Mr. W. C. Tait on the Birds of Portugal. 379 



On the coast of Algarve, near Va. Nova de Portimao^ I saw 

 many large caverns scooped out of the cHffs by the action of 

 the waves, and in these the Rock Doves nest in great num- 

 bers. In the neighbourhood of Mertola I was told that 

 these birds nest in the galleries of the deserted manganese 

 mines. 



194. TuRTUR COMMUNIS, Sclby. '' Rola," Portugal ; 

 "Rola/^ Galicia, Spain. 



The Turtle Dove is abundant in summer over the whole of 

 Portugal, and is the dominant Pigeon of the country. They 

 usually arrive at Oporto in the beginning of April, some- 

 times a little earlier, and leave from the latter part of August 

 till the 20th September, a straggler or two remaining later. 

 They may be heard cooing in my small wood of chestnut- 

 trees, which is not far from the centre of the city of Oporto, 

 and their note, with those of the Blackbird, Blackcap, Wry- 

 neck, Chaffinch, and other birds, gives a rural charm to the 

 place. Immense numbers of Turtle Doves migrate south in 

 the autumn along the coast of Portugal, preferring an east 

 wind, and travelling in large and also small flocks, from 500 

 to 1000 yards from the sea. Should the wind be mild they 

 fly very high, but if strong they sometimes almost skim the 

 tops of the Indian corn. At the proper season of the year, 

 as soon as the dry east wind begins to blow, the gunners 

 collect in the early morning along the sea-coast to intercept 

 the unfortunate travellers, and at Foz do Douro a continuous 

 fusilade may be heard from shortly after sunrise until about 

 10 o^clock in the morning. 



In reference to the migration, a friend caught one on the 

 24th September, 1878, in the Bay of Biscay. The light- 

 house-keeper at Foz told me that sometimes Turtle Doves 

 strike against the lantern at night, and one morning he found 

 two lying dead under the lantern. If some take to travel- 

 ling at night it is not surprising that birds are met with so 

 far from land. After the morning flight the Turtle Doves 

 feed in the fields during the day, or rest in trees, and as 

 evening comes on a few make a short flight before sunset. 



