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. 

 f Pro. Zool. Soc. April 24th, i860. 

 X Darwin, op. cit. 



