case of Athene chiaradise. 11 



my friends, for I was able to compare the second specimen 

 of A. chiaradice secured with the first one and type of the 

 new form. 1 found them absolutely alike, and so did those 

 who saw them with me on that occasion. Meanwhile 

 Mr. Vallon had learnt that a third specimen of the black- 

 eyed Civctta had been taken at Fregona, in the province of 

 Belluno, by a forest guard named L. Barzotto ; this was on 

 the 19th of August, 1901. He hastened to the spot, but 

 arrived too late, the little Owl, which was half fledged, had 

 been devoured by a cat ! He learnt, however, that it had 

 fallen from the village campanile together with a co-nestling 

 with pale yellow eyes ; another one like the latter was found 

 in the nest. Here we have a second instance of the black- 

 eyed Civetta in the same nest with normal A. noct.ua* '. 



As I have previously remarked, the second specimen of 

 A. chiaradice, a splendid bird in perfect plumage, which proved 

 to be a female, was killed on the 5th of November, 1901, and 

 was beautifully mounted by Prof. Martorelli, who took the 

 opportunity to produce the first and very fine picture of this 

 Owl which we possess — the one which, with his kind per- 

 mission, is here given. Prof. Martorelli has published it as 

 a heliotype, with some very sagacious notes on the singular 

 case of A. chiaradice, which 1 shall briefly examine on drawing 

 up my conclusions f. 



I now come to the last episode of this interesting history. 

 Early last July, anxious to procure further information on 

 the black-eyed Civetta, the indefatigable Mr. Vallon was 

 again at Pizzocco, where he passed most of that month. On 

 the 11th I received a pencil- written post-card from him, 

 announcing that he had discovered two more specimens of 

 A. chiaradice in identical circumstances to those of last 

 year, viz. in a nest with normal nestlings of A. noctua ; 

 these were three, making up the usual number in a brood 

 of these small Owls. 13ut, what was of great importance, 



* G. Vallon, " Fauna Ornitologica Friulana," in Boll. Sue. adriat. Sc. 

 Nat. xxi. p. L09 (Trieste, L902). 



t'i. Martorelli, " Ulteriori osservazioni sull' Athene chiaradice^ 

 Giylioli," in Atli ^oc. ital. Sc. Nat. xl. tav. ii. (-Milaiio, 100_'J. 



