lighter than the common sort, with a tendency to spangled, perhaps even ocellated, plumage all over her body, and she has scarcely any glistening feathers on the neck; her size is also inferior, and her proportions more slender. The records of the introduction of the Java Pea-fowl into Europe are clear and satisfactory; not so with respect to the Japan sort. By some the credit of the importation has been given to Lord Amherst. Sir Robert Heron, quoted in the "Penny Cyclopædia," states, "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. Thornton: and in both cases to the extinction of the previously existing breed." (Zool. Proc. 1835.) This would appear conclusive did we not know the misadventures that have to be encountered by any newly imported rarity in the interval between its arrival in England and its safe delivery into its owner's hands. For instance, at the time when Chrysanthemums were being introduced from China at great trouble and expense, the first known specimen of the Paper-White variety, a novelty then, though nearly discarded now, was bought in Covent-garden market for sixpence; and the unique Ocellated Turkey, the glory of the Paris Museum, after surviving the voyage from the West Indies, was killed on the Thames by some one who, doubtless, intended to pluck and roast it. I must, therefore, attribute the sudden appearance of the Japan Pea-fowl to other causes than to a mere freak of Nature. The Paon spicifère of Temminck and the Aldrovandine Peacock are the same. Aldrovandi's rude woodcut is the most truthful figure I have yet seen. The Earl of Derby is possessed of living specimens, forwarded from Calcutta, to which place they are brought from Burmah, and therefore where they bear the name of Burmese Pea-fowl, the common kind being known by that of Indian or Jungle Pea-fowl. His Lordship has for many years been in the habit of breeding a considerable number of the "Japan" or "Japanned" birds, and, like most other persons, long laboured under the state of confusion in which their denomination is involved, but is now convinced that the last is really the correct one, from the extreme blackness of the shoulder portion of the wing feathers, which, in them, appear as if covered with a coat of the best japanned blacking; but in the common kind, which is the wild bird of the jungles of Continental India, this same part is clothed with feathers of a rusty brown, barred with dusky colour, and sometimes with a tinge of greenish. That the Japanned birds have a right to be considered as a distinct species, and not a mere accidental variety of the common Indian kind, appears to be clearly proved by the fact that not the male birds alone, but the hens and the chicks vary completely from the Indian or original, supposed, stock; and this, in the similar case of the Polish Swan, has always been acknowledged to be a proof of distinction. Both the hens and chicks are always white, and yet perfectly different in degree from the true White variety. I will, therefore, propose that the Japanned Pea-fowl be allowed a place in scientific zoology by the name of Pavo picatus. The common kind has, probably, been tamed and domesticated ever since there have existed human eyes to admire it. Here is one tradition of its transmission to us : “The Pea-fowl is said to have been brought from the barbarians into Greece; and being for a long time rare, it was then exhibited for money to the admirers of beauty; and at Athens both men and women were admitted to examine it every new moon, and a profit was made of the show, and, as Antiphon says in his speech against Erasistratus, the male and female were valued at 1,000 drachmæ."-Elian, lib. v. c. xxi.—which, if we take the drachma at 7 d., is 317. 5s. the pair, a high price certainly, but not more than a pair of very rare birds, such as the Ocellated Turkey, or the Apteryx, alive and in health, would fetch now in England, at the first bidding. The remarkable point in this account is that the creature was not gratuitously exhibited, like the triumphal spoils of conquered nations, but was made a wild beast show, oooû, for a consideration, and as a matter of gain. One would like to know the price of admission, what sort of brass band performed before the doors, and whether the pictorial representations hung outside at all rivalled the brilliant display now made by Mr. Wombwell. But the most extraordinary Peacock in the world, altogether unique, and likely to remain so, whose value reduces that of the Athenian birds to a mere nothing, and which is only to be approached in this respect by the goose which lays golden eggs, if we could find her, is kept at Windsor Castle; and long may Her Majesty Queen Victoria continue in possession of it. Not being larger than an ordinary Hen, it consumes but little food; and does no mischief in the gardens, being rarely permitted to go abroad. It would be cheap at 30,000l.: for independent of its worth as a trophy, and the strange history attached to it, its tail is made up of diamonds, and the rest of its body is composed of other costly materials, of which gold is the least precious. It is a specimen of Ornamental Poultry, not unsuitable to the monarch of Great Britain; but if we may presume to guess at the tastes of the royal owner, more pleasure is derived from the sight of its living models than from the inanimate splendours of this glittering toy, although it does so far "Outshine the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand on. THE MUTE SWAN.-(CYGNUS OLOR.) "The peaceful monarch of the lake."-SCOTT. THE Swan is, beyond all question, the bird to place, as a finishing stroke of art, on the smooth lake which expands before our mansions. It is perfectly needless, however delightful, to quote Milton and others, lauding the arched neck, the white wings, the oary feet, and so Its superb beauty is undeniable and acknowledged; and, to borrow an apt metaphor, we do not wish, in the present volume, to thresh straw that has been thrice threshed before, to repeat how lovely the Swan is on the silver lake, "floating double, swan and shadow;" for we might thus run, scissors in hand, through the whole Corpus Poetarum. Our object, in short, is simply to point out the best mode of managing them and keeping them. Any one who lives on the banks of a moderately sized stream, and has a Swan-right on that stream, will probably also have the means of keeping a Keeper, who will save him every trouble. But there are a great many people, occupiers of large farm-houses, villas, country mansions, or moated residences, persons, perhaps, of considerable wealth, who have no manorial rights, no ancient Swan-mark belonging to their estate, but who would willingly pay for the maintenance of a pair of Swans and their annual brood of Cygnets, on inclosed or artificial waters, if they knew but how to order them aright. 99 66 Do Imprimis, then, they are called "Tame Swans," mestic Swans" never were epithets more inappropriate, unless we agree to say, "tame Hyæna, tame Wolf, tame Rat, domestic Pheasant, domestic Swallow." They will come to their keeper's call, and take food from his hand; they will keep at home, when they are completely prevented from ranging out of bounds abroad so far they are tamed and domesticated, but no further, and never will be. To compare the relations which exist between them and man, with those by which we retain the Goose and the common Fowl, is about as correct as to believe that the same temper and disposition influence the faithful Dog and the wildest Jackal of the wilderness. I put the case thus strongly, in order that it may be understood clearly. The comparisons may be a little exaggerated, but they will serve to raise the real truth into bolder and higher relief. Many systematic naturalists, of deserved reputation, have not been aware of the fact. Professor Low, speaking of the effects of domestication on birds, says," The Swan, the noblest of all water-fowls, becomes chained, as it were, to our lakes and ponds, by the mere change of his natural form."-Domesticated Animals of the British Islands. Introduction, p. liv. Chained, indeed! I should like the learned professor to see a pair of unmutilated Swans cleaving the air with extended pinions. He evidently takes the Swan to be a domesticated bird, and that it will not fly away, instead of that it cannot. Listen to this :-" I have never kept Swans myself, but those of some relatives a few miles off sometimes pay us a visit, performing their flight in an incredibly short time." H. H.-Waterton, who speaks only so far as he has seen, in his vivid essays gives a similar account of the proceedings of a Swan, whom he indulged in the free use of his wings, for the gratification of observing his graceful evolutions in the air.* But, at * "Its powers of flight were truly astonishing. It visited all the sheets of water for many miles around. On taking its excursions into |