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



115. Dendrocopus major^ Liun. " Peto malhado," 

 Oporto, Melres, &c. ; " Cavallo rinchante/' Abrantes. 



The Great Spotted Woodpecker occurs in the neighbour- 

 hood of Oporto, especially about Eutre Rios and Melres. I 

 saw one once at Candal on the opposite side of the river to 

 Oporto, and also near Braga and Entre os Rios. It is re- 

 ported to me from Villar cha da Maia, the river Caima, 

 Penafiel, Alpiar(ja, Abrantes, and various other localities ; 

 but it is nowhere so abundant as the Green Woodpecker. 



116. Dendrocopus medius (Linn.). 



There were, in 1880, four specimens of the Middle Spotted 

 Woodpecker in the Lisbon Museum, of which two were from 

 Coimbra, one from Oueluz, and one from Cintra. 



117. Dendrocopus minor (Linn.). " Peto gallego,'' 

 Penafiel. 



I have a specimen of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 

 obtained at Penafiel, where it is said to be rather common 

 and has a local name. A head and wings were brought to 

 me from the wine-district up the Douro ; and the Coimbra 

 Museum possesses specimens from the neighbouring Cegon- 

 heira. Although I have looked frequently for this species, I 

 have never been able to meet with it in the woods. 



118. Gecinus sharpii, Saund. " Peto real,^' " Peto 

 verde,'^ Oporto ; " Picapau," Anchora ; " Peto amarello,"" 

 " Marellrio/' Melres ; " Peto verdeai," " Peto rinchao," 

 Caldas d' Aregos ; " Picapau verde,'^ " Cavallo riuchao,'' 

 Coimbra ; " Cavallo rinchante/' Abrantes ; " Cavallinho,^^ 

 Algarve. 



Sharpe's Green Woodpecker is very abundant all over 

 Portugal, its loud laughing alarm-note being heard in every 

 large pine-wood. The country people say tbat it attacks 

 ants^ nests, and in consequence its flesh acquires a nasty 

 taste : perhaps from formic acid. 



119. Iynx torquilla, Linn. "Peto da chuva,^^ Oporto; 

 "Retorta," Penafiel; " Torcicollo," " Piadeira,'' " Papa- 

 formigas," Coimbra Museum. 



The Wryneck^s note is first heard at Oporto from the 22nd 



