been able to observe, it is not easy to kill successive individuals, for the birds are very wary, and after the first few shots they soar very high; but, if the gunner hide himself carefully, the Kites fly down again, and can be killed with a good gun, especially when they enter or leave their nests. On the 3rd of June last year, without using all those precautions that the occasion would require, I was able in the space of a few hours to shoot down three fine Kites. They can be caught more easily when they have young ones. This species is commonly called Poja negra or P. mora by the inhabitants of Grezzano, and those who kill any Black Kites are blessed by the country people, for they see that the risk of their chickens being carried off is thus reduced. The following is a list of those collections that include Black Kites killed at Grezzano:—
- (a) Collection Perini, of Verona, two specimens.
- (b) Count Brasavola, of Verona, two specimens.
- (c) Count Reali, of Treviso, two specimens.
- (d) Collection Cipolla, of Verona, three specimens.
- (e) Collection De Betta, of Verona, one specimen.
- (f) Collection Bennati, of Verona, two specimens.
- (g) My own collection, eight specimens.
Besides these twenty specimens, the Rev. Carcereri had several birds, which he killed himself, stuffed by Dal Nero, which he then gave to his friends.
The Black Kite is a species which varies very little in its dress. When young, the colours are darker and brighter than when at full maturity. The Rev. Carcereri informs me that almost all those he killed resembled one another. As for size, the female is always larger than the male.
