Mr. W. C. Tait on the Birds of Portugal. 373 



sometimes perch to pick off parasites. There are examples 

 in the Coimbra and Lisbon Museums, and I expect the birds 

 are not uncommon on the banks of the Tagus. At Aljiiarca 

 they are said to go about in flocks and to be rather tame. 



164. Ardearalloides. '^Papa-ratos/^ Coimbra Museum. 

 There are specimens of the Squacco Heron in the Coimbra 



and Lisbon Museums from Corruche and Evora. On May 

 14th, 1882, 1 saw three of these birds on the side of the lake at 

 Esmoriz, as I passed close in a boat, having my binocular with 

 me at the time. Li all probability this is a summer visitant, 

 as I never met with it whilst shooting in the marshes in 

 autumn or winter. 



165. Ardetta minuta (Linn.). " Gar96to,^^ Ovar, Estar- 

 reja and Augeja; ^^ Touro gallego," Vagos, Aveiro; "Gar- 

 cenho,^' Coimbra Museum, 



The Little Bittern is abundant on the marshes about Ovar, 

 Estarreja, and other suitable localities, to which it is a sum- 

 mer visitant. It makes a nest in the tall reeds just raised 

 above the level of the water, of reed-stalks lined with leaves 

 or rushes, on which are deposited four to six white eggs. 

 When flushed, the buff colour of the body and the black of 

 the wings are very conspicuous. As winter approaches, the 

 bird disappears, though I have known one shot near Oporto 

 as late as the 20th November. On the 16th of May, 1882, a 

 Little Bittern was caught alive in a dark cellar of a house at 

 the mouth of the Douro. It is supposed that it was migra- 

 ting by night, and that, as daylight broke, it made for the 

 nearest dark place, which happened to be the cellar of this 

 house. 



166. BoTAURUs STELLARis (Linn.) . " Ronca,^^ " Touro- 

 pauV Estarreja; '^^ Abetouro,'^ Coimbra Museum. 



I believe the Common Bittern to be a resident in Portugal. 

 I have often met with it while out Snipe-shooting on the 

 sides of the lagoon near Ovar and Estarreja in the winter 

 months ; but although Dr. Carvalho tells me that it nests in 

 the Eoja marsh near Coimbra, and the country people agree 

 in saying that it breeds in the marshes among the tall reeds, I 



