תוכיים, 1 Kings x, 22; 2 Chron. ix, 21; a bird distinguished by
the length of its tail, and the brilliant spots with which it is
adorned; which displays all that dazzles in the sparkling lustre of
gems, and all that astonishes in the rainbow. The peacock is a bird
originally of India; thence brought into Persia and Media. Aristophanes
mentions Persian peacocks; and Suidas calls the peacock the Median bird.
From Persia it was gradually dispersed into Judea, Egypt, Greece, and
Europe. If the fleet of Solomon visited India, they might easily procure
this bird, whether from India itself, or from Persia; and certainly the
bird by its beauty was likely to attract attention, and to be brought
among other rarities of natural history by Solomon’s servants, who would
be instructed to collect every curiosity in the countries they visited.
the length of its tail, and the brilliant spots with which it is
adorned; which displays all that dazzles in the sparkling lustre of
gems, and all that astonishes in the rainbow. The peacock is a bird
originally of India; thence brought into Persia and Media. Aristophanes
mentions Persian peacocks; and Suidas calls the peacock the Median bird.
From Persia it was gradually dispersed into Judea, Egypt, Greece, and
Europe. If the fleet of Solomon visited India, they might easily procure
this bird, whether from India itself, or from Persia; and certainly the
bird by its beauty was likely to attract attention, and to be brought
among other rarities of natural history by Solomon’s servants, who would
be instructed to collect every curiosity in the countries they visited.