On Birds obset'ved near Nynee Tal and Ahnorah. 43 



Fam. LARIDiE. 



8. Bruchigavia melanorhyncha, sp. nov. 



Pare white; back and upper surface of wings delicate ash- 

 grey. First four primaries white, variegated with black, the 

 first primary narrowly margined on its outer and marked dia- 

 gonally on its inner vane ; on the next the black increases, and 

 forms a broad subterminal bar, which is enlarged on the two 

 next, and decx-eases on the two succeeding ones, all being tipped 

 with white. The fifth quill, which is ashy, has merely a sub- 

 terminal interrupted bar of black. Bill black ; feet blackish- 

 brown. 



Length 14 inches; wing from flexure 11*5; tail 5; tarsus 

 1*5 ; middle toe and claw 1*75 ; bill, along the ridge 1*5, along 

 the edge of lower mandible 1*75. 



This bird may be readily distinguished from B. scopulina 

 by its black bill and dark feet, those parts being blood-red 

 in the other — and, on near inspection, by the different cha- 

 racter of the markings on the primaries. All my specimens 

 were obtained in the South Island. 



Wanganui, New Zealand, 

 June 10, 1868. 



IV. — Notes on Birds observed near Nynee Tal and Ahnorah, from 

 April to June 1868. By W. E. Brooks, C.E. 



2 *. Otogyps calvus. I frequently noticed this Vulture 

 both at Nynee Tal and Almorah. Other Vultures were seen by 

 me, but I could not be sure of the species. As far as I could 

 determine without shooting them, they were Gijps fulvus, G. 

 indicus, and G. hengalensis, the latter being the most numerous. 



6. Neophron percnopterus. Abundant, especially at Al- 

 morah ; even at elevations up to 9000 feet the bird is frequently 

 seen. I shot one or two which did not in any way differ from 

 those of the plains. 



The slight differences between the African bird and the Indian 



* The numbers prefixed to the names of the species noticed correspond 

 with those used in Dr. Jerdon's ' Birds of India '. 



