2 26 GALLIFORMES chap. 



mottled with black and white, the breast and abdomen shewing 

 chestnut markings ; in the similar P. hochmi 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. F. 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. mfiinctus of East 

 Equatorial Africa has white neck-feathers, margined w4th brown 

 and black. P. leucoscepus of North -East and the darker P. 

 infuscatus of East Africa exhibit broken stripes of Ijrown 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 Eran- 

 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. Elying 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 witl 

 chalky spots, in a grass-lined fcavity sheltered by coarse herbage. 

 Francolinus, inclusive of Ortj/gornis, Sderoptila, Chaetojnis, 

 and Clamator of some writers, contains forty or more species, 

 ranging over the Ethiopian Eegion, 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. F. ridgaris, the 

 "Black Partridge," ranging from Cyprus, Palestine, and Asia ]\Iinor 

 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 

 1 See Lilford, Ihis, 1862, pp. 352-356 ; Dresser, Birds of Europe, vii. pp. 123-128. 



1 



I 



