THE COMMON FRANCOLIN. Ill 



mired for its fine plumage. It is not a large spe- 

 cies, the male scarcely exceeding twelve inches in 

 length ; the colouring is black, white, rufous, and 

 yellowish-brown, disposed in decided and contrast- 

 ed markings of large patches, spots, or bars, but yet 

 so distributed as to want all harshness, and to have 

 a chaste and blended appearance. The female wants 

 all the deep black and white markings of the male, 

 as well as the rufous collar; the ground colour of the 

 plumage is a yellowish-brown, waved and barred 

 with umber-brown, and having the markings of the 

 wings and tail nearly the same as in the male, but of 

 a paler colour. 



Our next bird is a very singularly formed species 

 It is 



