248 BIIWS OF DAMARA LAND. 



convenient tree, where they remain perfectly motionless ; 

 and it requires an exceedingly 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 lining. 



The iris is dark brown, the bare skin round the eye 

 pale yellow, the bill and legs in the adult bird are a rich 

 warm red, the toes and the spurs of the male bird are 

 purple. In very young birds the bill is dark purple, and 

 the colour of the legs is much paler than in the adult. 



The female birds are somewhat smaller and less robust 

 than the males. 



[This Francolin has not been figured ; its geographical range 

 appears to extend to Lake Nganii^ as a specimen from thence was 

 contained in Mr. Andersson^s last collection. — Ed.] 



295. Coturnix communis, Bonn. Eixropean Quail. 



Coturiiix dactylisonans, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 2G3. 



Coturnii dactylisonatis ?, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Bamar., Coutr. 



Ora. 18-52, p. 157. 

 CoturnLr dactylisonans, Layard's Cat. No. 531. 

 Coturnix communis, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. D705. 



