176 ITS INTRODUCTION. 
Whether our birds are descended from those introduced 
into Europe in the time of Alexander, or have been 
subsequently imported, is doubtful. They vary but little 
under domestication, except in sometimes being white or 
piebald.* 
A curious fact with respect to the peacock may here be 
- noticed, namely, the occasional appearance in England of 
the “japanned” or “black-shouldered” kind. This form 
has been regarded by Mr. Sclater as a distinct species, 
under the name of Pavo nigripennis, and he believes it 
will hereafter be found wild in some country, but not in 
India, where it is certainly unknown.f These japanned 
birds differ conspicuously from the common peacock, and 
can be propagated perfectly true. Nevertheless, Mr. 
Darwin gives it as his opinion that “the evidence seems 
to preponderate strongly in favour of the black-shoul- 
dered breed being a variation, induced either by the 
climate of England, or by some unknown cause, such 
as reversion to a primordial and extinct condition of the 
species.” ¢ 
Formerly the peacock was in much request for the 
table, but now-a-days the species appears to be preserved 
for ornament rather than use. According to the “Nor- 
* Darwin, ‘' Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication,” i. 290. 
t Pro. Zool. Soc. April 24th, 1860. 
} Darwin, op. cit. 
