

 of confidence, and performed the task of incubation, with such 

 unremitting patience and care, as scarcely to afford himself time 

 to take his necessary food. At the usual time a numerous brood 

 of young ones was produced : it was, however, deemed hazard- 

 ous to entrust the raising of them to the cock; they were there- 

 fore taken away, and brought up by other means. 



In different countries, especially on the new continent, there 

 are several varieties of this bird, differing in size and the colour 

 of their plumage, but not in any important characteristic. 



THE PINTADA, OR GUINEA HEN, 



Is now pretty well known, and therefore we shall be concise 

 in its description, and shall only observe that it is nearly the size 

 of a common hen, although the length of its legs makes it ap- 

 pear larger. It has a round back, with the tail turned down- 

 wards, and its whole plumage is black, or dark grey, curiously 

 speckled with white, and its flesh is excellent food. Its eggs, 

 which, like its body, are speckled, have a peculiar richness, and 

 although it lays only five or six in a season in cold climates, it 

 is far more prolific in its own sultry regions. It is now common 

 in most parts of Europe, and abounds in America, where it runs 

 wild ; from which circumstance many have supposed it to be a 

 native of that continent. This, however, appears to be a mis- 

 take. Africa is its original country, and there is scarcely a 

 doubt of its having been first introduced into England from 

 Guinea, a circumstance which indeed is implied by its name. 



Having described the Guinea hen with the greatest possible 

 brevity, we shall now exhibit the most beautiful object of the 

 animal creation. 



THE PEACOCK, 



When its tail is expanded, exhibits a spectacle of which no 

 description can possibly give a just idea; to form an accurate 

 conception of the beauty of its appearance, the living object must 

 be contemplated. However, although the form of this bird be 

 completely elegant, and its plumage adorned with the most bril- 

 liant colours, as well as diversified with an endless variety of 

 tints and shades, its voice is extremely harsh and disagreeable. 

 Its insatiable gluttony also serves to counterbalance the only 

 merit it can claim, its incomparable beauty ; and it is actuated 

 more than any other of the gallinaceous species by a spirit of 

 depredation. 



Like the rest of the poultry kind, the peacock feeds chiefly on 

 D 



