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



136. Circus ^ruginosus (Linn.) . " Milhafre/' Estarreja ; 

 "Minhoto/' Aveiro; '' Sapeiro/' Alemtejo. 



Abundant and resident on the marshes from Ovar to 

 Aveiro and similar localities. The Marsh Harriers in this 

 country show the usual variations in plumage, the white- 

 shouldered form being very conspicuous while beating 

 over the rush-beds on the flat grounds near Estarreja. I 

 found a nest at Ovar and another near Aveiro, both built 

 in clumps of tall reeds on the marshes and resting on the 

 ground. The birds hunt very close to the ground, sometimes, 

 in fact, they appear to beat the rushes with the tips of their 

 long wings. As they are so sluggish in flight, I doubt their 

 being able to catch the active Snipe, and they probably pick up 

 sick and wounded birds, water-rats, frogs, and reptiles. In the 

 Alemtejo this Harrier is called " Sapeiro " or " toad-eater." 



137. Circus cyaneus (Linn.). 



The only place where I have seen the Hen Harrier on 

 several occasions is on the northern end of the lagoon near 

 Ovar, where one was shot by a friend on the 2nd February, 

 1874. Dr. Carvalho tells me that this species nests on the 

 marshes of Arzila and Foja, and that the Coimbra Museum 

 received specimens from Montargil, Ribatejo. So far as I 

 know, the Pallid Harrier, C. swainsoni, has not been found in 

 this country. 



138. Circus cineraceus (Mont.). ''Aguia ca9adeira," 

 Lisbon Museum. 



Of Montagu's Harrier there are in the Lisbon Museum 

 specimens from Cintra, Evora, and another locality in the 

 Alemtejo. Dr. Carvalho informs me that this species breeds 

 on the marshes of Arzila and Foja near Monte Mor o Velho 

 and that two young ones taken from the nest and other spe- 

 cimens were sent to the Coimbra Museum from Montargil, 

 Ribatejo. I saw in the Coimbra Museum one of the nearly 

 black specimens which are sometimes met with. 



139. BuTEo VULGARIS, Lcach. '' Milhafre/' " Minhoto,'' 

 Oporto ; " Milhafre d'aza redonda,'' Coimbra. 



The Buzzard is resident and is the commonest of the 



