NESTING OF THE BLACK KITE IN VEBONA. 249 



resists the penetration of a fowling-piece. The Eev. Carcereri, 

 desiring to kill some nestling Black Kites, was compelled to 

 employ the Weterli carabine with a bullet to pierce the hardened 

 layer. The nest is generally shallow, and sometimes lined with 

 dead moss. Mr. Seebohm* observes that the fact of rags being 

 found in the nest of the Black Kite has been declared to be an 

 error; but he adds that the circumstance has been verified by 

 Salvin in the Eastern Atlas. "He also states," adds Seebohm, 

 " that its nest is usually built amongst the roots of a tree growing 

 out of the rocks." In Italy, it has only been observed on lofty 

 trees. When the nest is built, the female Black Kite lays her 

 eggs, usually three, but sometimes even four in number, in the 

 space of four or five days. Seebohm says that in Pomerania the 

 eggs are usually two in number, and so does Irby of Spain ; while 

 Goebel, referring to the South of Kussia, says that the eggs are 

 three in number, though he adds they may accidentally be two, 

 or even four in number; once only he observed five in a clutch. 

 The eggs of the Black Kite are about the size of a medium hen's 

 egg, usually but not invariably of a dirty white, with larger or 

 smaller spots or brown spots of various tints. I here supply 

 some information about four eggs of the Black Kite which form 

 part of my collection. 



Egg found on May 25th, 1891, at Grezzano. — This specimen 

 is almost entirely of a dirty white, with a few spots of light brown, 

 most numerous at the larger end ; the smaller end is colourless. 

 Another egg found on the same day. — It is almost entirely of a 

 dirty white, with fine brownish spots widely dispersed as if 

 sprinkled over all the surface, and so delicate that the egg, viewed 

 at a little distance, appears to be colourless. 



Egg found in June, 1892, at the same place. — This specimen 

 is pure white, with large dots of a lively brown tint, darker round 

 the edge of the dots, which are most numerous at the larger end ; 

 there are also many little spots of the same colour spread here 

 and there. This egg approaches the one figured by Seebohm on 

 plate v., fig. 1, of his above-mentioned work. 



Egg found in June, 1893, at the same place. — The ground 

 tint is of a less pure white, spread with little brown spots of dull 

 brown, and there are some larger spots of the same colour, 



* ' British Birds,' vol. i. p. 83 (1883). 



