The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-03-12
THE GORGEOUS PEACOCK.
Something About Him That Perhaps You
DO Not Kuow.

Something About Him That Perhaps You
DO Not Know.
Nearly every one is familiar with tho
appearance of the peacock, the king
among all the birds of rich plumaRe.
His magnificent costume Is composed of
more than twelve different tints of the
most brilliant blue, green and gold.
His voice is the most unmusical among
birds, but his splendid appearance
makes up for that deficiency.
In ancient times the peacock was the
bird sacred to the Greek Hera, who was
the Juno Of the Latins, and later, in the
age of chivalry, when more honor was
paid to men than to the gods, peacock
roasted in it's feathers, with it's full
train displayed was ''the dainty dish"
that was "set before the king" on fes-
tive occasions.
The native country of the peacock is
southern Asia and the East Indies II
is also found in Java and Ceylon. The
naturalists that have seen it in its ma
tive haunts say that when it is domesti-
Gated it's feathers lose much of their
original brilliancy. With its train, often
seven feet in length, and its arching
neck and body covered with feathers
like gold and emerald stars, it appears
like glistening monarch of the wild
region it inhabits. 1t is often seen in
hoclts of hundred or more
Towards evening these creatures
gather on the open grass near the forest
seeking for their supper. Should u
hunter disturb them they run rapidly
for short distance, and then rise
obliquely. Their fight is heavy and
somewhat low, as they rarely rise
higher than the tops of the tallest trees.
If wounded while flying they instantly
fall to the ground, but, unless the legs
are injured, they as quickly recover
themselves and run so rapidly towards
the nearest thicket that the hunter
sften loses the prize he considers with
81 his grasp.
Their favorite home is in the forest
surrounding mountain table lands
where they can secrete themselves
among the trees and tall underground,
whence they sally forth into the open
ground for feeding They are found
among the mountains of southern India
as high as six thousand feet above the
sea, but never far from some mountain
stream or lake.
The peacock's food is both animal
and vegeta BILE. While he will feast on
wild berries and seeds and make sad
havoc with n field of young grain, he is
equally happy with breakfast OF
worms and bugs, and even small snakes,
which last he takes vindictive pleasure
in killing, if only to leave them dead
upon the ground
The female chooses concealed nook
in the underbrush for her nest, where
she carelessly pulls together, after the
fashion of domestic barnyard fowls,
whatever sticks and dried leaves are at
hand. There she lays from eight to
twelve eggs, which she broods for thirty
days before the young break their
shells.
If she is left to herself she is a good
mother and attends carefully to her
little ones; but often, when domesti-
maternal instincts, and she heartlessly
goes to roost on the topmost bough OF
some tall tree and leaves her babies to
shiver in the chill midnight air
Young peacocl<s are delicate, but
should they live and thrive their growth
is very rapid When three months ole
the difference in the plumage of the
male and female is distinctly seen, al
though it is not until the third yeai
that the male attains to the full glory
of his train. The female, although OF
handsome plumage, is entirely wanting
in this gorgeous appendage, the pride
and glory of her mate. e.-Philadelphia