EAST AFRICA AND UGANDA FRANCOLINS 9 
the base ; lower mandible coral-red ; feet bright coral-red ; 
bare patch behind eye red. 
Length 14J inches. 
FRANCOLINUS COQUI - 
Francolinus coqui. Smith. 
t Ogilvie-Grant’s Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.,’ Vol. XXII, page 143. 
* Sharpe’s Hand-List,’ Vol. I, page 23. * Shelley’s Birds 
of Africa,’ Vol. I, page 180. ‘ Reich enow’s Vogel Afrikas,’ 
Vol. I, page 492. 
It would appear that the range of this small Francolin in 
British East Africa is confined to the southern portions of the 
coast regions, and extends inland for, roughly, sixty miles. 
In the open country in the vicinity of M’buugu, some 
eighteen miles north of Rabai, and in most of the more open 
tracts sparsely dotted with thorn-trees and low scrub, between 
the Mwachi River and Samburu, it is fairly plentiful, but it 
is far more often heard than seen. 
It is usually found in small coveys of from four to six, and 
it is to be regretted that such a sprightly game little bird is 
not more plentiful than it is, as it affords capital sport, being 
very quick and strong on the wing and not difficult to mark 
down in the open country it frequents. 
The best time to look for it is, undoubtedly, in the evening, 
as it then rises more readily than in the early morning when 
its plumage is wet with dew, or later on during the heat of 
the day when it lies so close that it will almost allow itself 
to be trodden upon. 
Male . — Top of the head and ear-coverts chestnut-brown ; 
rest of the head and nape rufous buff ; neck, chest and rest 
of underparts white shading into buff on the abdomen, flanks 
and under tail-coverts, and widely barred with black ; upper- 
parts a mixture of chestnut and buff with wide bars of black 
or dark grey, interrupted by wide buff shaft-stripes. Primaries 
greyish black ; tail rufous buff barred with greyish black. 
Iris orange-red ; bill blackish brown ; gape and base of lower 
mandible yellow ; feet yellow-ochre. 
Length 12 inches, wing 5*5 inches, tail 3 inches, tarsus 
1*5 inches. 
Female . — Differs from the male in having a black streak 
