206 ORNAMENTS OF THE VELD 



other species. It is particularly common in the dryer 

 portions of the Cape where the bird's plumage harmonises 

 with the scrub and sand of its karroo home. 



The Sandgrouse are partly migratory in habits and live 

 chiefly on weed seeds and grain. 



They fly in flocks at sunrise and sunset to the nearest 



water, when excellent shooting can be obtained by lying up 



near the water, as the flight is fast, and fine sporting shots are 



obtainable. 



FRANCOLINS 



The Francolins (Family Phasianidae) are locally known as 



Pheasants and Partridges, and to the Boers as Patrijse. 



There are two genera of Francolins : — 



(a) Head, neck and throat covered with feathers . .Francolinus. 



(b) Head and neck feathered, throat bare Pternistes. 



To the former belong the " Partridges " and to the latter 

 the " Pheasants," numbering thirteen species all told. The 

 members of this family are not easy of concise description, 

 and we must refer the reader for detailed information to 

 the excellent Vol. IV. of the " Birds " in Sclater's " Fauna 

 of South Africa," or to C. G. Davies' lovely plates in Major 

 Horsbrugh's book on " South African Gamebirds." 



The Francolins — apart from their economic value as food 

 for man — are of great utility to the farmer on account of 

 their seed and insect eating propensities. 



They are fond of digging for small bulbs and roots, and 

 from this the idea of the Boer farmer that they are detri- 

 mental to potato crops probably originates ; they bear in 

 consequence no love for the Francolins, accusing them of 

 stealing mealies, potatoes, &c. More than one farmer has 

 told us that he destroys all nests discovered, and all the 

 arguments in defence of our little feathered friends could not 

 bring these self-opinionated old farmers to see the error 

 of their ways. 



