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summer season. Colonel Irby states (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 59) that it is abundant in Andalucia, 

 but entirely migratory. A few remain over the winter near Seville, but he never met with them 

 at that season near Gibraltar, where the earliest date of the vernal migration noticed by him was 

 the 4th of March. I am also indebted to Lord Lilford for the following note : — " I have very 

 little to add to what I have already published in 'The Ibis' with regard to this species in Spain 

 or elsewhere. I may, however, mention that though, as a rule, it is a spring migrant to Spain, 

 returning southwards in the autumn, yet a few remain in Andalucia throughout the year. Very 

 abundant in the promenades and avenues about Seville in May." Passing eastward, again, I find 

 it recorded from Savoy by Bailly, who says that from the beginning of April it is common in the 

 warmer districts, such as the neighbourhood of Chambery. Salvadori and Doderlein both state 

 that this is the most decidedly migratory of the European Owls, abandoning Italy and even Sicily 

 in autumn, and returning to the latter about the middle of March. It is everywhere abundant, 

 preferring holes in trees as a site for its eggs, but occasionally depositing them in cavities amongst 

 the rocks. Cara states that it is resident in the island of Sardinia ; but Salvadori appears doubtful 

 of this. According to the observations of Savi and Spallanzani, the food of this species consists 

 of insects and small vertebrates. Mr. C. A. Wright, who records it from Malta, says (Ibis, 

 1864, p. 49), it is " very plentiful in the seasons of its migrations, and by far the commonest Owl 

 found here. It commences arriving towards the end of February or beginning of March, and 

 continues passing till May, reappearing in September, October, and November. It is sold in the 

 market in great numbers, with Nightjars (Caprimulgus europceus) and other birds for the table, 

 and is considered good eating by the natives. It is easily tamed, and becomes very familiar in 

 captivity. A few probably winter here, as individuals are taken in December and January. In 

 1862-63 I obtained nearly a dozen specimens in the market, at different times, in these months." 

 During the summer season it is common in Greece and the adjacent islands, and is, Lord Lilford 

 writes (Ibis, 1860, p. 134), "very common in Corfu during the summer months, arriving about 

 the beginning of April, and breeding in the old olive-groves, which, from that time to the middle 

 of October, resound with their melancholy and monotonous cry." Dr. Kriiper says that in 

 Greece and Macedonia it breeds, and is found both in the mountains and on the plains. It is 

 most numerous on the island of Naxos, where it breeds in the houses. A few probably remain 

 over the winter in the Cyclades and near Athens, as its call-note has been heard in November. 

 It arrives late in March or early in April, and has eggs in May. 



In Southern Germany it is in some localities quite a common summer visitant. I met with 

 it near Cilli, in Styria, when collecting with the late Mr. E. Seidensacher, but was there rather 

 too early to obtain its eggs ; for it does not lay there before the middle of May, though it arrives 

 early in April. It was common not far from Cilli, in a locality where there were many old 

 oaks full of holes. Dr. Fritsch writes (J. f. O. 1871, p. 183), " The only specimen killed in 

 Bohemia appears to be that in the Kablic collection, which was shot in May 1838, in the 

 Biesengebirge. Palliardi's statement that in the Frauenberg Museum there are six specimens 

 is correct ; but they were sent there from Styria. The specimens in H. Hromadko's collection 

 were obtained from Hungary ; and I may add that neither I nor my friend Lokaj ever saw one." 

 The Bitter von Tschusi-Schmidhofen says that it breeds in the Krems valley, in Austria, whence 

 he has a specimen ; and Count Casimir Wodzicki, who states that it occurs in the mountains of 



