130 Allen's naturalists library. 



This fine Francolin, commonly known in the colony as the 

 Cape Pheasant, is easily recognised by its large size, and occurs 

 throughout the maritime districts, "delighting," according to 

 Mr. Layard. " in bushy kloofs and watercourses, from which it is 

 driven with difficulty, owing to its habit of perching on branches, 

 just out of the reach of dogs. It at all times prefers to escape 

 by running, instead of flying ; and on Robben Island, where it 

 abounds, having been placed there some years ago, whole 

 flocks may be chased for a mile or more in full view, without 

 once taking wing. They usually, on these occasions, make for 

 the rocks on the beach, and will run out to the farthest ex- 

 tremity, regardless of the surf breaking over them." 



Eggs. — Eight to fourteen in number ; olive-brown, occasion- 

 ally spotted. Measurements, I'g by i"5 inch. 



XXXVI. THE NATAL FRANCOLIN. FRANCOLINUS NATALENSIS. 



Francolinus 7tatalensis, Smith, S. Afr. Journ. (2), p. 48 (1833) ; 

 id. 111. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 13 (1838); Sharpe, ed. 

 Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 592 (1884) ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. 

 Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 167 (1893). 



Adult Male and Female. — Above brown, finely mottled with 

 black and buff, and very similar to F. iderorhynchus ; under- 

 parts whitish., with a more or less \ -shaped or concentric black 

 bar oil each feather ; thi'oat spotted with black. 



Male with one or two pairs of spurs ; the upper one, when 

 present, blunt. Total length, 13-5 inches ; wing, 7*2 ; tail, 3*8 ; 

 tarsus, 1*9. 



Female. — Considerably smaller than the male ; wing, 6-3. 

 Sometimes with a pair of blunt spurs. 



Range. — Eastern South Africa; Matabele-land, Transvaal. 

 Swaziland, Natal. 



Habits. — These birds inhabit wooded situations in the proxi 

 mity of water, and are specially common in the dense under- 

 wood that abounds along the coast. Their habits are verv 



