IN TRANSYLVANIA. 563 
trees are everywhere to be found growing at a much greater 
elevation in the mountains of Southern Europe than in the 
Northern Alps. 
It can hardly be considered strange that these circum- 
stances should exercise an influence on the bird-world, and 
that the various species should here occupy regions quite 
different to those which they frequent in the Alps of Central 
Hurope. 
After this cursory sketch of the general character of the 
district I will now proceed with my ornithological notes. In 
order to reach the lake of Zenoga, which lies near the summit 
of the Retyezat, we had to travel eight hours from the last 
village, which is situated on the edge of the plain, just at the 
feet of the steep mountains, and half of this time was spent in 
riding along a wonderfully beautiful mountain-stream, where 
a good many Dippers (Cinelus aquaticus), Grey Wagtails, and 
a few Common Wrens (Troglodytes parvulus) were flitting 
about the banks and stones. 
The Dippers were all of the brown variety, considered by 
some naturalists to be a distinct species, their heads being 
brown, their underparts rusty brown, and the white of their 
breasts less extended than in the ordinary form. 
These three were the only species that I saw for a long time, 
for the virgin forests of the Transylvanian Alps are just as 
destitute of bird-life as those of Hungary and the northern 
part of the country. The beautiful Ural Owl (Syrnium ura- 
lense) is also said to occur in them; but it is certainly rarer 
than in the Northern Carpathians, where I have repeatedly 
seen it, and in both ranges the Hazel-Grouse exists in con- 
siderable numbers. 
After riding for about two hours I saw the first birds of 
prey, namely several Short-toed Hagles, and later on a 
good many Cinereous and Griffon Vultures, with one or two 
“Stein” Eagles (Aquila fulva). In the zone of the beeches 
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