206 BIRD WATCHING 



splendour should come striding in majesty, but he is 

 very nervous, full of apprehension, open to the very 

 smallest ground of fear or suspicion. Often he stops 

 and looks anxiously about, half crouches, then makes 

 a little start forward with the body as though on the 

 point of running, but checks himself each time and 

 begins to peck instead. Sometimes he draws him- 

 self up to his full height, and looks all round as from 

 a watch-tower, but after each fit of fear he decides 

 that all is well and goes on feeding again. And 

 now another sun rises and immediately afterwards 

 three — no, four ( " dazzle my eyes, or do I see four 

 suns?") advance together over the crest of the hill 

 which, though of straw and all inflammable materials, 

 does not — a miracle ! — take fire and burn. But the 

 snow and the dampness must be taken into con- 

 sideration. All of them are now feeding quietly, but 

 not all together or in view. Two have set again, but 

 three and the tail of another, in partial eclipse from 

 behind, is a sight of sufficient magriificence. Look- 

 ing at them, at their splendid body -plumage of 

 burnished orange gold, gleaming even in the dull 

 morning without any sun but themselves — for the 

 great one is now "over-canopied" — at their glossy 

 blue heads, rich scarlet wattles, and long graceful 

 tails, one cannot help wondering how beautiful a 

 bird would have to be before compunction would 

 be felt in killing it. Would the golden or Amherst 

 pheasant produce the sensation? Idle thought! 

 Peacocks are shot in India, trogons in Mexico, hum- 

 ming-birds both there and in the Brazils, and birds 

 of paradise in the islands of the east. Of para- 

 dise . Then are there birds in heaven, and 



