286 Zoological Society* 



gation of the scientific ornithologist. The present short paper is 

 limited to some species of the genus Anous, for the purpose of de- 

 scribing three or four new ones, rather than aiming at anything like 

 a complete monograph of even this little group. It will not, how- 

 ever, detract from the interest of the paper if I give a list of the spe- 

 cies with which I am familiar, and reserve to some future time the 

 completion of the subject. Upon the present occasion I shall exhibit 

 five well-defined species ; a sixth, of which I am not aware that an 

 example exists in the museums of this country, is figured in the 

 * Planches Coloriees' of M. Temminck. They are — 



1. Angus stolidus : Sterna stolida, hinn. ; Gavia fusca, Brehm ; 

 Anous niger, Steph. 



2. Anous leucocapillus, nov. sp. A. vertice et nuchd alhis ; 

 loris, et partibus circumocularibus, intense nigris ; omni inferiore 

 corpore alisque fuliginosis, necnon occipite, dor so, et caudd, sed 

 cinereo tinctis. 



Crown of the head and nape of the neck white ; lores and space 

 surrounding the eye deep black ; near the posterior angle of the upper 

 and lower eyelids a small patch of white ; breast, all the under sur- 

 face and the wings deep sooty black ; back of the neck, back and tail 

 the same, slightly tinged with ash ; bill black ; feet brownish black. 



Total length, 14 inches ; bill, 2\ ; wing, 9 ; tail, 5 ; tarsi, J ; middle 

 toe and nail, IJ. 



Hab. North coasts of Australia. 



3. Anous melanops, nov. sp. A. vertice et nuchd pallide ci- 

 •' nereis ; dorso saturate griseo ; maculd ante oculum, alterdque mi- 



nore post oculum intense nigris. 



Crown of the head and back of the neck light ash- colour, passing 

 into deep grey on the mantle and back ; immediately before the eyes 

 a large patch, and behind a smaller one, of jet-black; posterior half 

 of the lower and a smaller space on the upper lash snow-white ; 

 throat, fore-part of the neck and all the under surface deep sooty 

 black ; wings and all the upper surface of the same colour, but rather 

 browner ; bill black ; tarsi and toes brownish black. 



Total length, 12 to 13 inches ; bill, 2^ ; wing, SJ ; tail, 5 ; tarsi, | ; 

 middle toe and nail, l^. 



Hab. Very abundant during the breeding season on the Houtman's 

 Abrolhos, off the western coast of Australia. 



Remark. — This species, although very nearly allied to, is distinct 

 from the Anous tenuirostris (Sterna tenuirostris, Temm.) of Western 

 Africa, from which it may at once be distinguished by the black marks 

 before and behind the eye, of which no trace is represented in M. 

 Temminck's figure in the * Planches Coloriees' ; neither is this con- 

 spicuous mark alluded to in his description. It is just possible that 

 this may be the species described by M. de la Fresnaye in Guerin's 

 Magazine, under the generic name of Procellosterna. 



4. Anous tenuirostris : Sterna tenuirostris, Temm. PI. Col. 202. 



5. Anous cinereus, nov. sp. A. capite, collo, et corpore inferiore 

 argentato-albis ; parvd plumarum lined oculum circumeunte nigrd 



