126 ORNAMENTS OF THE VELD 



Cape Redwing (Francolinus levaillanti) , and the Grey- 

 wing or Cape Partridge (F. africanus). The latter bird, 

 known to the Boers as the Berg Patrijs (Mountain Par- 

 tridge), is also found north of the Orange Kiver. North 

 of this dividing line the Cape Eedwing is replaced by the 

 closely allied Orange Kiver Francolin (F. gariepensis) , 

 known to the Boers as the Kooivlerk Patrijs. This bird 

 is fairly common along the rocky ridges in the Orange 

 River Colony, and the accompanying photograph was 

 taken at Springfontein, where the bird is plentiful. 



Their noisy call so exhilarating to the sportsman- 

 may very frequently be heard at sunset amongst the long- 

 grass and stunted scrub on the crests of low stone 

 koppjes, its favourite locality at that hour. It may also 

 be found in the thick mimosa-bush scrub which fringes 

 the spruits and water-courses, where it adds considerably 

 to the " bag " of a day's " shoot." It rises suddenly and 

 flies with great rapidity, consequently shooting it in the 

 thick bush is no easy matter. 



It makes its nest in a depression in the ground under 

 a tuft of grass, herbage, or ripening grain-stalks, and lays 

 five to nine eggs of a dark fawn colour spotted with 

 brown. 



The second genus (Pternistes) contains three species 

 of purely bush-loving birds easily recognised by the 

 bright red bare skin round the eye, and on the throat. 



The Southern species may be known as the Cape Red-- 

 necked Francolin (P. nudicollis), ranging as far north as 

 Lydenburg in the Transvaal, and differing from the 

 northern form (P. sivainsoni) by having the feathers of 

 the breast and belly with white centres. 



They are found in thick bush, where they take refuge 

 in a tree when flushed. They nest under a tuft of grass 

 beneath a bush or tree, and lay from six to eight eggs. 



