BIBD NOTES FROM BBEMBANA VALLEY. 7 



Owl {Glaucidium passerinum) is very rare, perhaps quite loca- 

 lized; while the very imposing Eagle-Owl {Bubo ignavus, v. 

 Duss, Lucii) is met with to about 4600 ft. in height, and in the 

 woods of fallen leaves, showing itself very seldom in the ever- 

 green ones ; it feeds upon rats and birds ; sometimes it enters 

 small villages, and it was observed in those of Fuipiano 

 (1411 ft.), S. Giovanni Bianco (1219 ft.), S. Gallo (1294 ft.), 

 Ornica (2805 ft.), and some others ; it is a resident and breeding 

 species. 



Amongst the Picidce we observe tolerably common and resi- 

 dent the Green Woodpecker {Gecinus viridis, v. Picoss vert, 

 Beca soch) and the Great Spotted Woodpecker {Dendrocopus 

 major, v. Picalegn ross, Picoss gross) ; the Grey-headed Green 

 Woodpecker [G. canus) was only once observed, but I think, 

 if exhaustive enquiries are made, it will be found to occur 

 more frequently ; Dr. Giacomelli told me that the only specimen 

 was caught not very far from the top of Cima di Grem (6243 ft.) ; 

 it was shot by a priest, who presented it to a friend of his. The 

 Great Black Woodpecker {Picus martins, v. Picoss nigher) is 

 easily found in the wildest woods of some mountains, where it is 

 almost restricted to a height of no more than 4900 ft. ; in winter 

 it descends a little ; we are informed that it was found at Mount 

 Combana (7192 ft.), Pizzo del Tre Signori, Mount Ponteranica 

 (7550 ft.). Mount Cavallo (7081 ft.), but, as I have said, not 

 above 4900 ft., generally. The Middle Spotted Woodpecker 

 (D. medius) was once observed in the neighbourhood of Oltre il 

 Colle (3961 ft.). The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (D. minor) is 

 not at all rare, and I have secured in former years a great many 

 specimens for my collection. The Wryneck (lynx torquilla, v. 

 Becaformig) is a common summer visitor ; it does not breed 

 above about 4900 or 5200 ft. The Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus, v. 

 Cucu) is a pretty common species during summer; it nests 

 according to its usual method, but it is not found generally above 

 3000 ft. The Boiler {Coracias garrula) and the Bee-eater 

 {Merops apiaster) are stragglers. The Hoopoe {Upupa epops) is 

 a fairly abundant species, not breeding above 5200 ft. ; I have 

 found the nest at Mount Ortighera (5009 ft.), a few feet from the 

 top. The Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida, v. Martin pescador, Beca- 

 pess, Piombi) is abundant. The Nightjar {Caprimulgus europceus, 



