my specimens in stony elevations and on the sides of mountains;
where they are found in considerable quantity early in the morning.”
The late Mr. Frank Oates procured two males at Rettief’s Drift on
the Vaal River.
General colour, light cinereous, approaching to ashy on the breast
and belly, variegated on the back with very dark blotches', rufous
transverse bars, and a light streak down the shaft of each feather;
breast and flanks much blotched with deep rufous; belly and vent
much mottled with transverse, narrow bars of blackish-brown,
assuming an arrow-headed form on the shafts of many of the
feathers; chin, throat, and stripe extending from the back of the
eye almost to the shoulder, white, mottled with black, disposed
more or less in the shape of a circle; a broad rufous band, more or
less mottled with black, extends from the forehead over the head
down the neck; a similar band less in breadth, and scarcely mottled,
extends from the bill under the eye, and joins the rufous marking
of the chest; tail dark-brown, barred with rufous. Length, 12";
wing, 6"; tail, 3"'.
574. F r a n c o l in u s l e v a i l l a n t i i , Temm. Le Vaillant's Francolin.
As in F. afer, a large portion of some of the feathers of both the
crop and flanks are chestnut, and the breast is not so evenly
barred, but the chin and upper are not speckled, and the latter is
rufous buff.
This very handsome bird is in the western districts extremely
local, frequenting isolated spots, generally secluded vallies between
high mountain ranges, through which flows a mountain stream. In
the palmiet which crowds the morasses formed by the unrestrained
waters, and crouching amid the tufts of coarse grass and reeds,
these birds may be found; and we have often killed one with our
first barrel, and a snipe with the second.
They lie very close, and on several occasions we have actually
parted the grass under the pointer's nose to allow the birds to rise.
If flushed a second time and well marked down, they may 'often be
caught with the hand, as they will hardly rise again. In dry weather
they keep so close to the dense palmiet, that it is impossible to get
them out. We are informed that in the eastern districts it affects
the hill sides, and does not frequent morasses. This we found to be
the case at Grootvadersbosch, except that the places in which they
lived were always covered with long grass and rushes, indicating
that they were always more damp than the surrounding country, and
in the rainy season were probably swamps.
Mr. Atmore makes the following observations on these birds :—
“ Here's a query for you about partridges. The drought appeared
to havO nearly destroyed them j particularly the red-wings, and now
they are swarming. They could not have increased so much in the
time, and I can't make out where they come from. We had a little
work near Heidelberg, and in one kloof, say one mile long, we saw
more than one hundred birds. From that place we went to Rivers-
dale : killed five out of the cart ; between Riversdale and Gouritz
River, killed seven and one Korhaan ; between Gouritz River and
Blanco fifteen, and shot only what presented themselves. On this
journey we killed more than I saw altogether in two years of the
drought. Again, two years ago, in this Outeniqualand, Red Kestrels
were numberless, preying upon locusts. Last year rain had fallen,
and very few Kestrels were seen, but Barriers were numerous ; at
present neither Kestrel nor Harrier is seen but rarely. South African
birds appear to be very migratory, and irregularly so—probably
food is the cause.”
Eggs of .this species, sent by Mr. L. C. Layard from Grootvadersbosch,
are rather larger and redder-coloured than those of the
preceding. Axis, 1" 8 " ; diam., 1" 4'".
According to Mr. Rickard, it is found both at Port Elizabeth and
East London. “ In British Kaffraria,” writes Captain Trevelyan,
“ this bird, owing to what it has to contend with in the shape of
Hawks, Kafir Dogs, Wild Cats, grass-firing, droughts, floods, sportsmen,
etc., has much decreased of late years. Any one now getting a
bag of five brace within twenty miles of Kingwilliamstown^ would
consider himself fortunate. They are very local, a covey (should old
birds be left) being found in the same place year after year.” Mr.
Ayres states that in Natal, “ these birds are scarce on the coast, but
more plentiful in the inland districts. They frequently lie exceedingly
close, and it requires a very good dog to find them. They are
mostly found in small coveys, and are very good eating. Their call,
which is generally uttered morning and evening, is harsh and loud.
They frequent high grass and other good covert, and rise with a
loud burr. Their flight is rapid and strong, and they generally
manage to settle out of sight, behind some hillock or bush, where