40 Occasional jyotes. 



VI. — Occasional J\'ofes. 

 I. Notes fkom Port Elizabeth. 



1. S. African Goshawk (Astur tachiro). 



I have examined many immature specimens of these birds, 

 and have so far found that their tails are at least 2 inches 

 longer than those of adults. Not having seen this fact re- 

 corded before, 1 thought it worth while publishing. 



2. BLACK-WINGEf) Stilt (Himantopus candiclns). 



I wish to record the fact that a specimen of a Black- 

 winged Stilt was shot at the end of September near Port 

 Elizabeth. So far I believe few localities in S. Africa have 

 been recorded for this bird. 



3. White-backed Night-Heron [Nycticorax leuconotus). 

 A fine specimen of this Heron was shot at Hankey, near 



Port Elizabeth, in August, and will shortly be on exhibition 

 in our museum. This is a very rare bird and has not so far 

 been recorded from these parts, and I should therefore like 

 it put on record. 



F. W. FiTZSIMONS, 

 5.10.07. Director Public Museum, Port Elizabeth. 



II. The Egyptian Vulture. 



[From Grocott's ' Penny Mail,' Sept. 18, 1907.] 



Mr. H. D. Gradwell, of Carlisle Bridge, has recently sent 

 to the Museum a specimen of the Egyptian Vulture {Neo- 

 jy/iron percnopterus), with the remark that neither he nor any 

 of the farmers in the neighbourhood had seen the bird before. 

 It is apparently a very rare bird in Albany, for there are no 

 previous records of its occurrence in the district, and the 

 Museum collections contained only this specimen. According 

 to Sclater, it has, however, a very wide distribution, being- 

 found throughout Southern Europe, and has been twice 

 killed in England ; it extends eastwards through Persia to 

 North-west India. In North Africa it extends from Morocco 



