GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 9 



the tail braced up behind. But this gesture is com- 

 mon to hens and young birds also under any excite- 

 ment, and it is very doubtful whether the peacock 

 "knows whai he looks like, in spite of his age-long 

 reputation for pride. And, although peahens are 

 known to display marked preference foi partic- 

 ular cocks, it has never been proved that they 

 choose the most beautiful. So there is a great 

 deal to be made out even about these familiar 

 birds. 



Peafowls are lovers of trees, on which they roost 

 at night, and, like many game-birds, prefer to be 

 near water. Their flight looks less laboured than 

 that of other birds of this tribe, as their large 

 wings flap comparatively slowly, but they cannot 

 sustain a' lengthened flight, and may even in some 

 cases be run down. But they ai e very strong on their 

 legs, and run remarkably well. They have the 

 reputation of affecting the vicinity of tigers, and 

 it would be interesting to know the reason of this. 

 It is impossible that the same locality suits both 

 creatures, and that the birds, fiom their very fear 

 of the tiger, are led to keep near him in order to 

 be informed of his movements, which certainly 

 interest them, as they are always very wary birds. 



The ,note of the common peacock has always 

 been cast up to him as a defect, but it is really rot 

 an unpleasant call when heard far enough off ; and 

 it has evidently given him his name in seveial lan- 

 guages, the Greek Taos, French Paon, German 

 Pfau, Dutch Pamiw and Hindi Mor, all distinctly 

 recalling the well-known note. Another point 

 against these birds is their destructiveness in 

 gardens ; but against this may be set the great 

 virtue that the peacock is well known to destroy 



