298 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

Sheba, and has been much affected in England in more
recent years, on account of its beauty, as an adornment of
English lawns, and as a royal dainty upon the festive board.
It may be said still to keep its place as an ornament of the
park, but it is no longer the choice of the epicure and seldom
appears at the feast. It is said to have come originally from
Persia and has doubtless reached the west from India where
it still abounds. Colonel Williamson says that he has seen,
in the passes of the Jungletery district, as many as twelve
or fifteen hundred pea-fowls of various sizes within sight of
one spot. “The gorgeous plumes that adorn the Peacock, ”
says Mr. Wood, “do not compose the tail, as many suppose,
but are only the tail-coverts. The tail feathers themselves are
short and rigid, and serve to keep the train spread, as may
be seen when the bird walks about in all the majesty of his
expanded plumage. Although pea-fowl seek their food on
the ground, they invariably roost on some elevated situation,
such as a high branch, or the roof of a barn or haystack.”
The peacock is swift of foot, but heavy on the wing, and
remains ordinarily on the ground, where it finds its food. It
has a harsh voice. The peahen is a plain, homely looking
bird, lacking the gorgeous tail which adorns her lord and
master. Guillim, an old writer quoted by Captain Brown, says:
“The Peacock is so proud, that when he erecteth his fan of
plumes, he admireth himself. He displayeth his plumes against
the rays of the sun, that they may glister the more gloriously:
and he loseth this beautiful train yearly with the fall of the
leaf; at which time he becometh bashful, and secketh corners,
where he may be secret from the sight of men, until the spring of
the year, when his train beginneth to be renewed. And such
is the quality of many dames, who being painted and richly
attired, cannot keep within doors; but being undressed, and
in their own hue, they are loath any man should see them.”
The There are several varieties of the Pheasant, of
Pheasant. which the Peacock Pheasant of Burmah, the