NESTING OF THE BLACK KITE IN VERONA. 251 



lie in wait for them in the open country, and far from human 

 habitations. The housewife usually lets out the young chickens 

 at hours most convenient to her ; that is, either when she returns 

 from market or after dinner ; at her leisure time, that is, when 

 it is most suitable for her to look after them, and keep them out 

 of danger. 



The Black Kite is decidedly a pest to chickens. It pursues 

 them everywhere, even in the midst of people, and when it is 

 sure of its aim, it pounces among them with a flight swift as 

 lightning, snatches one, and carries it to its nest. M. migrans 

 does not confine its chase for chickens to Grezzano, but it haunts 

 the country round about, sometimes even at the distance of from 

 seven to ten kilometres, to find its favourite prey, and then it 

 goes back to its wood. The poor little chickens are often heard 

 crying from the Kite's nest in which they are about to be 

 devoured. This Kite also victimises the nestlings of other birds. 

 It has on several occasions been seen to hover above Canossa's 

 Palace where Starlings breed, and then to pounce upon the young 

 birds which were hopping about the tiles. Besides this, remains 

 of the following fishes have been found in the stomachs of Black 

 Kites : — Esox lucius, Tinea vulgaris, Scardinus erythrophthalmus, 

 Cottus gobio, and Gobio fluviatilis. A Black Kite, killed on 

 June 15th, 1894, by the Rev. Carcereri, contained the bones of 

 Rana esculenta. That gentleman tells me also that a Kite caught 

 in May, 1893, and stuffed by Dal Nero, contained the remains of 

 numerous aquatic insects. In two birds which I killed on the 

 3rd of June last year I found entire remains of Rana esculenta 

 and Grillotalpa vulgaris. 



The following is a list of substances found in the stomachs of 

 about twenty Black Kites. These results have been procured by 

 Dal Nero, the Rev. Carcereri, and myself, and they show how 

 varied the diet of this greedy bird really is. I return thanks to 

 Prof. Adriano Garbini, of Yerona, for his kind assistance in 

 classifying the worms and insects : — 



Vermes (A) Nematoda. — Gen. Lumbricus (the species could 

 not be identified). 



Arthropoda (A) Crustacea. — Cypris pubera, 0. F. Miiller ; 

 Cyclops sp. ? ; Asellus vulgaris, Latr. ; Pal(smo?ietes varians, Leach. 

 (B) Insecta. — Smynthurus aquaticus, Bourlet ; Libellula depressa, 



