A SPORTING SAUNTER. 143 



Quickly I reload, for I know that these birds often 

 lie thick and close in the palmiet, and ere I reach 

 the stricken bird, four others rise almost from 

 under my feet. Out of this quartette I secure a 

 brace greatly to my contentment. It takes me 

 ten minutes to gather up my spoil, for one of the 

 three is only wounded, and I am not so handy at 

 retrieving as an English spaniel. 



The red wing partridge of the Cape colonists 

 is, in truth, a francolin — Francolinus Le Vaillantii — 

 and like many another South African bird, was 

 discovered and named by the indefatigable if 

 sometimes inaccurate Le Vaillant. It is a 

 handsome game bird, greyish buff upon the top, 

 dark orange red on the throat, and upon the 

 speckled rufous brown chest there is a curious 

 white half-moon, or gorget, somewhat similar to 

 the ring of our English ring-ousel ; there are also 

 white lines upon the head. The insides of the 

 wing-feathers are of a deep rufous colour, whence 

 the bird takes its name. Whether considered from 

 the ornithologist's point of beauty, or for its virtues 

 as a table-bird, this francolin is in truth a prize 

 well worthy of capture. A walk of an hour or so 

 up the valley adds three brace further to my score, 

 and I turn homewards well satisfied with my varied 

 if modest bag. Although the Cape Colony is now 

 nearly denuded of its larger game, save only the 

 elephant, buffalo, zebra, koodoo, and leopard, which 

 still linger in remote districts. Englishmen in search 

 of change will yet find there an abundance of the 

 smaller antelopes and a vast store of feathered 

 game, and by moving from one farmhouse to 

 another, any well-behaved persons will procure an 



