THE FRANCOLINS. I3I 



similar to those of the last species, and their cry is said by 

 Smith to resemble that of the Cluinea Fowl. 



XXXVII. hildebrandt's francolin. francolinus 



HILDEBRANDTI. 



Francolinus hildebrandti, Cabanis, J. f. O. 1878, pp. 206, 243, 

 pi. iv. fig. 2 \_fe)nale\ ; Ogilvie-Grant, Ann. and Mag. N. H. 

 (6), iv. p. 145 (1889) ; Hunter, in Will jughby's East Africa 

 and its Big Game, App. i. p. 292 (1889) ; Ogilvie-Grant, 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 168 (1893). 

 Francolinus alfumi, Fischer and Reichenovv, J. f. O. 1884, p. 

 179, pi. ii. [;//^?/t']. 



Adult Male. — Upper parts very similar to those of F. natalen- 

 sis, but ivithout black shaft-streaks; under-parts white, with 

 a large heart-shaped black spot near the extremity of each 

 feather ; throat ivhife, spotted with black. Two pairs of spurs, 

 the upper one blunt. Total length, 13-5 inches; wing, 7*5; 

 tail, 3 '8 ; tarsus, 2 '2. 



Adult Female. — Upper-parts as in the male ; but the under- 

 parts are dull brick-colour; throat pale rufous-buff; outer 

 webs of flight-feathers broivn, mottled with rufous-buff. One 

 or two pairs of sharp spurs. 



Range. — East Africa ; Pangani River to the Kikuyu Country 

 and Lake Naivasha. 



This is one of the most interesting species of the group, and 

 it can be easily understood that the two sexes being so different 

 in plumage, they were at first described under different names. 

 It has now, however, been conclusively proved that they are 

 the male and female of one and the same bird (see Hunter, 

 /. s. c), yet, notwithstanding this, we observe, with some as- 

 tonishment, that in Dr. Reichenow's latest work on the Birds 

 of East Africa, the sexes are still regarded as distinct species ! 



If any further evidence were required, we need only refer 

 to the parallel case of different sexes, found in the next species, 



K 2 



