JOURNAL 



OF THE 



Bombay Natural History Society. 



Dec. 1920. Vol. XXVII. No. 2. 



THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 



BY 



E. C. Stuart Baker, F.L.S,, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., 



'^^*'""'" "'"^^/^^ 



V/ith a Coloured Plate. /. SFP 7 1Q97 </^ 



(^Continued from page 24 of this Volume\ 



Genxis—FRANCOLINUS. ^^^^S^lAi^ 



The genus Francolinus contains a veiy large groiiiJ of African, 

 European and Asiatic Game-birds which in general appearance are 

 very like the true Partridges (Perdix) but have 14 tail feathers in- 

 stead of 16 or 18. The legs also are longer and stouter and, in the 

 males, are generally furnished with a spur. 



The wing is longer than the tail, but is short and rounded. The 

 third or fourth primary is longest, and the fifth and sixth almost as 

 long. In some species the sexes are alike, in other dissimilar. 



Only five species of Francolin are known in India, but three of 

 these are further divided into two or three geographical races, many 

 of which Hartert has recently discussed at length in Novitates 

 Zoologicse. 



Key to Species and Sub-Species. 



A. Quills transversely barred or spotted with buff on both 

 webs. 

 a. Scapulars with a coaspicuous buff submarginal band. 

 a'. Males with chestnut collar and females with chest- 

 nut nuchal patch. 

 a". Darker .. .. . .F.f. asice. 



h" . Much paler . . ■ -F.f. henrici. 



c" . Darkest, much black 



above and below • -F.f. melanonotus. 



