Handsome Francolin

SCI Name:  Pternistis nobilis
Protonym:  Francolinus nobilis Orn.Monatsb. 16 p.81
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Phasianidae / Pternistis
Taxonomy Code:  hanfra2
Type Locality:  Wirunga [or Birunga] Volcano, Belgian Congo.
Author:  Reichenow
Publish Year:  1908
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PTERNISTIS
(Phasianidae; Ϯ Bare-throated Spurfowl P. afer) Gr. πτερνιστης pternistēs  one who strikes with the heel  < πτερνη pternē  heel; "Genus. Pternistis Wagl.  Stachelhuhn.   Species: 1. Pt. capensis (Perd. cap., rubricol., nudicol. Auctor.) — 2. Pt. Cranchii (Perd. Cranchii Tuck. Expedit.to the riv. Zaire p. 408.) — 3. Pt. rubricollis Rüpp. Zool. Atl. t. 30.   Allgemeiner Character der der Frankoline, aber die Kehle nacht wie bey den Penelopen. Der Schnabel gestreckt, gerade; der Oberkiefer gegen die Spitze allmählich abwärts geneigt. Die Flügel und der Schwanz etwas lang; erstere wenig concav. Beim Weibchen die Kehle befiedert, die Fußwurzel ohne Sporen. Am Skelete sind einige besondere Merkmale der Sippe vorhanden. — Leben in kleinen Gesellschaften in Wäldern, unter Gebüsch, bäumen auf, schreien gesellschaftlich bey Auf- und Untergang der Sonne usw." (Wagler 1832); "Pternistis Wagler, Isis von Oken, 1832, col. 1229. Type, by subsequent designation, Tetrao capensis Gmelin = Tetrao afer P. L. S. Müller. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds. ed. 2, 1841, p. 79.)" (Peters 1934, II, 84).
Var. Pternistes, Pternestes.
Synon. Chaetopus, Chapinortyx, Clamator, Didymacis, Notocolinus, Oreocolinus, Squamatocolinus.

nobilis
L. nobilis  admirable, famous, renowned, noble, high-born, nobleman  < noscere  to acknowledge.
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  nobilis.  4. P. macrourus viridis, genis nudis, humeris coccineis. Mus. Ad. Fr. 2. p.  Psittacus viridis, alarum costa superne rubente. Aldr. orn. l. 11. c. 5. Raj. av. 30, 181. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 297.  Psittacus mediae magnitudinis. Will. orn. 112. t. 16.  Habitat in America meridionali." (Linnaeus 1758) (Diopsittaca).
● “The yellow tufts of costal feathers on this beautiful bird, furnished the material for the splendid and costly royal robes, capes, and “lei’s,” or head-dresses of the Hawaiians in former days. The bunches of feathers called hulu... are still prepared and received in payment of a poll tax to the King; they are afterwards made up principally in “lei’s”, or head-bands worn by the ladies, and are beautiful but costly ornaments; but few can afford to wear them. The mantles made of these feathers, were, until lately, considered the principal treasures of the crown; now they are not to be seen; the labour of collecting the feathers and attaching them to a network base – a labour of years – being too great” (Peale 1848) (‡Moho).
● “Its large size and the great development of the feathers of its crown and beard render it a remarkable bird to look at; and the admirable way in which the original skins were prepared justify the large price of twenty pounds which I had to pay for my first specimen” (Gould 1880-1887) (Oreonympha). 
● Adolf Friedrich Albrecht Heinrich Herzog zu Mecklenburg (1873-1969) German naturalist, collector, explorer in tropical Africa 1907-1911, Gov. of Togoland 1912-1914 (Michel Rieser & Laurent Raty in litt.) (Pternistis).