140 FUANGOLLN. 



The Francolin was once common in the south of Europe, especially 

 in Sicily and Cyprus. From tlience it ranges through, the whole 

 of Asia, and the vast prairies and marshes of the north of Africa. 

 The Francolin is, however, becoming a rare bird in Europe. Savi 

 tells us that in the sixteenth century they were common, as game 

 birds, in Tuscany, and that special laws were enacted by the Tuscan 

 princes for their preservation. Now, however, the}^ are only recorded 

 very rarely there; Savi himself has never met with a specimen, 

 although he has known sportsmen who have killed them in their 

 youth. 



In the "Ibis" for 1863, p. 352, there is a long and interesting 

 letter from Lord Lilford, stating his belief that the Francolin is no 

 longer found in Europe, except the doubtful European island of 

 Cyprus. In reference to this correspondence, I now publish the 

 opinions of Messrs. Salvadori and Doderlein, which show, I think, that 

 Lord Lilford was mistaken, and that up to 1870, at least, this bird 

 existed in Sicily. 



Salvadori (Fauna d' Italia) writes: — "The Francolin is at present 

 nearly extinct in Italy. Not many years ago it was sufficiently 

 common in the southern plains of Sicily, and particularly in the 

 neighbourhood of Castelvetrano, Partanna, Sciacca, Licata, Terranova, 

 Caltagirone, Miselmeri, S. Guiseppe di Mortelli, and in similar localities 

 of Madonie. Besides, according to .Doderlein, King Ferdinand of 

 Naples in 1800 introduced it, and it became rather numerous in 

 the demesnes of the royal villa. La Favorita, on the borders of the 

 Monte Pellegrino, near Palermo. But being persecuted by immoderate 

 shooting, so as to even kill the females when sitting on their eggs, 

 the numbers diminished gradually, and at last only a few remained 

 in a restricted circle between Licata, Terranova, Butera, and Calta- 

 girone." It is to be feared that there are now [Salvadori wrote in 

 1872] none living there, since Doderlein, from whom these notices are 

 taken, having purposely visited Terranova in 1870, could not find 

 one individual, and from his researches the results are that at the 

 end of 1865 some individuals were killed at Christmas near Suero 

 and Buterra, by people who were invited by the Prince Monteleone, 

 the proprietor of these grounds. Afterwards some others were killed 

 on the property of Falconara, near Terranova, and perhaps the last 

 surviving one in the autumn of 1869. I think it is not yet possible 

 to be quite certain of its extinction in Sicily, as the date of the 

 last capture is too recent, and it therefore appears to me that those 

 who have proclaimed its extinction in Sicily have been too hasty. 



"The Francolin was also formerly found in the hunting grounds 



