wiRDS. 337 



Quails arc remarkable for a certain compactness of form 

 and neatness of plumage, which, in the absence of brilliant 

 colouring, produces a highly pleasing effect. In regard to 

 the African species, we shall content ourselves with naming 

 the Madagascar quail {Coturnix perlata), which is about 

 twice the size of our British visitant. It is also distin- 

 guished from the others by the strength of its beak. 



Very few partridges, properly so called, occur in this 

 sandy continent. The Barbary partridge {Perdrix petrosa) 

 is abundant along the African shores of the Mediterranean. 

 It also occurs in Teneriffe, and along the western coast as 

 far as Senegal. Of the genera Pterocles, FrancoUnus, and 

 Turnix, there are likewise representatives in this country. 

 Cranch's Francolin (F. Cranchii) was discovered by the 

 indefatigable and unfortunate collector whose name it bears, 

 during the ill-fated expedition to explore the source of the 

 Congo under Captain Tuckey. It is described by Dr. 

 Leach in the appendix to the published narrative of that 

 disastrous voyage. 



Of the African grouse, we may say, as Horrebow says, in 

 his brief chapter " On the Rats of Iceland," — " There are 

 no rats in Iceland ;" so neither are there any grouse in 

 Africa. 



A few lines may now be devoted to a species vhich not 

 only forms the most remarkable character in the ornitho- 

 logy of Africa, to which country it is now believed to be 

 entirely peculiar, but presents in itself the most singular 

 example of the feathered race. Tliis extraordinary bird is 

 the ostrich, the tallest of its class, and probably the swiftest 

 of all running creatures. It is distinguished from every 

 other bird by having only two toes on each foot. It in- 

 habits the open and sandy plains of a great extent of 

 Africa, from Barbary to the Cape of Good Hope ; and 

 being consequently native to one of the most anciently- 

 peopled countries of the earth, it has excited the attention 

 of mankind from the remotest periods of antiqtity. It is 

 frequently mentioned in the Book of Job, and in other por- 

 tions of the Old Testament. Herodotus, among the early 

 Greek writers, was acquainted with its history and appear- 

 ance ; and ia after-times it was not only frequently ex- 

 Jbited by the Romans in their games, but the brains of 

 Ff 



