PEACOCK— FOWLS 85 



beautiful blue. The Peacock is a very graceful bird, 

 the neck long and slender, the head surmounted by a 

 most beautiful and delicate crown, or crest, of fine 

 lace-like feathers. Most of the body is a deep rich 

 blue, in texture like the finest velvet, and shading 

 almost to black upon the breast and upper parts of 

 the legs. The upper feathers are a delicate grey, 

 covered with fine dark lines, while the stiff and long 

 flight-feathers are a light reddish-brown, and not 

 iridescent as are the other feathers. It is only when the 

 Peacock flies, or stretches its wings, that these red 

 feathers become visible ; at other times they are folded 

 closely against the back. See Plate 25, Figs. 148, 

 149. 



When displaying, the Peacock raises its gorgeous 

 train — which, of course are not the true tail-feathers — 

 over its back in a half circle, and spreads it to the 

 fullest extent. 



Although so magnificent in plumage, the Peacock 

 is not a singer, its voice being extremely harsh and 

 disagreeable, and sounding not unlike the magnified 

 "meow" of a cat. 



These birds are easily domesticated, and become 

 very tame, and it is only because they are so common 

 that their beauty is not more appreciated. 



The nearly related Javan Peacock differs from the 

 common species chiefly in having neck-feathers of 

 enormous size, so that the neck has the appearance of 

 being clothed in large, overlapping scales. 



Our domesticated Fowls are really near relations 

 of the Pheasants. They are supposed to have de- 

 scended from the wild Jungle-fowls of India, and by 



