A History of Agriculture in India v2.c69.s4.2

v2.c69.s4.2

'The peacock (Ar. *ṭaus*) is one. It is a beautifully coloured and splendid animal (Fig. 28). Its form is not equal to its colouring and beauty. Its body may be as large as the crane's but it is not so tall. On the head of both cock and hen are 20 to 30 feathers rising some 2 or 3 inches (5 to 7.6) cm high. The hen has neither colour nor beauty. The head of the cock has an iridescent collar; its neck is of a beautiful blue; below the neck, its back is painted in yellow, parrot-green, blue and violet colours. The flowers on its back are much the smaller; below the back as far as the tail-tips are (larger) flowers painted in the same colours. The tail of some peacocks grows to the length of a man's extended arms. It has a small tail under its flowered feathers, like the tail of other birds; this ordinary tail and its primaries are red. It is found in Bajaur and Sawad and below them; it is not in Kunur and Lamghanat or any place above them. Its flight is feebler than the pheasant's; it cannot do more than make one or two short flights. On account of its feeble flight, it frequents the hills or jungles, which is curious, since jackals abound in the jungles it frequents. What damage might these jackals not do to birds that trail from jungle to jungle, tails as long as man's stretch! Hindustanis call the peacock *mor*. Its flesh is lawful food, according to the doctrine of Imām Abū Hanīfa; it is like that of the partridge and not unsavoury, but is eaten with instinctive aversion, in the way camel-flesh is.