PHASIANHXE PTERNISTES 217 



The female resembles the male in most respects, but the lores 

 are black and white ; there is more white on the breast and belly, 

 and there are no spurs ; wing 7-0 ; tail 2-9 ; tarsus 2-2. 



In the immature bird the cheeks and sides of the face are white 

 with black shaft-stripes, and there is a good deal more white on the 

 breast and abdomen. 



Distribution. This Francolin was first obtained by Dr. Peters 

 at Tete, on the Zambesi ; southward of this it is spread over 

 Mashonaland and Portuguese East Africa, northward through 

 Nyasaland and German and British East Africa as far as the river 

 Tana. 



The following are South African localities : Ehodesia near 

 Salisbury (Marshall), Mazoe (ffoliott Darling) ; Portuguese East 

 Africa Tete (Peters), Inhambane (Francis). 



Habits. Francis found this bird plentiful and common near 

 Inhambane ; he states that it frequents thick scrubby and inacces- 

 sible spots during the day, but is always to be found in the Kaffir 

 gardens early in the morning and late in the evening. On perceiv- 

 ing anyone, it immediately runs off into the scrub or other thick 

 stuff and generally rises behind trees or other obstructions, so that 

 it is difficult to get a shot at it. Like other bush Francolins, on 

 being suddenly flushed by a dog, it generally takes refuge in the 

 branches of the nearest tree. It is very fond of scratching up the 

 ground-nuts in the Kaffir gardens, and also grubs up the roots of the 

 manioc plant. It is a bird of strong flight and is generally found in 

 pairs,, although often in larger parties, but never more than five or 

 six individuals together. 



Mr. ffoliott- Darling tells me that this species is plentiful along 

 the banks of rivers and in marshes near Mazoe in Mashonaland ; he 

 also states that the nest is well concealed and more pretentious than 

 that of most Francolins. 



The eggs, according to Eeichenow, are smooth, yellowish-white, 

 covered somewhat sparsely with fine darker spots; they measure 

 1-65 x 140. 



659. Pternistes swainsoni. S-wainson's Francolin. 



^^ 



Perclix swainsoni, Smith, Rep. Exped. Centr. Afr. p. 54 (1836). 



Francolinus swainsoni, Smith. III. Zool. S. Afr. Aves. pi. 12 (1838) ; 

 Strickland and P. L. Sclater, Contr. Ornith. 1852, p. 157 ; Layard, 

 B. 8. Afr. p. 269 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 297, 1877, p. 346, 

 1880, p. 109 ; Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 386 ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 209 ; 



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