PTERNISTES NUDICOLLIS CASTANEIVENTER. 



NORTHERN REDNECKED FRANCOLIN. 



(Plate 29.) 



Pternistes castaneiventer, Gunning & Roberts, Ann. Transvaal Mus. ni. 

 (1911), No. 2, p. 110. 



Description. The bird figured is an adult male. This subspecies 

 is closely allied to P. nudicoUis, from which it differs in having 

 the breast chestnut-coloured in general effect as compared with 

 the black breast of the latter bird, each feather having the outer 

 part coloured chestnut. 



Distribution. It is, like its congener, a bird of a very restricted 

 range, which is bounded on the south by the Sundays River valley, 

 and as soon as the Sundays River is crossed its place is taken by 

 P. nudicoUis. 



I HAVE not seen the Northern Red-necked Francolin, and 

 what information I have about it has been obtained from 

 Sergt. Davies. 



This subspecies has in the past been regarded as representing 

 the juvenile plumage of P. nudicoUis, but in a recently made 

 collection there are four adult male skins in which the spurs 

 are fully developed, two on each leg, and it must therefore 

 be regarded as at any rate subspecifically distinct. 



Nothing has yet been recorded of the habits or eggs of 

 the Northern Red-necked Francolin, but doubtless it does 

 not differ in these respects from the southern bird. 



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