THE FRANCOLINS. I03 



C. No well-defined row of rufous or buff spots on both 

 webs of the primary flight-feathers ; feathers of the back and 

 scapulars devoid of white or buff shaft-stripes down the middle 

 (p. 124). 



c. Inner webs of the primary flight-feathers either mostly 



pale buff or brown, largely barred and mottled with 

 chestnut or buff (species 28 to 34, pp. 125-128). 



d. Inner webs of the primary flight-feathers uniform dark 



brown, sometimes slightly dotted with buff towards the 

 marginal extremity (species 35 to 44, pp. 129-135). 

 The Francolins or Spur-legged Partridges vary much in size, 



some being not much larger than Quails, others rather larger 



than the Red-legged Partridges. 



A. The three following Asiatic species are characterised by 

 having a well-defined row of 7-iifous or buff spots on both 

 webs of the primary flight feathers. 



I. THE COMMON FRANCOLIN. FRANCOLINUS FRANCOLINUS. 



Tetrao francolinus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 275 (1766). 



Ferdix fraticoliniis^ Vieill. Faun. Fran9. p. 254, pi. no, fig. 2, 

 and pi. iii. fig. i (1828). 



Francolinus vulgaris^ Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xi. p. 319 

 (1819); Gould, B. Europe, iv. p. 259, pi. (1837); Dresser, 

 B. Europe, vii. p. 123, pi. 473 (1876); Hume and Marshall, 

 Game Birds of India, ii. p. 9, pi. (1S79); Gates, ed. Hume's 

 Nests and Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 428 (1890) ; Ogilvie Grant, 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 132 (1893). 



Francolinus tristriatus^ F. henrici, and F. asice, Bonap. C. R. 

 xlii. p. S82 (1856). 



{Plate XI.) 

 Adult Male. — General colour of the under-parts black, spotted 



with white on the sides ; upper-back black, spotted with white ; 



lower-back barred with white ; a ivide dark chestnut 7iuchal 



collar ; a while patch on the hinder-part of the cheek; rest 



of head and throat black. A pair of small wart-shaped spurs. 



