but, bo far as I can learn, not a single bird is to be found in the
south, although the bush range is precisely similar.”
It appears to be a very local species. Mr. Fellowes found it in the
Umgowee forest, near the Umlalaas River, lat. 29°; in Zululand
and near St. Lucia Bay on a small promontory. The healthy
months for this country he found to be June, July, August, and the
first half of September. After this the Guinea-fowl have it all their
own way, as the country is unapproachable from fever.
The following description is given by Mr. Elliot in his “ Monograph
—“ Head covered with a full, long, upright, jet-black crest;
the rest of the face and head bare; around the eyes black; blue
on the sides and back of the neck; bright red upon the throat,
extending from the base of the lower mandibles to the feathers of
the breast; the skin of the neck full behind, forming a plait about
midway and falling in a kind of fold over the feathers of the lower
part; lower part of neck behind and upper part of breast black,
having a rich chestnut tinge on the breast; entire rest of the
plumage black, with a greenish gloss and spotted with light green;
wings spotted like the rest of the body; primaries dark brown;
secondaries black with their inner webs spotted; outer webs of the
first four of the rest unspotted, black with lines of bluish-green;
thighs black; bill light-horn colour; legs and feet blackish-brown.”
The sexes are alike in colour.
Fig. Elliot, Monogr. Phasian. ii, pi. 44.
562. N u m id a c r is t a t a , Pall. Crested Guinea-Fowl.
According to Professor Barboza du Bocage three living specimens
of this species, from Benguela, were brought to Lisbon by M.
Freitas Branco, and Yiegas do O.
The only difference between this species and the preceding
consists in the less extent of the black on the chest in N. cristata.
Fig. Elliot, Monogr. Phasian. ii, pi. 45.
563. N u m id a p u c h e r a n i , Eartl. Pucheran’s Guinea-Fowl.
This- species may be distinguished from N. verreauxi by having
the spotted plumage continued on the breast right up to the bare
throat. Dr. Kirk, whose specimens, according to Mr. Elliot,
belong to the present species, observes: “ This fine species was
observed in large flocks at the head of the Zambesi delta, Shupanga,
on the Shire at Chibisa, and in the interior about forty miles east of
the Victoria Falls. Its nest is formed in the ground among grass.
The species keeps more to the forest than the common Guinea-fowl,
which frequents the open plains, and resorts during the dry season to
the river every night. Native name, Khanga Tore.”
Fig. Elliot, Monogr. Phas. ii. pi. 46.
Fam. PERDICIDJE.
564. P e r n i s t e s s w a in s o n i . Swainson’s Francolin.
Francolinus swainsonii, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 269.
The members of the genus Pternistes, according to Captain
Shelley, have the chin and throat bare. The males have a sharp
spur,.the plumage of the sexes being otherwise perfectly similar.
The tail is not hidden by the upper tail-coverts, and the feathers on
the forehead are always parted by the culminal ridge. The present
species may be recognized by the absence of white stripes jj on the
back or breast, the feathers of the latter being more or less
vermiculated, and having moderately narrow dark shaft stripes.
The general colour of the breast is buffish brown, and the vermicu-
lations are very indistinct.
The expedition under Sir A. Smith first found this Francolin in a
valley immediately south of Kurrichane, perching on the branches of
decayed trees near the margin of a small rivulet. To these places
they appear to resort at night, feeding by day on the banks of rivers.
In this, and in their habit of effecting their escape by fleetness
of foot, rather than by taking wing, they resemble the colonial
F. clamator and P. nudicollis, to which they are closely allied. We
have no notes of the occurrence of this species from any of our correspondents
in the eastern districts or in Natal, and Mr. T. E. Buckley
states that it was first met with by him two or three days north of
Pretoria, and thence it was common in all suitable localities into the
Matabele country. He writes :—“ This is the bird called ‘ Pheasant’
by the colonists; they are generally found in coveys, are very quick
runners, and require a good deal of exertion on one’s part to flush
them.” In the Transvaal, according to Mr. Ayres, it ~ is exceedingly
numerous in some parts of the Magaliesbergen along the banks of the
Crocodile or Limpopo River, and of the Eland’s River, amongst the