366 Mr. W. H. Simpson's Fortnight 



long files of them are ever flying tbrough the channel — an up 

 and down train several hundred yards in length being often 

 in sight at the same time. These are the dmes damnees of 

 sultanas who got the sack under the old regime^ each separate 

 train being perhaps part of the establishment of a difl'erent 

 Sultan. Not that all these poor restless spirits were necessarily 

 frail ones : harems must have been expensive in those days, as 

 they were lately proved to be under Sultan Abdul Medjid, and 

 when the inmates became ugly or strong-minded, the sack was 

 more economical than a pension. 



To the north of where these earth-cliffs terminate, the lakes, 

 backwatei's, and rough sand-hills intervening between the sea 

 and the uplands are sure to be favourite places of resort for 

 Waders and Wild-fowl dui'ing the spring and autumn flights ; 

 these being from their position a place of call as it were on the 

 direct line of East-European migrations, a sort of halfway house 

 between the South and the North. Pelicans bound for the mus- 

 quito-haunted delta of the Danube ; Ducks, Geese, Plovers, and 

 Snipes, of many species besides those which breed here, on their 

 way to Poland and Kussia ; Stints from their African winter- 

 quarters going to Lapland, Siberia, and the farthest north, — 

 all are likely to be met with here at their respective seasons. Ex- 

 cepting my two visits to Sud Geul, I never had an opportunity 

 of examining this district ; but on one of those occasions a flock 

 of Pelicans (probably Pelecaims onocrotalus) , consisting of several 

 thousands, w^as noticed moving northwards at an immense height. 

 Tribes of Cossack fishermen prey upon the fowl hereabouts ; 

 they have the reputation of being very active eggers. We our- 

 selves took the nest of a Wild Goose (believed to be Anserferus). 

 I noticed also Stilts [Himantopus Candidas), which undoubtedly 

 breed here, the Double Snipe, Common Curlew, Common Snipe, 

 and Kentish Plover amongst the V/aders, besides the Hooper 

 [Cygnus 7nusicus), Common Wild Ducks in great quantities, the 

 Shoveler, Pochai'd, and Garganey, and some other ducks not made 

 out with equal certainty. To the great numbers o( Larus minutus 

 allusion has already been made. Strange to say, the birds of 

 prey, so numerous generally in the Dobrudscha, were not well 

 represented here, possibly for want of appropriate breeding- 



