276 THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



then he looketh to his feet, and seeth the foulness of his 

 feet, and like as he were ashamed he letteth his feathers 

 fall suddenly, and all the tail downward, as though he 

 took no heed of the fairness of his feathers." And the 

 friar adds, " he hath an horrible voice." 



Another old writer says much the same thing, though 

 he says it more prettily : " The Peacock is much admired 

 for his daintie coloured feathers, which, when he spreads 

 them against the sunne, have a curious lustre and look 

 like gemmes. Howbeit his black feet make him ashamed 

 of his fair tail ; and therefore when he seeth them (as 

 angrie with Nature or grieved for that deformitie) he 

 hangeth down his starrie plumes, and walketh slowly in a 

 discontented lit of solitary sadnesse, like one possest with 

 dull melancholy." 



That the Peacock is one of the vainest of birds seems 

 without a doubt. Many birds show off in courtship time, 

 but the Peacock seems fond of flaunting his fine feathers 

 all the year round. 



A correspondent of the Spectator recently wrote a 

 letter about a favourite and much-petted Peacock, who 

 " could be kept happy for any length of time," if he were 

 allowed to see himself in the window-pane or in a looking- 

 glass. " He comes in daily to tea, making no mistake 

 about the hour, and spends much time, on the way, in 

 looking at his reflection in the glass of the French windows 

 by which he enters the room. 



" One side of our garden is bounded by a public foot- 

 path, which we reach by a stile. On Sunday afternoons 

 this path is greatly frequented, and our bird takes up his 

 position on the top of the stile in good time on that after- 

 noon, though seldom on other days (no doubt he hears 

 voices) to hear himself admired by the passers-by. He 



