PEACOCK. Ill 



white ; throat and neck green ; the rest of the body and wings 

 cinereous brown ; breast fringed with white ; legs as in the male, but 

 without a spur, though in some birds the rudiment of one is seen. 



In some male birds the whole of the wing coverts and scapulars 

 are fine deep blue green, very glossy ; but the outer edge of the 

 wing and quills are of the usual colour. 



This bird, so common in Europe, is of Eastern origin, and has 

 been the admiration of all ages from that of the King Solomon,* to 

 the present; found in a wild state in many parts of Africa and Asia,f 

 but no where so large and fine as in India ;% more particularly in the 

 neighbourhood of the Ganges ; all the Jungles in the Nabob of 

 Oude's Territories are full of Peacocks; about the passes in the 

 Jungleterrey District, especially Tehriagully, whole woods are said 

 to be covered with their beautiful plumage, not less than twelve or 

 fifteen hundred, of various sizes, being seen near one spot within an 

 hour:§ is a native of the Malay Peninsula, and of Java, but is not 

 common near Bencoolen; is known by the name of Mira, or Marak. 

 They make the nest on the ground, ordinarily on a small bank, where 

 in some proper bush, they collect leaves, small sticks, &c. and sit 

 very close, usually on twelve or fifteen eggs, and hatch about the 

 beginning of November. By degrees they have spread into all parts, 

 increasing in a wild state in the warmer climates, || but requiring some 

 care in the colder. In this kingdom it rarely comes to fullness of 



* Every three years once came the Ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, 

 apes, and Peacocks, Chron. ii. ix. v. 21. 1 Kings, x. v. 22. 



f Not indigenous to China. 



J Said to be natives of the Isle of Samos, and are represented on the coin of that state, 

 and from this Island to have passed into the rest of Greece, Anachars. vi. 253. The Roman 

 epicures prized those from Samos, above all others. 



§ Chiefly found in the copses, or the banks of rivers, and no where more plentiful than 

 in the Bhaughulpore district, not far from Termbony Nullah, but the going after them is 

 often a dangerous undertaking, from the tigers, which are also abundant in the same vicinity. 

 Oriental Sports. 



|| Not uncommon at Ceylon, but not so numerous there as in India : found wild at St. 

 Helena, also at Barbadoes, and other West India Islands. 



