1640 SHEEP 



of the coast ; 2) the non-migrating flocks of the Mid-dinaric zone, and 

 3) the migrating flocks of the Pannonian Plain. These three groups cor- 

 respond to the three divisions of the region brought about bj' the position 

 of the mountain range which runs from north west to south east. On the 

 Adriatic side the country shows all the signs of the Mediterranean in- 

 fluence in climate, flora and fauna ; but on the Pannonian Plain which is 

 on the northern and north eastern side of the ridge, the climate, flora 

 and fauna of Central Europe prevail. Between these two zones lies the 

 region of high mountains where conditions of life have arisen somewhat 

 similar to those found in Alpine regions. 



I. The travelling of flocks in the Adriatic zone. — Between the coast 

 and the watershed 3 regions are distinguished : i) the low region, reaching 

 up to 800 to 2500 ft. in its highest parts, occupied by the villages of the 

 people who undertake the summer migrations, 2) the intermediate zone 

 where stock raising is practised without migrations ; 3) the zone of summer 

 pastures on the high mountains, occupied intermittently. Migrations begin 

 early in June. In the low region the drought is severe and the population 

 labour incessantly to increase the water supply. With infinite trouble too, 

 they reclaim and cultivate small isolated pieces of land, going so far in 

 some places as to gather manure in the village streets to place in the cre- 

 vices of rocks and then planting vines therein. In other places they build 

 walls across the dry beds of torrents so that in the rainy season a sediment 

 should be deposed ; by persevering for 30 years, one man has obtained a 

 field yielding 2 tons of maize by such means. 



Where a suitable hill adjoins the village, lambing stations are often 

 established at altitudes of 1500 to 2500 ft. to which the flocks are brought 

 from the high mountain for the winter season, but if there is no convenient 

 hill of that kind then the flocks are brought right down to the villages. 

 Where the neighbouring foothills reach an altitude of over 4000 ft. then 

 the flocks do not need to migrate to the high mountains for summer pasture. 



In the region of Duvno (western Herzego^dna) the migrations depend 

 on the water table. During exceptional droughts, it may occur that shep- 

 herds who have returned home from the high mountain in early autumn 

 have to take their flocks back to higher altitudes for water. On some routes, 

 such as those from the arid Karst region, there are regular halting places 

 where the shepherds remain for some time. 



A more primitive form of migration exists in some parts where the en- 

 tire population leaves the ^nllages for six months of the year and accom- 

 panies the flocks to the high mountains. In other parts where the land is 

 more fertile, tillage has largely replaced stock raising and migrations have 

 been abandoned on account of the small size of the flocks. 



II. The non-migrating flocks of the Mid-dinaric zone. — This zone con- 

 sists of a high region (above 2300 ft. on the Adriatic side) where the rainfall 

 is well distributed throughout the year and the sunmier heat never excess- 

 ive. Local migrations only take place from the deep river valleys which 

 even in those altitudes are unbearably hot in summer. Being very narrow 

 the cultivated surface is very restricted and further it is planted in fririt 



