the peacock, in ornithology; a genus belonging to the order of gallinae. The head is covered with feathers which bend backwards; the feathers of the tail are very long, and beautifully variegated with eyes of different colours. There are three species.

1. The cristatus, or common peacock of English authors, has a compressed crest and solitary spurs. It is a native of India; and we are assured, that they are still found in a wild state in the islands of Ceyland and Java. So beautiful a bird could not long be permitted to be a stranger in the more distant parts; for so early as the days of Solomon, we find, among the articles imported in his Tarshish navies, apes and peacocks. A monarch so conversant in all branches of natural history, "who spoke of trees, from the cedar of Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; who spoke also of beasts and of fowl," would certainly not neglect furnishing his officers with instructions for collecting every curiosity in the countries they voyaged to, which gave him a knowledge that distinguished him from all the princes of his time. Athen relates, that they were brought into Greece from some barbarous country; and that they were held in such high esteem, that a male and female were valued at Athens at 1000 drachmas, or 32 l. 5 s. 10 d. Their next step might be to Samos; where they were preferred about the temple of Juno, being the birds sacred to the goddess; and Gellius, in his Notae Atticae, c. 16, commends the excellency of the Samian peacocks. It is therefore probable, that they were brought here originally for the purposes of superstition, and afterwards cultivated for the uses of luxury. We are also told, when Alexander was in India, he found vast numbers of wild ones on the banks of the Hyarotis; and was so struck with their beauty, as to appoint a severe punishment on any person that killed them.

Peacock's crests, in ancient times, were among the ornaments of the kings of England. Ernald de Aclent was fined to king John in 140 palfreys, with jacks, butts, lorains, gilt spurs, and peacock's crests, such as would be for his credit.

2. The bicalcaratas has a small crest and double spurs. It is a native of China.

3. The muticus has a sharp-pointed crest, and no spurs; the orbits of the eyes are red. It is found in Japan.

in astronomy. See Astronomy, n° 206.

PAURÆDASTYLÆ, in natural history, the name of a genus of perfect crystals with double pyramids, and no intermediate column, composed of 12 planes, or two hexangular pyramids joined base to base.