128 



5. Note on a new species of Francolin. 

 By Dr. Nicholson, H.E.I.C. Medical Service. 



(Aves, PI. XL.) 



While in Arabia in February 1836, I proceeded into the interior 

 as far as the town of Moosa, about twenty miles to the eastward of 

 Mucha in Yemen, accompanied by Captain Bull of the Indian Navj', 

 in quest of plants and other objects of natural history, as well as 

 with the view of seeing the country. Having delivered our intro- 

 duction to the chief of that district, he assigned us quarters in his 

 palace and appointed an Arab huntsman to attend us — as well to 

 show us game, as to be a guardian to our persons. We started at 

 daylight, mounted on asses, and pursued our course to the eastward 

 for about six miles, when at the foot of a range of hills, in a jungle of 

 Acacia arabica, we came on several large coveys of guinea-fowl. We 

 soon found that it was of no use to attempt to get a shot by walking 

 after them, as they soon left us ; so we followed, and whenever they 

 entered a thick piece of jungle we ran up in time to get a shot at them, 

 being pressed to take wing. In this way we made a very good bag, 

 to which we afterwards added a bustard (differing from the Indian) 

 and several small hares, which were very abundant. At the first 

 shot I brought down, as I supposed, a couple of guinea-fowl, right 

 and left, but on picking them up found that one of them was a fine 

 species of Francohn, coloured as in the accompanying sketch. 



Bill and legs coral-red, the latter with blunt knobs for spurs ; the 

 top of the head, a line under the eye from the angle of the mouth, 

 and a patch below it, black ; round the eye and some way down the 

 neck, buff ; breast and side covered with large patches of black, buff, 

 and light blue or french-grey ; all the back and other parts french- 

 grey ; the quills are light buff. 



This magnificent bird we found afterwards in pairs, betraying the 

 same habits as the two species of Francolin in India, the male often 

 standing and crowing on some small eminence. These birds are fully 

 as large as the gallina, which is not quite so large as the domesticated 

 species, but as large as a good-sized fowl. 



I propose for this bird the name of Francolinus yemensis. 



