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mien. The back and wings are of light ash-colour mingled with black stripes. The head, neck, and breast, are of a beautiful shining blue, or greenish hue, which, seen in the rays of the sun, have a most brilliant appearance. The head is surmounted with a crest or plume of green feathers; the eyes nearly surrounded with white streaks; but in its widespreading tail consists the chief beauty of the peacock. Some of the feathers are four feet in length, and the whole expands in a circle. Their colour is a brilliant mixture of shining blue, green, and gold colour, interspersed with regular dark spots, surrounded with green, and having the appearance of eyes. This splendid train, displayed in the rays of the sun, exhibits all the beautiful and changeable hues of the rainbow, and a fine brilliant gloss in addition. Every observer must be struck with the beauty of this singular creature, which also appears sufficiently conscious of its own attractions; for it struts about majestically, exalting its crest, and seemingly intent on displaying its beauties to the best advantage. The peahen is a much smaller bird, and greatly inferior in its form and plumage.

But beauty, with which none of the feathered race can vie, is the peacock's only attraction; its voice is terrific, and its habits are disgusting. Its horrid scream, and still more its insatiable gluttony and spirit of depredation, render it one of the most noxious domestics that man has taken under his protection; so that it is a common saying among the

Italians, "The peacock has the plumage of an angel, the voice of a devil, and the guts of a thief."

The peacock feeds on corn in general, but has a preference for barley. It is, however, a proud and fickle bird, and there is scarcely any food that it will not at times covet and pursue; insects and tender plants are often sought by it, even when already sufficiently supplied with its natural food.In the indulgence of these capricious pursuits, walls cannot easily confine it: it strips the tops of houses of their tiles or thatch, and lays waste the labours of the gardener, by rooting up seeds, and destroying flowers in their bud. Thus its beauty but ill compensates for its mischief, and many of the more homely looking fowls are deservedly preferred before it.

The word peacock, in our English translation, occurs three times; 1 Kings x. 22. 2 Chron. ix. 21. Job xxxix. 13. The latter passage has already been noticed by us, as applying with more propriety to the ostrich than the peacock; the two others merely refer to it as an article of traffic in Solomon's time.

Solomon having a remarkable taste for natural philosophy, and having the means of gratifying that taste, when he sent forth his navies on their triennial voyages, would, in all probability, direct his servants to collect whatever they might meet with, that was rare and curious among the valuable produce of the foreign regions they visited; hence we read, that

there were brought to him "gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks." If the fleet of Solomon visited India, they might easily procure this bird, either from India itself, or from Persia; and in so long a voyage as three years, in which they visited Taprobane, it is by no means probable they would always pursue a direct course, but trace the windings of the coast, and search for any thing that would answer their purpose. Hence it has been considered probable that they even sailed up the Persian gulf, and touched at the renowned isles of the Phoenicians, at no great distance from Persia.

A taste for the beauties and curiosities of nature is generally the characteristic of a dignified and cultivated mind; there is no source of amusement more innocent and rational, when pursued within proper limits as to the time and expense devoted to it; and it is highly beneficial, when well directed, as a medium through which to rise to the great Maker of all.

The peacock has often been appropriately made to convey a lesson against pride, either of apparel or of personal beauty. Who can stand by the peacock, the tulip, the butterfly, or even the unpretending lily, and attempt to vie with them in richness or elegance of attire? No, "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Then will I set my heart to find
Inward adornings of the mind;

Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,
These are the robes of richest dress.

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