PHOTOGRAVURE 79 



SACRED WILD PEAFOWL IN INDIA 



Unique among birds of this group is the semi-domesticity of free peafowl in many parts of India. 

 They are considered sacred birds, and the priests often feed them near the temples, so that, at times, 

 hundreds may be seen coming at a stated hour for the food which they know will be awaiting them. 



Yet they allow no familiarity, and one beautifully plumaged cock near the ruined palace of the King 

 of Oudh was so wary that I had to take the upper photograph in one-thousandth of a second, as the 

 bird dashed at full speed across an open space. 



