184 Mr. H. J. Elwes on the 



of tlie mountains where food can be j)rocnred, it is a 

 very much more agreeable way of collecting Alpine 

 species to be on the ground than to have to ride some 

 hours daily over bad mountain paths and to put up 

 with the dirt and insects usually found in Bulgarian 

 villages. We quite expected, on account of the southern 

 latitude of these mountains, which are little north of 42'', 

 to experience a hot and dry climate, but were surprised to 

 find that on the north and east slopes at any rate the 

 climate was, in the summer of 1899 at least, both cooler 

 and more rainy than in any part of the Swiss, Italian or 

 Austrian AIjds which I have visited, and though snow lies 

 in patches on the highest northern slopes of the mountains, 

 whose culminating peak, Mus-alla, is a little over 9600 

 feet, there are no snow-fields of any extent or glaciers. 

 The general character of the flora as well as the birds arc 

 more northern, and indicate a colder and damper climate 

 than any mountain range so far south in Europe with 

 which I am acquainted. 



Leaving Sofia on June 21st we skirted the high Vitosch 

 mountain, which lies just west of the town, and drove over 

 a low pass to Samokov through a country which did not 

 appear from an entomological point of view very attractive, 

 the plains being cultivated and the hills overrun with 

 sheep and pigs. At this town we found decent lodgings 

 in an inn, and hired horses to go to Rilo Monastir, which 

 is a large ancient monastery lying in a very beautiful 

 wooded valley in the middle of the mountains. It can be 

 reached in one day's Jjard riding from Samokov, as Mrs. 

 NichoU returned that way in one day, but owing to delays 

 caused by bad roads and bad weather we were four days on 

 the road, and found in crossing the pass, which is nearly 

 7000 feet high, that we were too early for most of the 

 Alpine species. 



When we got down to the monastery, however, which is 

 at an elevation of about 4000 feet, we found a good many 

 species of butterflies out, and I can recommend this place 

 as a good centre for any one unprovided with tents, as it 

 can be reached on wheels from Sofia via Dubnitza, and 

 the monks are very hospitable. The valley is deep and 

 heavily timbered in most parts up to about 6000 feet with 

 pine, fir and beecli, the slopes above that being grassy and 

 running up into rocky peaks and crags which are the home 

 of the chamois. The forests in the more inaccessible 



