PEACOCK, Pavo, in Hebrew, Teuchiim1. Interpreters are pretty well agreed about the Signification of this Word. The Septuagint have not expressed it in their Translation. Some understand by Tuchiim a sort of Ape or Monkey. The Fleet of Solomon that went to Ophir brought back to this Prince a great Number of Peacocks, whether they had them at Ophir it self, or whether they took them in from any other Place upon their return, is altogether uncertain.
The Peacock is a tame Fowl very well known. That which makes it valuable is the Beauty of its Plumage. It has a very long Tail, diversify’d with several Colours, and adorned with many Marks at equal Distances in the Form of Eyes. It has a little Tuft or Crown upon its Head, like a bushy Tree. Its Wings are mixt with Azure and Gold-colour; its Cry is very shrill and disagreeable. ‘Tis said to have the Head of a Serpent, the Train of an Angel, and the Voice of a Devil. Its Feet are ugly, and not suitable to its fine Feathers. It frequently makes a Turn, especially in Spring, to admire its Tail, the Splendor of which is increased by the Light, which does not only set off its Colours, but also multiplies them.
‘Tis said the Flesh of the Peacock is not apt to corrupt. St. Austin relates2, that being at Carthage, they served up a baked Peacock at a Table where he was. The Company had a mind to make the Experiment, whether the Flesh of this Animal would corrupt or no. They took several Pieces of the Stomach or Crop, which they set by. After some Days they inspected it; and found it as entire as at first. They kept it after that above a Month, without any Appearance or Tendency towards Corruption. Finally, at a Year’s End they viewed it again, and observed no other Alteration in it, but that it was grown something drier, and a little shrunk up. Scaliger testifies the same thing, and says, that he had made the same Experiment himself.
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