on the Birds of South-eastern China. 353 



nest on grassy ledges in the rocks. It is frequently placed 

 ill a banyan or a fir tree, and when in the former, being the 

 usual slight platform of sticks characteristic of the genus, is 

 very difficult to see. 



Eggs average 1*15 x "88, and vary in Icngtli from 1*37 to 

 105, and in width from '93 to 'S-L. 



Francolinus chinensis. 



The Chinese Francoliu is an exceedingly common bird all 

 along the West Eiver^ and in Hong Kong and Macao, but 

 the Delta country is not suited to it. Its weird resounding 

 cry once heard can never be forgotten, and is one of the 

 most characteristic sounds of the Chinese country-side. 

 Althougli it calls more persistently during the spring 

 and summer than at other times, it may be heard during 

 every month of the year, one cock answering the challenge 

 of another, until the whole mountain-side seems to be full of 

 them. 



It is known to European sportsmen as the " Partridge," 

 and is difficult to shoot, for it runs fast, and is hard to 

 put up without dogs, Avhilst if it is walked up by accident, it 

 usually rises so suddenly that it is often missed altogether. 

 The flight is swift and straight like that of a Quail. Ihe birds 

 are captured in plenty by the Chinese, and may often be seen 

 for sale, alive, in small bamboo cages, for thirty cents (7^/.) 

 each. 



The "modus operandi" is to get a female Francolin and 

 put it tethered by one leg into a bamboo traj)-cage ; this 

 is placed on the hill-side, and the cock, attracted by the 

 hen, eaters her prison, the trapdoor falls, and the would-be 

 lover is a prisoner. A number of these traps are set on the 

 hill-side, and are visited twice a day by their owner. 



There is little doubt but that this species is double-brooded, 

 for birds may be seen chasing one another on the dry paddy- 

 fields in mid- April, while a reliable Portuguese friend had 

 seen young birds hardly able to fly in September and 

 December. 



The only eggs obtained of this species were got by 

 StaH'-Surgeon J. H. P. Grcenhalgh, 11. N., from a woman 



