NESTING OF THE BLACK KITE IN VERONA. 247 



Verona, beyond Villafranca. It is very near the magnificent 

 Villa Canossa, from which it is separated by an iron gate ; it is 

 surrounded by a wide ditch, and marshes on one side, with a field 

 partly laid out as a garden ; on the other two with the country, 

 which is covered with rice fields, meadows, and corn fields. The 

 ground is intersected by numerous narrow channels. The wood 

 is composed of plane trees, elms, oaks, poplars, chestnuts, &c, 

 the greatest height of which may be about forty metres ; it has 

 a flourishing appearance, and the vegetation is splendid, but 

 there are no firs. Ardea cinerea and A. purpurea, Corvus comix, 

 Nycticorax ardeola, Ardeola ralloides, and Corvus cor ax breed 

 here; there are also quantities of Turtle-Doves, Golden Orioles, 

 Blackbirds, Woodpeckers, and other smaller birds. In winter 

 Buteo vulgaris is also found here, but, according to the inhabi- 

 tants of the Castle, disappears as soon as Milvus migrans arrives. 



In the Province of Verona, Milvus migrans is only to be 

 found at Grezzano, "perhaps," says the Rev. Carcereri, " be- 

 cause it is attracted by the high trees ; perhaps, because in that 

 region and the neighbourhood it procures the food which it prefers, 

 which consists of young chickens, when it can find them. Only 

 two specimens are believed to have been killed at Chiesanuova, 

 a mountainous spot to the north of Verona. One of these has 

 been cited by Dal Nero. With these exceptions none have been 

 seen except at Grezzano. It is simply a summer bird, since it 

 arrives in spring, and leaves at the end of summer after having 

 bred. 



The following dates represent our information as to the arrival 

 and departure of the Black Kite at and from Grezzano : — 



Year. Arrival. Departure. 



1883 March 18th— May 12th July 25th— August 18th. 



1884 April 5th — Mav 10th August 1st — September 3rd. 



1885 March 28th— May 6th July 18th— August 29th. 



1886 March 16th— April 24th August 2nd— August 30th. 



1887 March 12th— May 5th August 5th— August 28th. 



1888 March 16th— May 1st July 28th— September 1st. 



1889 March 10th— May 8th August 6th— August 29th. 



1890 March 18th— May 5th August 3rd— September 2nd. 



1891 March 20th— May 9th August 4th— August 29th. 



1892 March 11th— May 2nd August 5th— August 19th. 



1893 March 16th— May 1st August 1st— September 2nd. 



1894 March 10th— May 6th August 4th— August 31st. 



1895 March 12th— May 8th August 9th- September 1st. 



1896 March 15th— May 5th August 6th— September 9th. 



1897 March 18th— May 11th July 20th— August 12th. 



