Report on a Zoological collection [No. 4. 



Male and female. " This has all the habits of the corresponding 

 Indian bird" (Pt. exustus, which is likewise African), "and is 

 found on the plateau, where huge flocks abound. It is called 



*Pt. Lichtensteini, Temminck. Lt. Burton mistakes this for 

 the Indian ' Painted Eock Pigeon' or ' Painted Grouse' of sports- 

 men (Pt. easciatus) ; to which it is generally affined, but readily 

 distinguishable upon comparison, being a considerably larger bird, 

 &c. He remarks, that " it is the Katd, i^S t of Arabia, and is here 

 called by the same name as the last, JPuku. It flies in flocks, and 

 goes to great distances every evening to find water. If disturbed 

 at the well, it flutters about with piercing cries. In Arabic poetry, 

 it is used as a simile to express great swiftness." 



*Pteenestes etjbeicollis, (Latham). Male and female. "Com- 

 mon in the Somali country. The natives call it Dignin, &*<J* ; the 

 Arabs Bijajat el bar,jJ^\^^^d, or ' wild hen' ; and the Persians (I 

 believe) Kabh, lJj£. It represents the domestic fowl in E. Africa ; 

 and its flight and run resemble those of the Guinea-fowl. It 

 is a strong bird, requiring heavy shot, and has a game flavour. 

 The Somali have a prejudice against eating these, as well as other 

 birds." 



^Scleeopteea GTTTTURALis, (Buppell). " Found on the top of 

 the mountains, and not observed on the plateau or on the maritime 

 plain." This is one of the African Partridges classed in Feanco- 

 iiiNUS by Dr. Buppell, Dr. A. Smith, and others ; but which do not 

 range well with the Asiatic Fe. yulgaeis, Fe. pictus, Fe. chinen- 

 sis (Osbeck, v. perlatus, Gmelin, of China, whence introduced into 

 the Mauritius, and there known as the ' Pintado Partridge'), and 

 Fe. Phateei (of Pegu). They form a particular group, which is 

 peculiar to Africa. 



" Lt. Speke saw, but did not procure, a species of Corn Quail. 

 I also observed many small Quails in the northern Somali country, 

 In the Gudabuzi country I observed the usual Dove of these climates, 

 a fine large blue Pigeon like the ' Blue Bock' of India. The natives 

 called it Mai Jag, v-^sr »!, or the ' haunter of wells.' " 



# Sypheotldes humilis, nobis, n. s. " A Floriken with bright 

 yellow iris, called by the Somalis Waradada, U \d lj> Its cry is a 



