This book was released yesterday in the cafe of Baltazar Dias Theatre and shows unpublished data about the ecology and conservation of the bird species nesting in the archipelago.

The authors of "Aves do Arquipélago da Madeira", Dília Menezes e Paulo Oliveira, two biologists working for the Natural Park of Madeira abridge all the Madeira Archipelago avifauna, from the common Melro Preto (Turdus merula) to the shy Freira da Madeira (Pterodroma madeira).

Directed to ornithologists, students, naturalists and also to the general public, the present book has a general knowledge side and another one more technical and scientific.

For the next year an English version of the book will be available.

From 7th to 19th December 3 tents will be placed in Avenida Arriaga (in front of Secretaria Regional do Turismo e Cultura) plenty of artistic manifestations including painting, sculpture, design, multimedia projection, video, photography, theatre, dance, music and fashion.

This event is supported by Funchal City Council, Tourism and Culture Secretariat, Youth Institute, Artistic Education Coordinator Cabinet, among other entities.

Tomorrow, at 9.30 p.m. there will be a session of Fado in the RDP Madeira Auditory with the aim of collecting donations for the portuguese children carrying HIV. "Um Abraço um Fado", the name of the show, will count with the presence of many Fado singers as Marizé, Eugénia Maria, Vânia Frenandes, Lurdes Nóbrega, Amália do Rosário, Gabriel Mota, Amorim Gonçalves, Egídio Freitas e José Cândido, followed by João Alvarez (acustic guitar), Susana (bass) and César Abrantes (portuguese guitar).

The tickets are available in Associação Abraço (Rua de Santa Maria, 111), Secretaria Regional do Turismo (information sector) and in the RDP Madeira Auditory. You can also reach for them by e-mail: amalia.do.rosario@netmadeira.com.

In Madeira Island the Christmas parties start in the very beginning of December. Funchal city gets illuminated with lights of all colors, surrounding the trees and making many different figures above de streets.

The tradition says that everybody must make liqueur of many different fruits like custard apple, tangerine, mandarin, passion fruit and so on. It is also a costume getting some molasses cookies and molasses cake made. The cake is very rich in spices and dry fruits.

Typical is also the 23th December night when people from all over the island get to Mercado dos Lavradores (Funchal city market), drinking, eating, singing Christmas Carols and enjoying Christmas spirit.

In the dawns from 16th to 24th December, about 6 a.m., a mass is celebrated to praise to Our Lady and to prepare a Christmas far away from the consumption and from the materialistic side of it. They are denominated by the locals Missas do Parto, parturition masses.

There is another catholic celebration which is Missa do Galo, cock's mass, that takes place on Christmas Eve at 12 p.m., allusive to Jesus Christ birth.

The gifts are usually offered and opened in the 25th December. In the same day the lunch served in every home is Carne de Vinho e Alhos which means garlic and wine pork due to its condiments, and it is served with potatoes boiled and bread fried in its condiments sauce. The dessert is usually Arroz Doce, sweet rice, a pudding made with rice, condensed milk, eggs and cinnamon.