FRANOOLmUS OOQUI. 



SHWIMPI OR COQUI FHANCOLIN. 



(Plate 16.) 



Perdix coqui, Smith, Rep. Exped. Centr. Afr., p. 55 (1836). 



Francolinus siibtorquatus, Sharpe's ed. Layard, Birds of S. Afr., p. 600 

 (1875-84) ; Nicolls & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 103 

 (1892). 



Francolinus coqui, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxn, p. 143 

 (1893) ; id., Game-Birds, i, p. Ill (1895) ; Woodward, Natal 

 Birds, p. 160 (1899) ; Reichenow, Vogel Af rikas, i, p. 492 (1900-1) ; 

 Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., in, p. 354 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, 

 Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 197 (1906). 



Local Name. " Iswempe " of the Zulus. 



Desceiption. The birds figured are an adult male and female. 

 Length about 11 in. 



DiSTEiBUTiON. The Coqui Francolin is found all over Rhodesia, the 

 Transvaal, Bechuanaland and Natal. Its range extends as far 

 up the coast as Damar aland on the west and nearly to the Equator 

 on the east. 



I HAVE sliot many of these small Francolins in the Transvaal 

 and consider them most sporting little birds. They are hardly 

 ever found far from bush, and like to haunt fringes of mimosa 

 along the flanks of the hiUs. I have occasionally been able 

 to get them driven to the gun, when they come at a rare 

 pace and require quick and accurate shooting as they dodge 

 through the tops of the trees. 



They have the curious habit of going to ground when 

 hard pressed. One day during the South African War 1 



38 



