312 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



fine francolin in some wooded kloofs near the eastern 

 end of the Zwartberg, but they were not very 

 abundant, and were difficult to get at. In the 

 Knysna Forest, and in the forest country of the 

 eastern frontier and in other wooded districts, 

 they are abundant, and may be secured at early 

 morning, while feeding, much in the same way as the 

 common "pheasant." The Francolinus .adspersus of 

 Waterhouse, first discovered by Sir J. Alexander in 

 his travels in 1835-6, a brownish grey bird, a foot in 

 length, is, I believe, found on the southern banks of 

 the Orange River in the north-west of the Colony, 

 but very little is known of it. 



The grey-wing francolin (Francolinus afer], here 

 called " partridge," comes next. In general colour 

 this bird is of a light ashy grey, marked upon 

 the back with black blotches and reddish brown 

 bars. The chest and flanks are blurred with 

 darker reddish brown markings, and the stomach 

 is thinly barred with dark brown. There are 

 rufous bands down the head and neck, and under 

 the bill to the chest. The chin and throat are 

 white, and a white band runs from behind the eye to 

 the shoulder ; the tail is dark brown, marked with 

 reddish brown bars. Its length averages about a 

 foot, and it nests among bushes. This francolin is 

 a really good game bird. It is flushed more readily 

 than its congener and frequent companion, the 

 red-wing partridge, which is sometimes found almost 

 immovably fixed in its thick shelter, and in the early 

 morning and evening it may generally be found upon 

 open ground. I have enjoyed some excellent days' 

 shooting with this francolin, especially in some of the 

 shallower mountain kloofs, and upon the sides and 



