PHASIANID^E FBANCOLINUS 199 



from water. It has a shrill call-note, somewhat resembling its name, 

 heard usually in the early morning and evening, and likened t>y 

 most observers to that of the English partridge. It roosts on the 

 ground, and several usually nestle together for warmth, but it will 

 occasionally resort to trees when disturbed. Its food consists of 

 seeds, berries and insects, such as beetles, coccidae and ants. It 

 affords good sport, but sits very close, and can only be flushed with 

 a good dog. Three eggs of this species, now in the South African 

 Museum, were sent by Mr. Eriksson from Mataeko on the 

 Omaramba River about 150 miles from its junction with the 

 Okavango in Ondonga ; the nest was under a bush in a small cavity. 

 The eggs are a very pale greenish white, somewhat conical in shape, 

 and the shell is exceedingly thick and hard ; they measure 1-5 X 1/2. 

 The flesh is excellent eating. 



Mr. Millar writes " These birds are plentiful throughout Natal, 

 although more partial to the coast lands ; they are resident all the 

 year round. Old mealie fields and Kaffir gardens are their favourite 

 haunts, the coveys consisting of three or four brace ; they seldom 

 settle in trees, although they occasionally run into cover. Th cock 

 bird calls frequently during the day, uttering a loud, defiant note, 

 atid is. said to be very pugnacious, its spurs being long and pointed. 

 These birds nest in the open grass. The last clutch coming 

 under my observation consisted of five eggs, creamy white, in 

 colour, and almost round in shape, and measuring 1-25 X I/O. 

 They were slightly incubated when found on March 10." 



X^VL^^^ /3U^X-V^^ 



648. Francolinus sephsena. Crested Francolin. 



Perdix sephaena, Smith, Rep. Exped. C. Afr. p. 55 (1836). 

 Francolinus pileatus, Smith, III. Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pi. 14 (1838); 



Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 272 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 297 ; Finsch 



fr Hartlaub, Vog. Ost-Afr. p. 586 (1870);, Ayres, Ibis, 1873, p. 282 ; 



Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 386 ; Oates, Matabeleland, p. 323 (1881) ; 



Holub <& Pelz. Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 186 (1882) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 



360 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 593 (1884) ; Ayres, Ibis, 



1886, p. 292 ; W. Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 61 [Lehtaba Eiver] ; Schaeck, 



Mem. Soc. Zool. Fr. iv, p. 355 (1891) ; Nicolls and Eglington. Sportsm. 



S. Afr. p. 103 (1892) ; Bryden, Gun and Camera, p. 473 (1893). 

 Francolinus sephcena, Newton, Ibis, 1868, p. 269 ; Grant, Cat. B. M. 



xxii, p. 146 (1893) ; id. Game Birds, i, p. 113 (1896) ; Shelley, B. Afr. 



i, p. 180 (1896) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 446 ; Woodward Bros. 



Ibis, 1900, p. 518 ; Reichenoiv, Vog. Afr. i, p. 495 (1901). 



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