142 CLASS AVES. 



The peacocks constitute the great ornament of menageries. 

 During summer these birds are fond of living in an extensive 

 space, where they can choose elevated situations for perching. 

 But in winter it is necessary to place them under shelter 

 against the inclemency of the weather. The preferable habi- 

 tation for them is one in which they can perch. They may 

 be fed with barley, with millet, with cummin, with vetches, 

 and with peas. Barley is their habitual food. In winter, 

 from time to time, they may receive Windsor-beans, roasted. 

 In the fine season, when the peacocks can get insects, grass 

 and gravel, they are less exposed to maladies. Elder-flowers 

 are said to be poison for them. Milk is pernicious to them. 



The season of reproduction with the peacocks commences 

 at the end of March, or beginning of April. No more than 

 six females are allowed for one male ; and to render the fecun- 

 dity of the eggs more certain, it will be better to allow him but 

 three. There is an interval of one day between the laying of 

 each egg. When they are taken away, according as they 

 have been laid, the entire brood will amount to eight or 

 twelve. In the wild state, as we have seen, they are much 

 more numerous. The eggs are of the bulk and form of 

 goose-eggs, of a fulvous white, with spots or points of a 

 deeper hue. The pea-hens are not very assiduous in hatch- 

 ing, and often quit their eggs to fly to some elevated place. 

 The best plan, therefore, is to have those eggs hatched by a 

 hen-turkey, which can cover as many as twelve of them, or by 

 a hen which can cover eight. When the pea-hen herself 

 conducts her young, it will be necessary to bring her back 

 every evening, and shut her up in some low place, so as to 

 force her to remain on the ground, and keep the little ones 

 warm with her wings. If left at liberty, she will quit them, 

 and go to perch upon some tree. It will sometimes occur, 

 though rarely, that she will take one or more of the young 

 upon her back, and fly off" with them to some thick branch. 



