THE PEACOCK 271 



does not seem to hold good in the East, for the Order of 

 the Peacock's Feather is one of the most coveted rewards 

 which the Emperor of China can bestow. 



In many villages of India these gorgeous birds lead a 

 half-tame existence, for they venture in from the forest in 

 search of food, and as they are not molested, they may 

 often be seen at roost on the tops of the native huts. 

 There are temples, too, where the priests make pensioners 

 of them, just as other temples have troops of sacred 

 monkeys, and still others maintain flocks of sacred 

 pigeons. 



But the wild Peacock, when it is living a really wild 

 life, in the jungle, has foes not a few. The tiger is only too 

 glad to vary his meal of deer or pigling with an occasional 

 sweetmeat of Peacock flesh, and he makes short work of 

 tearing off the bird's long plumes. Indeed, so fond of it is 

 he, that travellers scent danger, and tiger hunters have 

 great expectations, when they catch sight of Peacocks, 

 especially if the birds seem restless or scared. Should they 

 utter a loud hoarse cry, echoed by others who may be 

 feeding near, and fly up to the higher branches, with "a 

 series of sharp, quick, grating notes," then be sure they 

 detect some hidden foe prowling not far away. 



There is a wide-spread belief among the natives that 

 tigers and leopards can fascinate Peacocks. By this they 

 mean that when the bird catches sight of the crouching 

 beast, with its black spots or its stripes, and its cruel 

 glittering eyes, it is spellbound. Instead of running or 

 flying away, it remains staring at the intruder — quite silly 

 with terror, as we say. 



A remarkable story, illustrating this, is told by Colonel 

 Tytler. He was stalking a Peacock in the jungle, and 

 was surprised to notice that it did not hear him coming 



