252 grous. 



white ; beneath this a broader one of fine ferruginous, or chocolate, 

 from thence to the thighs deep ash-colour; lower belly, thighs, and 

 vent, pale cinereous white, or buffi; back and upper parts chocolate 

 brown, the feathers darker on the margins ; lesser wing coverts 

 white, margined With chocolate ; the greater chocolate, with pale 

 ends, and the tips of each feather marked with a bluish spot, in 

 some lights appearing polished like steel ; quills dusky, the tips of 

 the secondaries white within, and the shafts of the greater white ; 

 tail very cuneiform, the two middle feathers pointed, and elongated, 

 as in the Pintail Grous, reach near two inches beyond the others, 

 and end nearly in a point ; all the rest white, or buff at the ends; 

 legs bluish ash-colour, furnished with a small spur behind, placed 

 inwards, and covered with downy, buff feathers on the shins before, 

 quite to the toes, which are brown. 



The female has the head and neck as in the male, but without 

 any rufous tinge, and a little streaked with black ; upper part of the 

 body tessellated, black, white, and rufous, appearing at a distance 

 like spots; belly transversely striated black and white; the rest as 

 in the male, but the legs without spurs. 



Inhabit the country of the Nam a qua Hottentots, and in the day 

 time frequent the thirsty deserts ; but are easily shot, by watching 

 near the fountains, where sometimes 300 will come to drink together; 

 water being in those parts very rare. They make long flights, as 

 Pigeons; and the note is different from any of the Grous kind ; they 

 feed on the seeds of plants, and will eat corn ; are called Namaqua 

 Partridges. 



Dr. Sparrman mentions two Species of Tetrao, near the Hot- 

 tentot's Holland warm bath, the size of our Partridges ; one of them 

 so called, the other a Pheasant, and that they live in flocks ; are 

 not difficult to come at, especially in the morning and evening, 

 when they discover themselves by a shrill, kurring noise. The first 

 of these is probably the Namaqua Species, the other not to be ascer- 

 tained for the want of description. 



