Pavo — Perdix 1 39 



time draws into a cluster all the eyes upon his feathers, 

 which he is well pleased should be admired. The same 

 bird, having lost his tail, when the trees shed their 

 leaves by annual change, ashamed and sorrowing 

 seeks a hiding place, until it once more grows to- 

 gether with the flowers. He lives for five and twenty 

 years, and in the third begins to shew his colours. He 

 is reported by authorities to be an animal not only 

 proud but also ill-disposed, just as the Goose is bashful. 

 Peacocks have on their heads as it were a bush of hair. 



Of the Perdix. 



Ile/jSt^, perdix, in English a pertrige, in German eyn velt 

 hon, or eyn raphon. 



Aristotle. 



The Perdix is a bird that dusts itself, and flies 

 not high' ; moreover it finds safety for its young not 

 in a nest, but in thick shrubs and corn. For birds 

 of heavy body make no nest, such as Coturnices and 

 Perdices, and others of like sort. For to those kinds 

 in which facility of flight is wanting, there is small 

 advantage in a nest ; but in some sunny place (for 

 they breed nowhere else) a space is cleared and sticks 

 and a few briars are collected there sufficient for them 

 to avoid attacks of Accipitres and Aquilae. They lay 

 their eggs and sit ; so soon as these are hatched, they 

 lead their young away forthwith because they cannot 

 supply food to them by means of flight. Both Cotur- 

 nices and Perdices cherish their chicks beneath them, 

 themselves leading them in the same way as hens lead 

 theirs. They do not lay and incubate in the same 

 place (year after year), lest any one should find it 

 through the length of time for which they sit. Should 



1 See p. 35. 



