220 GALLIFORMES CHAP. 
mottled with black and white, the breast and abdomen shewing 
chestnut markings; in the similar P. boehmi the naked throat is 
yellow. These two species occur west and east of Lake Tan- 
ganyika respectively; the female being less black and white 
above and less chestnut below in the former, while the sexes are 
alike in the latter. P. swainsoni of South Africa is distinguish- 
able by its rusty abdomen with black and chestnut blotches, the 
latter colour being absent in the hen; P. rujipictus of East 
Zquatorial Africa has white neck-feathers, margined with brown 
and black. P. lewcoscepus of North-East and the darker P. 
infuscatus of East Africa exhibit broken stripes of brown and 
white down the whole body, with yellowish-red orbits and 
throat; the sexes are alike save for the spurs in the male. In 
many districts the members of this genus, as well as the Fran- 
colins proper, closely akin to them in appearance and habits, arc 
denominated “ Pheasants.” They haunt grassy places and brush- 
wood, often on hills near water; the coveys feeding in the open 
on bulbs, seeds, berries, and insects, and roosting upon trees, 
preferably those that are leafless. Flying little, but running at 
a great pace, they utter harsh notes in the morning and even- 
ing, and lay six or more creamy or pinkish eggs, frequently with 
chalky spots, in a grass-lined cavity sheltered by coarse herbage. 
Francolinus, inclusive of Ortygornis, Scleroptila, Chaetopus, 
and Clamator of some writers, contains forty or more species, 
ranging over the Ethiopian Region, and from Arabia, Cyprus, 
and Asia Minor to Persia, India, and South China. The colora- 
tion is rich and varied, and the sexes are commonly alike, while 
hybrids undoubtedly occur. Apart from a special study, a general 
idea is given by the following descriptions. / vulgaris, the 
“Black Partridge,” ranging from Cyprus, Palestine, and Asia Minor 
to Assam, formerly occurred in Spain, Italy, Sicily, Greece, several 
of the Mediterranean Islands, and North Africa! It has the 
whole plumage blackish, with buff markings on the crown, wings, 
and mantle, white ocelli on the upper back and flanks, white 
barring on the lower back and tail, a white patch below the eye, 
and chestnut collar and under tail-coverts. The bill is black, 
the feet are orange with a small blunt spur. The collar of the 
brownish female is confined to the nape, and the throat is white. 
In F. levaillanti of South Africa, the “Redwing” of English 
' See Lilford, Zbis, 1862, pp. 352-356 ; Dresser, Birds of Europe, vii. pp. 123-128. 
