1875.] W. E. Brooks — Description of a new Flamingo. 17 



The following letter from Mr. G. H. Damant, C. S. was read — 



Cachae, December Qth, 1874. 

 My deae Me. Blochmamst, 



I have found here some MSS. in a character I cannot 

 read. I am told there are a few old Manipuris who can read it, but I havs 

 not succeeded in finding one yet. One of the MSS. is said to contain a his- 

 tory of Tipperah and might be. interesting historically, but I am at present 

 puzzling over the alphabet. If you could give me any assistance I should 

 be extremely obliged. I give some of the letters which Mr. MeWilliani 

 obtained from a Manipuri, but I cannot answer for their correctness. 



The alphabet is not complete, but these specimens may be enough to 

 identify it. I give also a bit of the MS. as near as I can copy it. (Plate I.) 



The following papers were read : — 



1. The Etymology of Local names in Northern India, as exemplified in the 



District of Mathura.—By F. S. Geowse, M. A., B. C. S. 



•The paper will be published in No. IV. of the Journal, Pt. I, for 1874. 



2. On an apparently unnamed species of Phoenicopterus. — By W. Edwin 



Beooks, C. E. 



(Received Nov. 26th, 1874). 



A considerable number of Flamingos have been shot during the last 

 few years by my friend Mr. Anderson, of Futtehgurh, who, after a careful 

 examination of the series, has come to thaconclusion that two large but close- 

 ly allied species of Flamingo are to be found in India. Not only were old 

 birds in fine rosy plumage procured, but also immature of both ; and the spe- 

 cific distinctness of each was manifest. Mr. Anderson wishes me to describe 

 the new, or rather the long overlooked flamingo, and I therefore do so as 



PlKENICOPTEETJS ANDEESONI, 11. Sp. 



General coloration similar to that of P. antiquorum (P. roseus) but of 

 a much paler rosy colour, the whole head, neck, breast, and lower parts, as 

 well as back and tail, being considerably less tinged with rose-colour than 

 in P. antiquorum ; red portions of wing not so bright ; axillaries, which are 

 wholly carmine in P. antiquorum, are very pale rosy, tipped with brown ; 

 primaries and secondaries, which are black in P. antiquorum, are dark brown 

 and sometimes only moderately brown, the depth of the colour depending 

 upon the season and upon the age of the feather; coverts to primaries white, 

 edged with pale brown on the inner iveb, and broadly tipped with the same 

 colour ; coverts to secondaries, or the greater coverts, as they are usually 

 called, white, broadly tipped with a rather darker brown ; both, these wing- 

 coverts in P. antiquorum, are icholly rose colour : the difference in wing- 

 coverts forms the principal distinction by which Mr. Anderson's species can 



