80 Mr. W. C. Tait on the Birds of Portugal. 



A parallel case is that of a bird frequenting mossy 

 meadows, Ray's Wagtail, wliich passes down the coast of 

 Portugal during the autumn, taking the place of the southern 

 form, the Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail. In the spring the 

 latter returns, but only on one occasion have I seen a Ray's 

 Wagtail in the spring. This would be a more likely bird to 

 pass inland than the Grasshopper and Aquatic Warblers ; 

 I suspect, however, that they pass up the east coast of Spain 

 in the spring to reach their northern summer stations. 



When one stands on the Portuguese coast on a favourable 

 autumn morning, while an easterly land-breeze is blowing, 

 and watches flock after flock of migrating birds pass flying 

 due south, steadily on, a curious feeling of wonder creeps 

 over you. From what countries do they come, and to what 

 countries are they going ? We know that many of them 

 cross the Straits of Gibraltar to the African coast. How far 

 down that coast do they go ? 



Some of the later arrivals spend the winter with us (for 

 instance, the Pied Wagtails, Rooks, Lapwings,Sky Larks, and 

 Meadow Pipits), disappearing in the spring. The land-birds 

 usually migrate from about half an hour after sunrise until 

 9 o'clock in the morning, after which hour they saunter along 

 or feed in the fields and woods. 



Most of the species of migrating Portuguese birds have 

 been watched by me on the move southwards : — Swallows, 

 Swifts, Sky Larks, Tree Pipits, Meadow Pipits, Turtle Doves, 

 W^illow Wrens, Wood Pigeons, Lapwings, Terns, Gulls, 

 Ducks, Sandpipers, and others too numerous to mention. 

 The largest migration of sea-birds which I ever witnessed 

 was during a somewhat foggy morning, on which occasion I 

 noticed, among others, Gannets, Terns, Gulls, Ducks, and 

 Waders. It is usual with the latter to migrate chiefly during 

 the night. I have heard the notes of thousands of Sand- 

 pipers passing overhead at night, and have recognized the 

 notes of several, such as the Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshank, and 

 Whimbrel, more especially during foggy weather, when they 

 call constantly to each other. I have seen the Whimbrel re- 

 turning north in large flocks in the spring during the daytime. 



