Chinese Francolin

SCI Name:  Francolinus pintadeanus
Protonym:  Tetrao Pintadeanus Del.Flor.Faun.Insubr. 2 p.93
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Phasianidae / Francolinus
Taxonomy Code:  chifra1
Type Locality:  China.
Author:  Scopoli
Publish Year:  1786
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

FRANCOLINUS
(Phasianidae; Ϯ Black Francolin F. francolinus) Specific name Tetrao Francolinus Linnaeus, 1766 (see francolinus); "Cuviers System.   ...   Colin, Coturnix, Perdix, Francolinus, Attagen, Lagopus" (Oken 1817); "FRANCOLINUS.  FRANCOLIN.   Generic Character.  Beak strong, middle sized, convex above, and incurved towards the tip.  Nostrils basal, lateral, half closed by a naked arched membrane.  Orbits warty. Tail elongated, consisting of twelve feathers.  Feet four-toed, naked; the tarsi of the male with two spurs or only one.  Wings short.  ...  THE Francolins are distinguished from the Partridges by the beak being longer and stronger: the tail is also longer: in the first division of the genus the tarsi of the males are armed with a single strong spur, and in the second with two, except in the last three species, which possess one spur and a hard callous tubercle, and have the throat and orbits naked. In the manners of the birds comprised in this genus there is a great dissimilarity to those of the following [Perdix]; these residing in damp places and perching upon trees, whereas the latter always rest upon the ground.   ...  LONG-BEAKED FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus longirostris.)  ...  COMMON FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus vulgaris.)  ...  PONDICHERRY FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Pondicerianus.)  ...  THORACIC FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus thoracicus.)  ...  AFRICAN FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Africanus.)  ...  PEARLED FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus perlatus.)  ...  NOISY FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus clamata.)  ...  BROWN AFRICAN FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus spadiceus.)  ...  SENEGAL FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Senegalensis.)  ...  CEYLON FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Ceylonensis.)  ...  CAPE FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Capensis.)  ...  RED-NECKED FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus rubricollis.)  ...  CRANCH'S FRANCOLIN. (Francolinus Cranchii.)" (Stephens 1819): based on "Francolinus" of Brisson 1760, "Francolin" of various authors, and Tetrao Francolinus Linnaeus, 1766; "Francolinus Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool., 11, pt. 2, 1819, p. 316. Type, by tautonymy, Francolinus vulgaris Stephens = Tetrao francolinus Linné." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 68).
Var. Francolenus.
Synon. Attagen, Limnocolinus, Mustoxydes, Ortygornis.

francolinus
French name Francolin for a francolin < Italian Francolino little hen; “They are by the Italians called Francolini as it were Franci, that is, Free Fowl, because the common people are forbidden to take them, and Princes grant them freedom of living” (Ray 1678); ex “Francolin” of Gessner 1555, Olina 1622, de Tournefort 1717, and Edwards 1758, “Tetrao orientalis” of Hasselqvist 1757, and “Lagopus Francolinus” of Brisson 1760 (Francolinus).

pintadeanus
French name Pintade for a guineafowl.
● ex “Francolin de l’Île de France [= Mauritius] ” of Sonnerat 1782; the Chinese Francolin was introduced into Mauritius in c. 1750; “It perches, and has a note like the Guinea Pintado [Numida]; from thence the inhabitants call it Perdrix Pintadée” (Latham 1783); "This bird is common in China, where it is known by the name of Tahe-cou: it is likewise abundant at Bengal, the Isle of France, and Masdagascar: it perches, in common with the rest of the Francolins, upon trees: its note and appearance are somewhat like those of the Guinea Pintado; from thence it has been called the Pintado Partridge" (Stephens 1819) (Francolinus).

SUBSPECIES

Chinese Francolin (phayrei)
SCI Name: Francolinus pintadeanus phayrei
phayrei
Lt.-Gen. Sir Arthur Purves Phayre (1812-1885) British Army, Commissioner of Arakan 1849-1852, Commissioner of Pegu 1852-1862, Commissioner of British Burma 1862-1867 (subsp. Alcippe poioicephala, subsp. Francolinus pintadeanus, Hydrornis, syn. Leptocoma brasiliana, Pomatorhinus, Treron).

Chinese Francolin (pintadeanus)
SCI Name: Francolinus pintadeanus pintadeanus
pintadeanus
French name Pintade for a guineafowl.
● ex “Francolin de l’Île de France [= Mauritius] ” of Sonnerat 1782; the Chinese Francolin was introduced into Mauritius in c. 1750; “It perches, and has a note like the Guinea Pintado [Numida]; from thence the inhabitants call it Perdrix Pintadée” (Latham 1783); "This bird is common in China, where it is known by the name of Tahe-cou: it is likewise abundant at Bengal, the Isle of France, and Masdagascar: it perches, in common with the rest of the Francolins, upon trees: its note and appearance are somewhat like those of the Guinea Pintado; from thence it has been called the Pintado Partridge" (Stephens 1819) (Francolinus).