while travelling in the Holy Land? Why did he wish to bring it away? Where did he plant it? What kind of a voyage home had he? What was there a scarcity of? How much did each passenger have a day? What were the custom-house officers suspicious of? What city was the young cedar taken to? Where was it planted? What gloomy building was near these gardens? How long did the cedar live? Why was it cut down? 1. This beautiful bird, although not a native of England, is familiar to most people. It is not known when it was introduced into this country, but for a long time it has been domesticated amongst us, and has appeared among the chief ornaments of the grounds around the country mansions of our gentry. 2. When the first peacock was introduced into Greece over two thousand years ago, the Greeks so admired its beauty, that a fixed price was paid for the privilege of seeing it, and numbers came to Athens from distant parts of the country purely to gratify their curiosity. Peacocks are great favourites in Persia, where they are more common in gardens and pleasure-grounds than in England. The Shah of Persia has a throne, called "the throne of the peacock;" for on a square pillar standing on each side of the throne, is a sculptured peacock, studded with precious stones, and holding a large ruby in its beak. The Chinese make beautiful fire-screens and other ornamental articles from its feathers, which they mount on ivory handles. 3. The native home of these beautiful birds is beneath the sunny skies of southern Asia, and in the islands of the Eastern Ocean. In some parts of India they are extremely common, flocking together in bands of from thirty to forty, and covering the trees with their beautiful plumage. 4. The peacock seems to be quite conscious of its own beauty. It struts proudly about, as if it felt itself to be superior to all surrounding objects, and now and then it elevates and expands its train so as to form a circle of gorgeous beauty around its neck and head; and then it turns itself round and round, as if to catch the rays of the sun, and thus to show its glories to the best advantage. 5. The train of the peacock, although generally looked upon as its tail, is not so in reality. The true tail, which is composed of eighteen brown, stiff feathers, about six inches long, is beneath, and may be seen when the train is raised. In the female the train is almost wanting, nor is she in other respects so gorgeously attired as her mate. 6. Although Nature has thus endowed this bird with such beauty, she has withheld from it that sweetness of voice with which she has so richly gifted many others of the feathered tribes. Its cry is harsh and discordant, and it is only when heard from a long distance that it is at all pleasing. Its food is principally corn and barley. 7. The pea-hen is rather smaller than the male. She seldom lays more than four or five eggs at a time, and always chooses some retired spot where she can protect them from danger. The eggs are white and spotted. The young birds do not acquire their perfect brilliancy till the third year. Where may peacocks be seen in England? When was the peacock introduced into Greece? How did the Greeks show their desire to see it? Where are peacocks great favourites? Describe the throne of the Shah of Persia. What use do the Chinese make of the feathers of the peacock? Where is the native home of the peacock? How does the peacock seem to show its vanity? Describe its tail. How does the female differ in appearance from the male? On what does the peacock chiefly feed? When do the young birds acquire their perfect brilliancy of plumage? 1. Queen of fresh flowers, In nature's greenest livery drest, 2. Mark! how we meet thee While all the goodly things that be 3. Flocks on the mountains, And birds upon their spray, Tree, turf, and fountains All hold holiday; And love, the life of living things, Love waves his torch and claps his wings, And loud and wide thy praises sings, Thou merry month of May. |