BRITISH BIRDS* 
green, running into blue and bright violet, vary* 
ing according to its different portions ; the whole 
receiving additional luftre from the colour of the 
centre, which is a fine velvet black.” When 
pleafed or delighted, and in fight of his females, 
the Peacock erects his tail, and difplays all the 
majefty of its beauty ; all his movements are full 
of dignity ; his head and neck bend nobly back % 
his pace is flow and folemn, and he frequently 
turns flowly and gracefully round, as if to catch 
the fun-beams in every direction, and produce new 
colours of inconceiveable richnefs and beauty, ac- 
companied at the fame time with a hollow mur- 
muring voice expreffive of defire. 
The Peahen is fomewhat lefs than the cock, and 
though furnifhed both with a train and creft, they 
are deftitute of thole dazzling beauties which dif- 
tinguifh the male : She lays five or fix eggs, of a 
whitifh colour : For this purpofe fhe chufes fome 
fecret fpot, where Ihe can conceal them from the 
male, who is apt to break them; fhe fits from 
twenty-five to thirty days, according to the tem- 
perature of the climate, and the warmth of the fea- 
fon. Peacocks have been originally brought from 
the diftant provinces of India, and from thence 
have been diffufed over every part of the world,, 
—The firft notice that has been taken of them is 
to be found in holy writ,* where we are told 3 
* 2d Chron. ix. 21 * 
