Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/28

6 Honey Buzzard is very rare also. The Buzzard is met with everywhere, but not found very high; while the Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo ferox) is till now unknown. The Black Kite (Milvus ater, v. niblet, nèbel) is rare, but a breeding species; and I think it is the same with the Common Kite (Milvus ictinus); I saw the former not very far from Roncobello (3074 ft.), but I was unable to secure it. The Gos-Hawk (Astur palumbarius) is fairly abundant during summer in the mountainous woods; and the Sparrow-Hawk is one of the most common local rapacious birds.

Amongst the other rapacious birds, Gennaja are unknown, and certainly unrecorded up to now. The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus, v. falcón di barbìss) is pretty common, but not easily found, in the high mountains. I saw the Merlin (Æsalon regulus) at the Hill di Valpiana (3166 ft.), but I was unable to shoot it; and I heard that the Red-footed Falcon (Erythropus vespertinus) in some years is not rare during May in certain mountain meadows (Passo di Grialeggio, 5209 ft., Monte Aralalta, Monte Ortighera, 5009 ft.); I obtained a specimen for my collection from S. Pietro d'Orzio (1877 ft.) on May 10th, 1894. The Kestrel (Tinnunculus alaudarius) is met with also at the top of the highest mountains, and I secured a specimen for my collection at the Zuccone dei Campelli, at about 6094 ft.. Regarding the other small Falcons I lack information.

The Marsh-Harrier (Circus æruginosus, v. Falchett d'aqua), the Hen-Harrier (C. cyaneus), and perhaps Montagu's Harrier (C. cineraceus), are met with but very seldom; they generally frequent the marshes, and here they appear almost like stragglers, especially the two latter.

Regarding the nocturnal birds of prey, I noticed the Barn-Owl (Strix flammea, v. Dàma, Loch bianc), which is met with up to 3000 ft. in height, and is fairly abundant, but specimens with the under-parts white seem to be very rare. The Short-eared Owl (Asio otus, v. Loch) and the Long-eared Owl (A. accipitrinus, v. Loch, L. gross) are common and breeding species. The Scops Owl (Scops giu, v. Sisöl) is a summer visitor, fairly frequent, and breeding. The Tawny Owl (Syrnium aluco) is not unfrequent; while the Ural Owl (S. uralense) has not hitherto been observed. Tengmalm's Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi) is rather scarce; the Pigmy