Verona, beyond Villafranca. It is very near the magnificent Villa Canossa, from which it is separated by an iron gate; it is surrounded by a wide ditch, and marshes on one side, with a field partly laid out as a garden; on the other two with the country, which is covered with rice fields, meadows, and corn fields. The ground is intersected by numerous narrow channels. The wood is composed of plane trees, elms, oaks, poplars, chestnuts, &c, the greatest height of which may be about forty metres; it has a flourishing appearance, and the vegetation is splendid, but there are no firs. Ardea cinerea and A. purpurea, Corvus cornix, Nycticorax ardeola, Ardeola ralloides, and Corvus corax breed here; there are also quantities of Turtle-Doves, Golden Orioles, Blackbirds, Woodpeckers, and other smaller birds. In winter Buteo vulgaris is also found here, but, according to the inhabitants of the Castle, disappears as soon as Milvus migrans arrives.
In the Province of Verona, Milvus migrans is only to be found at Grezzano, "perhaps," says the Rev. Carcereri, "because it is attracted by the high trees; perhaps, because in that region and the neighbourhood it procures the food which it prefers, which consists of young chickens, when it can find them. Only two specimens are believed to have been killed at Chiesanuova, a mountainous spot to the north of Verona. One of these has been cited by Dal Nero. With these exceptions none have been seen except at Grezzano. It is simply a summer bird, since it arrives in spring, and leaves at the end of summer after having bred.
The following dates represent our information as to the arrival and departure of the Black Kite at and from Grezzano:—
Year.Arrival.Departure.
1883.... March 18th— May 12th.... July 25th—August 18th.
1884.... April 5th—May 10th.......... August 1st—September 3rd.
1885.... March 28th—May 6th...... July 18th—August 29th.
1886.... March 16th—April 24th.... August 2nd—August 30th.
1887.... March 12th—May 5th....... August 5th—August 28th.
1888.... March 16th—May 1st....... July 28th—September 1st.
1889.... March 10th—May 8th....... August 6th—August 29th.
1890.... March 18th—May 5th....... August 3rd—September 2nd.
1891.... March 20th—May 9th....... August 4th—August 29th.
1892.... March 11th—May 2nd....... August 5th—August 19th.
1893.... March 16th—May 1st....... August 1st—September 2nd.
1894.... March 10th—May 6th....... August 4th—August 31st.
1895.... March 12th—May 8th....... August 9th—September 1st.
1896.... March 15th—May 5th....... August 6th—September 9th.
1897.... March 18th—May 11th...... July 20th—August 12th.
