THE FRANCOLINS. Ill 



VI. THE COQUl FRANCOLIN. FRANCOLINUS COQUI. 



Perdix coqui, Smith, Rep. Exp. Centr. Afr. p. 55 (1836). 

 Fraficolinus sudtorquatus, Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 15 



(1838); Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 600 (1884). 

 FraiicoUnus coqui, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 143 



(1893). 

 FrancoH?ius shihhtiaJini, Reichen. J. f. O. 1889, p. 270. 



Adult Male. — Head chestnut-brown, shading into pale rufous 

 or whitish on the throat ; general colour of upper-parts a mix- 

 ture of chestnut and buff, barred with blackish or dark grey ; 

 back of the neck and tmder-parts white, shading into buff on the 

 belly, all with wide regular black bars. A pair of sharp spurs. 

 Total length, 11 inches; wing, 5-5; tail, 3; tarsus, 1-5. 



Adult Female. — Distinguished from the male by having black 

 eyebrow stripes ; the throat margined by a black band ; and 

 the back of the neck and breast vinaceous-grey and dull chest^iut, 

 ivith white shaft-streaks. No spurs. 



Range. — This species has a wide range, being found over 

 East, South, and South-west Africa. 



Habits. — The habits of the Coqui Francolin are apparently 

 much the same in all parts of its wide range. 



Mr. T. Ayres writes : " These birds live in the open country, 

 and are generally dispersed all over the Colony of Natal ; they 

 are to be found in coveys, like the Partridge in England ; they 

 roost on the ground in any convenient tuft of grass, and nestle 

 all together. These birds would be numerous were it not for 

 the burning of the grass, together with the hawks, wild cats, and 

 snakes, which abound here and are their mortal enemies." This 

 Francolin is extremely difficult to flush, and without the assist- 

 ance of dogs is consequently seldom seen. Its call-note is 

 shrill, but not unpleasant, and is mostly heard in the early 

 morning and towards evening. Like the rest of its kind, its 

 food consists of small bulbous roots, seeds, berries, and insects, 

 and its flesh is excellent. 



