FRANCOLINUS CAPENSIS. 



CAPE ERANCOLIN or CAPE PHEASANT. 



(Plate 26.) 



Tetrao capensis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, p. 759 (1788). 



Francolinus clamator, Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., pp. 591, 

 854 (1875-84) ; Nicolls & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 105 



(1892). 



Francolinus capensis, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Bii'ds Brit. Mus., xxn, p. 165 

 (1893); Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 473 (1900-01); Sclater, 

 Ann. S. Afr. Mus., m, p. 354 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, Birds of 

 S. Afr., IV, p. 210 (1906). 



Local Names. " Pheasant " of the EngUsh. " Fazant " of the Dutch 

 Colonists. 



Description. Length about 17 in. The bird figured is a male. The 

 female is slightly smaller and the sexes are alike. 



Distribution. This is the largest of the South African Francolins 

 and is only found within the Cape Colony, and chiefly in the 

 southern and south-western portions of it. 



It is very abundant on Robben Island in Table Bay, where it 

 was introduced many years ago. 



The Cape Pheasant is found chiefly in the coast districts ; and 

 is especially abundant in bushy kloofs and along watercourses 

 where there is a thick growth of rank vegetation and low under- 

 wood. It is common in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town. 



A living specimen, which was presented to the Zoological 

 Society of London in 1911, was captured by Capt. H. A. P. Little- 

 dale as a small chick on Keimoes Island, which is situated in 

 the Orange River. I am inclined to tlimk that this bird was 

 bred from parents turned do\vn by one of the shooting sj'ndicates 

 that own property along the banks of that river. The custom 

 of turning down birds is by no means uncommon among sports- 

 men in South Africa, and this probably accounts for the presence 

 of this bird so far north of its normal range. 



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