THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 21 



Wherever Peafowl are found the natives have legends connecting 

 them with tigers and leopards. The cats are always credited with 

 being particularly partial to a meal of Peafowl, and the latter are 

 alleged to be so overcome by curiosit}^ or fright when they see a 

 leopard that they fall an easy prey. There seems to be some 

 grounds for these beliefs, for there is no doubt that the Peafowl, in 

 spite of his wiliness, does constantly fall a prey to the bigger cats. 

 When wandering about in the jungles, I have often come across 

 their remains scattered about in all directions, the bird having 

 evidently formed a meal for either leopard or tiger. 



Col. Tytler tells an amusing tale of how, when once he was 

 stalking a Peafowl, he was surprised to find that it was so com- 

 pletely taken up with watching something else that it allowed him 

 to approach quite close to it. Looking to see what the bird was 

 gazing at so intentlj^, he discovered a leopard slowly crawling 

 towards the bird; he continues, according to Hume, "that he had 

 never heard of leopards in the neighbourhood, but his astonishment 

 exceeded all bounds when, on raising the gun, it suddenly threw 

 up both its paws, and shrieked out: 'No, Sir, No, Sir, don't fire,' 

 and the supposed leopard turned out to be a professional fowler. 

 These men had learnt that the easiest way to get near a Peafowl 

 was to pose as a leopard, by which means it was easy to get near 

 enough to shoot it with a bow and arrow." 



The call of the Peacock is rather a fine cry when heard in the 

 wilds far from any human habitation, though so penetrating and 

 unpleasant when at close quarters in some farm-yard. It has often 

 been likened to the call of a cat, and is a sort of cross between the 

 sound of a trumpet and the miaou of this animal. They often call 

 on moonlight nights, and sometimes when after a long tramp 

 following a wounded buffalo or gaur we have been caught by night 

 and forced to camp out, I have lain awake listening to these 

 birds. Except for the constant drone and hum of insects the 

 Indian nights are very silent, and the occasional call of some 

 nightgar or other night bird only emphasises the silence which 

 succeeds it. Suddenly with startling loudness the loud "p/ii-ao 

 jphi-ao " of a cock Peacock would ring out in the stillness, the call 

 being taken up by bird after bird until the last cries died away 

 in the distance. 



They like to roost on high boughs, from which they can have a 

 good look out all round. If in forest they will choose one of the 

 higher trees, but frequently I have known them select a tree well out 

 in the open. One such tree comes very vividly to my mind; a huge 

 pine running u.p clear of all branches for a good 60', at which 

 point it threw out three great limbs, upon which many generations 

 of Peafowl had roosted at night. There were no \ illages within many 

 miles, but round about were a number of small deserted quarries 



