FEANCOLINUS PILEATUS. 



the latter is closely barred with delicate undulated brown lines ; the vent and 

 under tail coverts a pale ochry yellow, sparingly barred with zigzag brown 

 lines. The two central tail feathers light reddish brown, closely mottled with 

 delicate waved brown bars ; the remaining feathers dark umber-brown, except 

 the outer vanes towards the quills, which are reddish brown freckled with 

 indistinct lines of a darker shade. Bill dark horn-coloured ; eyes reddish 

 brown; tarsi and toes pale Dutch orange; claws and spurs a pale horn colour. 

 Form. — Typical ; bill broad at the base, narrow and curved towards tlie 

 point ; wings rounded, and when folded reach a little beyond the base of the 

 tail ; the fourth and fifth quill feathers equal, and the longest, the tliird and 

 sixth but little shorter, the second and first successively shorter ; tail slightly 

 rounded. Tarsi and toes strong ; the former with a vertical row of large plates 

 behind, which extends from the knee joint to the strong cylindrical spur with 

 which each tarsus is armed ; the spur is situated rather nearer to the hinder 

 toe than to the knee joint, tapers from the base, and is slightly curved, the 

 convexity directed downwards ; the inner toe slightly longer than the outer. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. Lines. 

 Length from the point of the bill to the 



tip ofthetail 1-3 G 



of the bill from the angle of the 



mouth 1 



of the wings when folded C 6 



of the tail . . 4 



Inches. Lines. 



Length of the tarsus 1 7 



of the middle too 1 3 



of the inner toe 1 



of the hinder toe 85 



The female has no spurs to the tarsi ; in other respects she exhibits a close 

 resemblance to the male. 



Oa the immediate banks of tlie Marikwa river, which flovv.s in a north-easterly direction 

 from Kurichane, we discovered the first specimens of this handsome Francolin. It showed but 

 little disposition to resort to the jungle, though when disturbed in the more open localities, which 

 it by choice frequents while feeding, it, like the last species, seeks concealment in the bosom of 

 the thickets. Early in the morning specimens were observed, in moderate abundance, upon 

 the open grassy plots which occurred, intersecting the wooded regions that skirted both sides 

 of the stream, and there they appeared to find their food in plenty, which was found to 

 consist of small bulbous roots, seeds, insects, &c. To the same localities these birds were 

 also observed to resort towards evening ; but at that period they were less readily discovered, 

 owing to their being commonly more silent at that time. During the middle of the day they 

 were rarely observed, and from what was ascertained there were grounds for believing they 

 repose while the sun is warm, and that while enjoying rest, they are geneially perched upon 

 dwarf trees or shrubs, no doubt to be the more secure from the teeth of the numerous preda- 

 tory quadrupeds which are constantly traversing the woods in quest of prey. 



