598 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
they are not easily found a second time. Their food consists of 
berries, fruits, seeds, and insects. They also feed very much upon 
bulbous roots, which they scratch up, break to pieces, and devour. 
They are much esteemed, both for sport and for the table.” This was 
the only species procured near Newcastle by Majors Butler and 
Feilden, and Captain Reid. Mr. Ayres notes it from the Lydenburg 
district in the Transvaal, and says that it appears to be generally 
distributed all over the country where the localities are suitable 
to its habits. ' 
General colour grey, mottled on the back with very dark markings 
on each feather, down the centre of which, and on the shaft, is a 
rather broad light-buff stripe, inclining oftentimes to white ; top of 
head mottled-brown; a narrow white band, much mottled with 
black, extends from the nostrils over each eye, unites at the back of 
the head, and extends down to the nuchal collar behind; a similar 
band extends from the same place under the eye across the ear, and 
sweeps round to the chest, where it extends into a broad crescent- 
shaped gorget ; between these two bands is one of deep orange rufous, 
enclosing the eye, widening as it passes over the ear, and spreading 
backwards to the nuchal collar and forward to the gorget ; the fore- 
part of the throat is of the same colour ; the chin albescent ; below 
the gorget, the chest, belly, and flanks are beautifully mottled with 
deep rufous, and brown ; wing-feathers, inside, deep rufous. Length, 
13’; wing, 6’ 6”; tail, 3" 3’". Mr. Ayres gives the soft parts as 
follows :— 
“ Female.—Iris hazel; bill dusky-yellow at the base; tarsi and 
feet dull yellow.” 
Fig. Smith, Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pl. 85. 
575. FrRancotinus Finscutl, Bocage. Finsch’s Francolin. 
A single specimen of this bird, with the adult plumage not fully 
completed, was forwarded by Senor Anchieta from Caconda in 
Benguela, and has been described by Professor Barboza du Bocage 
jn his “Ornithologie d’Angola.” He states that it is similar to 
F’. gutturalis of North-Eastern Africa, but is larger and has a stronger 
bill. The head and hind neck are ashy brown, the feathers being 
darker in the middle ; sides of the forehead, eyebrows, lores, cheeks, 
sides of the neck and jugulum bright rufous buff unspotted ; ear- 
coverts dusky ; throat pure white ; abdomen and flanks orange buff 
2S 
Re et OY Or ome & 
