Let w = ƒ(z) be a nonconstant meromorphic function defined in the open unit disc D, and let W denote the extended ze/-plane. Let N(w, ô) denote the set of all points of W at a chordal distance less than S from w (ô>0), and define a closed set BQW as follows: w&B if and only if wÇzW and for any S>0 there exist N(wo, 8 0 ) CN(w, 5) and a component U of the preimage f"x (N(wo t ô 0 )) such that f(U) is not dense in N(WQ, S 0 ). THEOREM
Suppose that Vis a domain contained in the complement of B and that U is a component off~~x(V). Then one of the following two statements holds: (i) For any w(EV there exists d>0 such that Ur\f" 1 (N(w 1 ô)) is relatively compact (in D).(
ii) For any wÇzV either there exists a continuous curve a: z(t), Og*1 and f(z(t))-*w as /->1, or there exists ô>0 such that infinitely many relatively compact components of f~l(N(w, $)) are contained in U.The proofs of the results stated in this note will appear in a forthcoming paper.A point w(EW is called an asymptotic value of ƒ provided there exists a continuous curve a: z(t), Og/1 and f(z(t))-*w as J-»l, and if in addition zty-te* 0 , then ƒ is said to have the asymptotic value w at e ie . We use the definition of linear measure that is given in terms of coverings by discs. The measurability of A (N(w, 5)) and V p is proved in (7).