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



the provinces of Minho, Douro, and Beira. I am not aware 

 that the Northern Nightingale, Daulias philomela (Bechst.), 

 has been found in this country. 



21. Sylvia rufa. " Papa-amoras/' literally berry-eater. 

 Oporto; "Cliarrasca/' Melres; " Cheldra/' Esmoriz. 



Abundant and generally distributed. Generally arrives at 

 Oporto about the 8th April, and I have met with it in 

 March. Its disappearance in October coincides with that of 

 the blackberries, of which it is gluttonously fond, and it is 

 probable that many blackberry-plants are dispersed by seeds 

 dropped by this bird. In the neighbourhood of Santa Clara 

 a Velha and S. Martinho das Amoreiras, I met with a variety 

 with a darker head and brighter colours than the usual 

 form of the northern part of Portugal. Prof. Newton, to 

 whom I sent a specimen, reported that he had never seen so 

 bright-coloured a specimen of this species. 



;j^0TE. — I am almost certain that I have seen Sylvia curruca 

 near Oporto. There is a specimen in the Coimbra Museum ob- 

 tained in 1878 at Majorca. As it occurs in winter and spring 

 in Andalucia (Irby, Saunders), it is probable that it will be 

 found in Portugal on migration. 



23. Sylvia suBALPiNA (Bonelli). 



Dr. Carvalho informs me that in the Coimbra Museum 

 there is a specimen obtained in August at Braganfa. 



23. Sylvia conspicillata (Marm.). 



The Lisbon Museum possesses two specimens, one of which 

 ■was obtained from Arrabida. 



24. Sylvia melanocephala (Gm.). " Tutinegra dos 

 Vallados," Coimbra ; " Fura-Moita," Verride. 



Very common on the banks of the Mondego, also at 

 Abrantes, and appears to be pretty generally distributed in 

 the south of Portugal. I believe I saw this skulking species 

 near Oporto on the 10th of June and the 23rd of December, 

 1883, and it is probably resident in this country all the year 

 round, as it is in some parts of Spain. Many were seen 



