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FRANCOLINUS SUBTORQUATUS. 6OL 
remind me of the English Partridge in their movements and 
flight when disturbed ; with a good dog a fair bag may easily be 
made.” It was procured by Mr. Jameson’s expedition at Matje 
Umschlope, on the 23rd of November, and Mr. Ayres writes, “ Now 
in pairs; they may often be heard calling in the early morning.” 
The following note is given by Mr. Andersson :—“I only met with 
this species in the neighbourhood of the River Okavango, where it 
is found in coveys on grassy plains interspersed with large trees 
and brushwood. ‘This Francolin lies very close and is exceedingly 
difficult to flush without the assistance of dogs. It roosts 
on the ground and utters a shrill, but not unpleasant call-note 
in the early morning, and also towards evening. It feeds on 
small bulbous roots, seeds, berries, and insects; its flesh is very 
good.” 
Upper part of head, deep rufous-brown, dashed with a tinge of 
purple; eyebrow, ear-coverts, back, and sides of the neck, pale 
ochreous-red ; sides of head crossed by two fine black lines, one above 
and one below the eye, the former terminating on the side of the 
neck, behind the ear-coverts, the latter, which springs from the base 
of the bill, descending towards the throat, and with the corresponding 
one of the opposite side, forming a narrow lunated collar across the 
throat ; chest and narrow nuchal collar, vinaceous, with white shafts 
to the feathers; belly, flanks, and vent, creamy-white, barred with 
broadish black or dark-brown markings; back rusty-grey, with 
rufous and dark-brown transverse markings, and white centres to the 
feathers, resembling in the distribution of the colours I’. afra. 
Length, 10’; wing, 5” 3”. Ivrides, brown; base of bill and legs 
orange-yellow (Hxton). 
Sir A. Smith’s description is taken from an old female. The male 
differs considerably: its colours are much brighter and darker on 
the back ; the throat and chin are bright rufous; there are no signs 
of the black collar and stripes on these parts; the chest has the 
same ground colour as the lower parts, and is closely and deeply 
marked with black bars. 
Specimens of both sexes now before us are armed with a spur 
on each leg; that of the male being the most developed. This 
armature is common to all our F’rancolins ; the female assuming it 
as she gets old. 
“‘Trides bright hazel ; bill, dusky brown except the basal part of 
