202 PHASIANIDJE PEANCOLINUS 



part ; thighs and under tail-coverts barred with buffy white and 

 black. 



Iris light brown ; bill brown ; legs and feet yellowish-brown ; a 

 short, stout tarsal spur. 



Length 14-0; wing 6-0; tail 2-60; culmenl'05; tarsus 1-6. 



The female differs only in having no spurs ; wing 5-75 ; 

 tarsus 1-6. 



The young birds have white throats and paler lower mandibles. 



Distribution. — The Grey-winged Francolin is found throughout 

 the greater part of Cape Colony, the Orange Eiver Colony, the 

 southern parts of the Transvaal and the upper and more elevated 

 portions of Natal. 



The following are recorded localities ; Cape Colony— Cape, 

 Stellenbosch, Caledon, Paarl and Hanover divisions (S. A. Mus.), 

 Beaufort West (Layard), Deelfontein in Eichmond (Sloggett), Port 

 Elizabeth (Eickard), Grahamstown, Dordrecht (Trevelyan), Cathcart 

 (Boulger) ; Natal — Spurs of Drakensberg. (Millar and Woodward) ; 

 Transvaal— near Standerton (Gates), Lydenburg and Potchefstroom 

 (Barratt). 



Habits. — The Cape Partridge is usually found on open stony 

 ground at low elevations in maritime districts, but in the interior 

 chiefly about the mountain sides. It is generally in coveys of from 

 12 to 16 birds, and when flushed rises quickly and flies off strongly, 

 but rarely goes far. It feeds early and late, digging up bulbs and 

 roots with its powerful bill, and also devouring insects. It some- 

 times ravages freshly sown mealie and corn fields. During the 

 middle of the day it usually rests in sheltered places. 



The nest, a loose structure of grass roots, sometimes lined with 

 feathers, is placed on the ground in a depression usually under the 

 shelter of bushes or among high stuff. The eggs, from 6 to 8, or 

 even 12 in number, are greenish or dark brown minutely spotted 

 with brown pin-points and measure from 1-60 to 1'55 x 1-2 to 1-15. 



Mr. Millar states that in Natal this bird is known as the Berg 

 Grey-wing from the fact of its being found only in the vicinity of 

 the Drakensberg ; when flushed they are usually on the brow of the 

 hill, and all rising together with a shrill, squeaky alarm, dive quickly 

 round the corner, and are out of sight before a shot can be fired ; 

 if, however, they can be marked down they will rise singly and then 

 afford good sport. 



