INDIAN PEAFOWL 175 



together, producing a soft, penetrating sound like the patter of rain on dried leaves. 

 This transmits a quivering to the entire train, giving a fleeting but beautiful effect, 

 especially to the loose-barbed feathers along the margin. At the same time he leaves 

 no doubt of his presence and intentions by emitting .a sudden loud scream. At the 

 height of the courtship season the approach to the hen is often made by walking 

 backward, the bird turning only at the last moment, and thus flashing all its colours 

 and patterns at once, in sharp contrast to the sombre-hued rear view. 



In spite of all this, the hen usually goes on feeding, utterly unconscious, to our 

 eyes, of the herculean efforts being exerted for her benefit. But an impression is 

 being made, none the less, subconsciously at least, and in time she will yield, and the 

 destiny of this handicap of feather burden, and all the elaborate muscular mechanism 

 and correlation of the organs of the body to produce the tout ensemble, will have been 

 fulfilled. In the days to come the beautiful ocellated feathers will fall one by one, and 

 months will be occupied in the slow growth of fresh plumes in preparation for the 

 succeeding season of courtship. 



In general eff'ect the display of the Peacock is comparable rather with the wing- 

 spreading of the argus than with the courtship of other pheasants. The most common 

 error is to regard the eyed feathers as the actual tail, whereas they are altogether 

 tail-coverts and lower back feathers. A bird like the Impeyan, which erects and spreads 

 its tail, presents its body and wings to an anterior view. But the train of the Peacock 

 when expanded is, in general position, like an enormous ruff about the lower neck. 

 The real tail is erected at right angles to the back, forcing the coverts into a perfectly 

 erect position. These in turn raise the feathers of the upper back, which form a 

 metallic-green shield or base, the background for the shining blue neck and the crested 

 head. The lateral tail-coverts extend out horizontally and even downward, trailing the 

 ground, fitting closely against the body, which is inclined forward, and hiding the 

 wings. These organs have been forced from their usual position and hang drooping, 

 half-spread, at the sides. The secondaries remain closely folded, but the primaries hang 

 loosely and aid at times in the rustling of quills. The actual erection seems to be 

 brought about chiefly by a sudden eff'ort of the tail, which is thrown up, carrying with 

 it the train. The bird then braces itself and gives a long, quivering shake, which 

 spreads the train and settles the plumage into place in the new position. 



It will hardly be denied that the chief raison d'etre of the train is the effect 

 produced on the Peahen. But it has come to serve other requirements, and seems to 

 provide an outlet for a number of emotions, some apparent, others obscure. Cock birds, 

 before they begin to fight, will often erect their trains and walk about one another,' 

 although when the first actual threat is made these ornaments are folded away as 

 compactly as possible, so as not to interfere with active movement. Hens with their 

 chicks erect their tails, although the train is wholly lacking, and then rush forward at 

 any foe which may threaten their brood. The chicks themselves, with scarce-grown 

 juvenile tail, will raise this diminutive fan and imitate the fighting tactics of their elders 

 when only a few weeks old. 



It is also true that the cock birds will very often display to a crowd of people, with 

 no hen about, and however we, as scientists, desire to eliminate all humanizing of the 

 habits of birds, it is difficult altogether to refute the common verdict, that the Peacock 



