ference on the part of the male with the female during incubation.

Sir Robert Heron, Bart., in his notes, (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 54,) says, "For a good many years I have attended to the habits of pea-fowl, and for the last eleven years have written, down my observations. I find the individuals to differ as much in temper as human beings: some are willing to take care of the young ones of others, whilst some have pursued and killed them, and this whether they had a brood of their own or not. Some cocks have assisted in the care of young ones, whilst others have attacked them. An early hen frequently has a brood herself the next year. Age makes no difference in the number of the brood. I have had six from a hen a year old, and one from an old hen." Sir Robert Heron also adverts to the decided partiality shown by the pea-fowl towards some particular individual, and their neglect of others, as well as the court paid by the hens to the males.

The peacock is not completely matured and in full dress till the third year. The food of these birds consists of grain of various kinds the leaves and buds of vegetables; insects and

their larvæ, slugs, worms, and even lizards and The voice of the peacock is a

small snakes.

loud dissonant scream, and a frequent reiteration of this wild cry is said to indicate with certainty a change of weather; but we cannot say that we have observed the fact ourselves.

As in the case of the fowl and the pheasant, instances are not unfrequent in which the female assumes the acquires his spurs. in producing this noticed in the previous article.

male plumage, and even The causes which operate

change we have briefly

Long domestication has produced less variety in the colour of the plumage of the pea-fowl, than in the ordinary domestic fowl. We have seen some white peacocks, and others more or less pied with white; there is also a japanned breed, of which sir R. Heron speaks as follows: "The japanned breed are, I believe, a variety originating in England. In lord Brownlow's numerous breed of common, white, and pied, the japanned suddenly in my memory appeared amongst them. The same thing happened in sir J. Trevelyan's flock of entirely the common sort; also in a breed of common and pied given by lady Chatham to Mr. Thoroton, and in both cases to the extinction of the previously

existing breed." Of this japanned breed, we have seen no specimens, nor are we sure as to the colour assumed.

In all countries, the peacock is valued for its beauty. "Peacocks," says a writer, "are great favourites in Persia, and are more common than in this country as an ornament in grounds and gardens. The king of Persia has a throne which is called the throne of the peacock, on account of two artificial birds, intended to represent peacocks, which are placed on square pillars on each side of the seat. These birds are studded with precious stones, and each of them holds a large ruby in his beak." In China, beautiful fire-screens, and other ornamental articles are made of peacock's feathers, tastefully arranged, and mounted on ivory handles.

Besides the common peacock, which is too well known to need a detailed description, there is a second species seldom brought alive to England, called the Javanese, or Japan peacock. (Pavo Japonicus Aldr.; Pavo muticusLinn.; Pavo Javanicus-Horsf.) This species is a native of Japan, the Birman Empire, Java, and Sumatra. Living specimens have existed in the gardens of the Zoological Society, and

M.

were brought from the Birman territory. This species equals the former in size, and is almost equally, if not quite as beautiful. The first information we have respecting this species, is that given by Aldrovandus, (1599,) who, however, had never seen the bird, but only two drawings sent by the emperor of Japan to the pope. Subsequently nothing farther was heard about it, till Shaw described it in his Zoological Miscellany, from a figure taken from an Indian drawing sent to England by a friend. Temminck in the year 1813, in the second volume of his work on Gallinaceous Birds, gave a sketch of the head, with a description, taken by Le Vaillant from a living individual seen by him at the Cape of Good Hope, whither it had been sent from Macao. More recently the bird has been described by Dr. Horsefield, who found it in Java; while sir Stamford Raffles observed it in Sumatra. Specimens are in the British Museum.

The prevailing tints in this species are blue and green, varying in intensity and mutually changing into each other, according as the light falls more or less directly upon them. The crest is twice as long as in the common species, and the feathers of which it is com

posed, are regularly barbed from the base upwards in the adult bird, and of equal breadth throughout. Head and crest interchangeably blue and green, a naked space on the cheeks, including the eyes and ears, is coloured of a light yellow behind, and of a bluish-green towards its fore part. The feathers of the neck and breast, which are broad, short, rounded, and imbricated like the scales of a fish, (very different to those in the other species,) are at the base of the same brilliant hue as the head, and have a broad, lighter, and somewhat metallic margin. Those of the back have still more of the metallic lustre. The wing-coverts are of the general hue, with a deeper tinge of blue; the primary quill feathers are light chestnut. The tail feathers and their coverts, namely the train, are of a splendid metallic brown, changing into green. The latter are terminated by ocellated spots similar to those of the common peacock. Iris deep hazel; in the common species it is of an intense red. The female has a plain dress, closely resembling that of the common pea-hen; but the crest is different. (See Gardens and Menagerie of Zoological Society.)

Whether this species is gregarious like the common pea-fowl, or more solitary in its habits,