PARTRIDGE. 265 



* WITH FOUR TOES, AND ONE OR MORE SPURS BEHIND. 



1— CAPE PARTRIDGE. 



Perdix Capensis, Ind. Orn. ii. 643. 



Tetrao Capensis, Gin. Lin. i. 759. 



Perdix Clamator, Francolin Criard, Temm. Pig. Sf Gall. 8vo. iii. p. 298. 



Cape Partridge, Gen. Syn. iv. 756. 



SIZE of the Red Grous; the length nineteen inches. Bill stout, 

 reddish brown ; round the eye an oval bare space, pointed behind ; 

 plumage in general dusky ash-colour, crossed with irregular, curved, 

 or angular grey lines ; the head almost plain ; on the breast the 

 feathers are marked down the middle with short, white stripes ; legs 

 red, and stout; an inch above the hind claw a sharp spur, and about 

 an inch further up the rudiment of an other ; claws black. 



This inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, and is there called a 

 Pheasant; probably the species alluded to in Forsters Voyage,* 

 which he says, is in large covies, not very shy, and frequently taken 

 alive and tamed. f 



Among the drawings of Mr. Dent I observe a bird very similar, 

 but the space round the eye completely covered with feathers ; 

 plumage in general marked with angular, dusky black marks, on a 

 whitish ground, each feather having three or four curved, parallel 

 lines, corresponding with the margin ; quills dusky black ; bill and 

 legs red, the latter with two spurs. 



Another bird was marked much the same, especially on the back 

 and wing coverts; but the colours more faint ; head and neck pale 



* Vol. ii. p. 551. f They took several pairs, and dipping them in water strewed 



them with ashes, and then put them among the bushes with the heads under their wings; 

 thus they stock those places, in which they do not breed naturally. — Id. Masson also men- 

 tions two kinds of Partridges, as well as Quails, as plentiful at the Cape, but neither of 

 them give any description. See Phil. Trans, lxvi. 306. 



VOL. VIII. M M 



