common Pheasant. On this farm we killed all four Francolins
usually found in the colony, viz., F. clamator, P. nudicollis, F. afer,
and F. Levaillantii.
Mr. L. 0. Layard sent us the eggs from hence: they are precisely
similar to those of the preceding. Mr. Rickard informs us that it
is common at Port Elizabeth, but not very numerous near East
London, where, however, it is said to be getting more plentiful, and
Captain Trevelyan notes it from the neighbourhood of Kingwilliams-
town. Mr. Barratt writes :—“ I procured this bird in the district of
Lydenburg and in the Chalumna district in British Kaffraria, always
in the thick bush, where their loud cackling note is heard during
the greater part of the early morning.” Mr. Gurney states that a
specimen from Damara Land was in Mr. Andersson’s last collection.
General colour brown, the feathers of the back having a black
stripe down the centre; those of chest cinereous, with black centre
stripe; those of neck white, with black stripe, very broad; feathers
of breast, belly, and flanks, dark brownish-black, with a white stripe
running up each side of the shaft; chin, fore-part of throat, and
space round the eye, bare, and bright crimson. Length, 13" to 15";
wing, 7"; tail, 4|".
568. F r a n c o l in u s a d s p e r s u s , Waterhouse. Red-billed Francolín.
In all the members of the genus Francolinus the throat is
feathered. The present species has no white shaft stripes in the
feathers of the back and wings, and has the chin, throat, and entire
under parts evenly and narrowly barred with black.
I t is found about the Orange River, and northward through the
country to Ovampoland. It appears from all accounts to be very
common, and to replace the “ Pheasant,” which it somewhat
resembles. Eggs brought us by Mr. J. Chapman are singularly
shaped, appearing truncated at each end. The shell also is of
remarkable thickness, being the 24th part of an inch, and very dense
and heavy. Inside pure white and iridescent, outside very pale cream
colour. Axis, 1" 7'"; diameter, 1" V". Mr. Andersson found it
at Lake ISPgami, and writes:—“ This is the most common and
abundant Francolín indigenous to Damara and- Great Namaqua
Land, where it is found in coveys, which, in favourable seasons, not
unfrequently consist of from ten to fourteen individuals. This
species is seldom found at any great distance from the banks of the
periodical streams, and on the least approach of danger seeks shelter
in the trees and bushes, with which these banks are generally
studded. It lives much on trees, roosting among the branches by
night, and also resting there during the heat of the day. These
Francolins run with extraordinary swiftness, and will not use their
wings unless very hard pressed; and when they do so, it is with the
view of concealing themselves amongst the thickest of the branches
of some convenient tree, where they remain perfectly motionless;
and it requires a good and practised eye to detect one of these birds
after it has taken refuge in a full-foliaged tree; when the danger is
passed they generally again seek the ground. Their feeding time is
in the early morning and the cool of the evening; and their food
consists of seeds, berries, and insects. The notes of these birds
are harsh, and so loud that they may be heard at a great distance;
they resemble a succession of hysterical laughs, at first slow, but
increasing in rapidity and strength, till they suddenly cease. This
species deposits its eggs in a hollow in the ground, without any
l i n i n g . ” Senor Anchieta has forwarded specimens from Humbe
on the Ounene River, where he says it is called Muelle and
Angi.
Throughout of a mottled, brownish-grey, brownest on the back
and wings, where the marking is finest; below, the white and dark
brown are pretty evenly divided into narrow, irregular transverse
lines; on the neck they assume the appearance of scales; from
the base of the bill over the nostrils is a small black patch; a
black line also extends from the angle of the bill under the eye.
Length, 12"; wing, 7"; tail, 3|". According to Mr. Andersson,
the iris is dark brown, the bare skin round the eye pale yellow, the
bill and legs in the adult bird rich, warm red, the toes and the spurs
of the male purple. The females are somewhat smaller and less
robust than the males; in very young birds the bill is dark purple,
and the colour of the legs is much paler than in the adults.
569. F r a n c o l in u s c l a m a t o r , Temm. Noisy Francolin.
In this species the chin and upper throat are spotted with black,
there are no large white spots on the upper back, nor are there any
white shaft stripes to the feathers of the back and wings.
The “ Pheasant” is found throughout the whole of thfe maritime
districts of the colony, delighting in bushy kloofs and water-courses,