FRANCOLINUS PILEATUS.
the latter is closely barred with delicate undulated brown lines ; the vent and
under tail coverts a pale ochry yellow, sparingly barred with zigzag brown
lines. The two central tail feathers light reddish brown, closely mottled with
delicate waved brown bars; the remaining feathers dark umber-brown, except
the outer vanes towards the quills, which are reddish brown freckled with
indistinct lines of a darker shade. Bill dark horn-coloured ; eyes reddish
brown; tarsi and toes pale Dutch orange; claws and spurs a pale horn colour.
F orm.— Typical; bill broad at the base, narrow and curved towards the
point; wings rounded, and when folded reach a little beyond the base of the
tail; the fourth and fifth quill feathers equal, and the longest, the third and
sixth but little shorter, the second and first successively shorter ; tail slightly
rounded. Tarsi and toes strong; the former with a vertical row of large plates
behind, which extends from the knee joint to the strong cylindrical spur with
which each tarsus is armed ; the spur is situated rather nearer to the hinder
toe than to the knee joint, tapers from the base, and is slightly curved, the
convexity directed downwards ; the inner toe slightly longer than the outer.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines. __ . , Inches. Lines.
Length from the point of the bill to the Length of the tarsus ................ 1 7
tip of the tail..................... f-3 6 of the middle toe .......... ....... 1 3
of the bill from the angle of the of the inner toe........... ....... 1 0
mouth ................................. 1 0 of the hinder toe .......... ....... 0 3£
of the wings when folded....... 6 6
of the tail................................. 4 0
The female has no spurs to the tarsi; in other respects she exhibits a close
resemblance to the male.
On the immediate banks of the Marikwa river, which flows in a north-easterly direction
from Kurichane, we discovered the first specimens of this handsome Francolin. It showed but
little disposition to resort to the jungle, though when disturbed in the more open localities, which
it by choice frequents while feeding, it, like the last species, seeks concealment in the bosom of
the thickets. Early in the morning specimens were observed, in moderate abundance, upon
the open grassy plots which occurred, intersecting the wooded regions that skirted both sides
of the stream, and there they appeared to find their food in plenty, which was found to
consist of small bulbous roots, seeds, insects, &c. To the same localities these birds were
also observed to resort towards evening; but at that period they were less readily discovered,
owing to their being commonly more silent at that time. During the middle of the day they
were rarely observed, and from what was ascertained there were grounds for believing they
repose while the sun is warm, and that while enjoying rest, they are generally perched upon
dwarf trees or shrubs, no doubt to be the more secure from ..the teeth of the numerous predatory
quadrupeds which are constantly traversing the woods in quest of prey.