Mr. W. C. Tait on the Birds of Portugal. 305 



of Marcli to the 5tli of Aprils and my brother Alfred saw one 

 on the 10th of March of this year near Povoa de Lanhoso, 

 neighbourhood of Braga. This species is abundant in gar- 

 dens, orchards, and on the pollard-oaks on which the vines 

 are trained in the province of the Minho ; and its piping note 

 is heard wherever one goes in the spring. Most of them 

 leave in September, but some remain till the middle of 

 October, and I saw one on November 3rd near Abrantes. 

 Dr. Carvalho reports that the Wryneck arrives at Coimbra 

 from the 20th of March (1884) to the 5th April (1879), and 

 leaves between the 10th and 19th October. 



120. Alcedo ispida, Linn, " Rei do Mar,^^ Valen9a, 

 Anchora, Vianna do Castello; '^ Marisqueiro,^^ " Passaro 

 ribeiro,^' Vianna do Castello ; " Marinheiro,"" Caldas do 

 Gerez; " Chasco do rego," Villar Cha da Maia ; "Pisco 

 ribeiro,^^ " Pica peixe,^' " Passa rios," Oporto ; " Guarda 

 rios," Estarreja ; *' Pi9orelho/^ Aveiro ; " Juiz de rio,^^ 

 Peniche ; " Rei senor de la Mar,^^ Galicia. 



The Kingfisher has more popular names and attracts the 

 attention of the peasants more than any other bird. They 

 look upon it as the type of all that is beautiful. Abundant 

 on all the streams, it appears to be more numerous near the 

 coast on estuaries and lagoons during the winter months. 



The peasants on the river Minho tell me that the skin of 

 the Kingfisher is efficacious in keeping moth away from 

 woollen clothes ^. If so, it is probably the oily smell which 

 is efiectual. 



121. CORACIAS GARRULA, Liuu. 



So far as my experience goes, the Roller is uncommon in 

 Portugal. Dr. P. d^Oliveira, of oiCmbVa, showed me a speci- 

 men in his collection, and the wing was given to me of one 

 which had been shot near Palhal copper-mines, Albergaria 

 Velha. Under date of July 20th, 1883, Dr. Carvalho, of 

 Coimbra, wrote me that a specimen had just arrived from the 

 Coimbra Museum. I was disappointed at not meeting with 



* [This belief is of unknown antiquity, and has been recorded by 

 Albertus Magnus. — Ebd.] 



