Mr. W. C. Tait on the Birds of Portugal. 89 



song from the tops of the houses as I pass along the streets 

 Oporto. It begins to sing from the middle to the end of 

 February, and continues till the end of June. After the 

 autumn moult it recommences its song in September and goes 

 on till nearly the end of December. I met with it in two of 

 the most westerly parts of Europe, namely the Berlengas 

 Islands on the west coast of Portugal^ and the Cies Islands 

 at the entrance to Vigo Bay^ Galicia. 



18. Cyanecula wolfi (C. L. Brehm). 



Apjoears abundantly in August, September, and October, 

 on migration, frequenting low bushes and skulking in damp 

 meadows near water. It is sometimes seen in gardens. The 

 earliest date noted was August 10th ; the latest, October 17th, 

 on the banks of the creek, Leya de Palmeira near Oporto. I 

 have never seen this species on the spring migration, although 

 I have repeatedly looked for it in the places where it was 

 sure to be found in autumn. 



19. Erithacus RUBECULA (Linn.). '' Bisco.^' 



This species is very abundant all through the year in this 

 country, more so in the north than in the south, the former 

 being more wooded and having a greater rainfall. Like its 

 relative the Bluebreast this bird evidently likes a leafy shade 

 and a dampish situation. Although by no means shy it is 

 not so familiar here as it is in England during winter, for as 

 no snow falls except on the serras, it can always find some 

 food for itself. It nests early and it has been known to breed 

 in mild winters : for instance, on the 22nd Oct., 1880, Dr. 

 Carvalho wrote me from Coimbra that a pair were building a 

 nest in the Cellas church, entering through a broken pane in 

 a window. That month was very mild. On the 4th of 

 January, 1884, a friend informed me that he had seen a 

 fledgeling in his garden opposite Oporto. 



20. Daulias luscinia (Linn.). *^' Rouxinol," Portugal; 

 '* Ruisenor," Galicia. 



Arrives in April and remains till the autumn. Scarce in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Oporto. Very abundant in 



