70 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



youngster, which flew to a tree, and, thence setting 

 off at my approach, was brought with a thud — for 

 these fleshy birds fall by no means lightly — to the 

 earth. We ranged about, hither and thither, in the 

 long grass, but it was evident that the rest of the 

 birds had plucked up heart of grace and run for 

 it, and, as we had now what food we wanted, we 

 pursued them no further. 



Mackay also flushed and secured a large red- 

 necked francolin close to the river-bed, and, having 

 regained our ponies and fastened the game to our 

 saddles, we moved quietly for home. These red- 

 necked francolin s, which proved to be of the species 

 known as Swainson's francolin, were occasionally 

 found along the Setlagoli (they are seldom found 

 south of that river), but were never abundant. They 

 are large, coarse-looking birds ; the general colouring 

 is of a dirty brown, the throat is bare and of a dull 

 crimson colour. This is a large, heavy game bird, 

 approaching the size of a blackcock, and, with per- 

 haps the exception of the Cape '' pheasant," is the 

 heaviest of the South African francolins; but it is 

 poor eating, and quite the plainest member of this 

 otherwise handsome family. We never found these 

 birds except in pairs or singly, and always near 

 thick covert, and not far from water. They are 

 called by the colonists " pheasants," are fond of 

 trees, and invariably roost at night among the 



