28o THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



attention of the family by opening and folding his great 

 fan of feathers. This trick was one that puss particularly 

 disliked ; it was so clearly a case of showing-off. But 

 how was it to be stopped ? If she flew at the Peacock, the 

 latter might show fight, or, more likely still, her master 

 might interfere, and have her sent away as a savage, ill- 

 natured animal. 



This was what she did. The next time the great fan of 

 beautiful feathers was unfurled, puss crept up behind, 

 sprang right through the fan, and alighted in front of the 

 Peacock. Imagine his astonishment at this rude interrup- 

 tion of his favourite performance ! But before he had 

 time to recover from his surprise, the cat turned and 

 jumped through the fan again, backwards and forwards, 

 to and fro, till the Peacock shut up his splendid plumes, 

 and moved away, crestfallen and much upset. Surely, 

 never before had a Peacock been so " taken down " by a 

 common cat. 



A very similar instance is related by Mrs. Coulson 

 Kernahan, the novelist. She had, among her household 

 pets, two tame rooks. There was a Peacock which stalked 

 about the garden, and one of these rooks had a grudge 

 against the bird, evidently deeply resenting so much pride. 

 When the Peacock spread out his fan, the rook would fly 

 at him, pecking his legs, and even perching upon his back 

 the better to punish him for his vanity. 



When one thinks of the hot countries of the East from 

 which this lovely bird has been brought it seems strange 

 that he should adajot himself so easily to a climate like that 

 of England. Yet I have seen it stated that he is " never 

 in better health than in a dry English winter." 



It is a most hapjoy thing that this is so, for few things 

 are sadder than to see the animals and birds of brilliant, 



