Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/277

Rh 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, Tinca 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 Verona, for his kind assistance in classifying the worms and insects: —

(A) Nematoda.—Gen. Lumbricus (the species could not be identified).

(A) Crustacea.—Cypris pubera, O.F. Müller; Cyclops sp.?; Asellus vulgaris, Latr.; Palæmonetes varians, Leach. (B) Insecta.—Smynthurus aquaticus, Bourlet; Libellula depressa,