PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA, probably the " Menesthei Portus " of Ptolemy, commonly called EL PUERTO (" The Port "), a town of Spain, in the province of Cadiz, 7 miles to the north-east of that city (21/ miles by rail; see sketch map, vol. iv. p. 627), near the mouth and on the right bank of the Guadalete, which is here crossed by a suspension bridge. It is a pleasant and well-built though somewhat dull town, in a fertile country, and its houses resemble those of Cadiz, -though they are often larger and profusely decorated with painting. Calle Larga, the principal street, is handsome and well-paved ; there are several "alamedas " or public promenades, that of La Victoria being the finest. The place is famous for its bull-fights, that given here in honour of Wellington being the subject of the considerably idealized description in Byron's Childe Harold. Among the public buildings is a large Jesuit college, recently established. Puerto is chiefly important as a wine-exporting place; the "bodegas" or wine-stores are large and lofty, but hardly equal to those of Xerez. The harbour is formed by the river ; its mouth is considerably obstructed by a bar. There is regular steam communication with Cadiz. Timber and iron are the chief imports. The population of the municipality in December 1877 was 22,125.