of Central Bulgaria. 407 



hundred and fifty miles, and varying in breadth from fifty to 

 one hundred miles. Athough ray observations have been made 

 principally (but by no means exclusively) along the route of the 

 Varna and Uustchuk Railway, still I may conclude that the or- 

 nithology of this particular line of country is identical with that 

 of the entire district before mentioned — because the whole of 

 this tract of country is of the same character as that more par- 

 ticularly described, while the neighbouring districts which 

 bound it geographically are entirely different, the Dobroutza*, 

 to the eastward, being a high table-land, nearly level and devoid 

 of trees, while to the westward rises the rough and rugged 

 mountain-range of the Balkans. 



Having been engaged in the construction of the Varna and 

 Rustchuk Railway, and resident in the country for nearly three 

 years, I have had ample opportunities of observing nearly all 

 the birds which are found in this land of sun and frost ; but as 

 my attention has been more particularly directed towards the 

 diurnal birds of prey, it is on this group alone that I will now 

 venture to make any remarks, merely adding that every species 

 here described has come under my own personal notice, and 

 that I have specimens of nearly all obtained in this country. 



VuLTUR MONACHUs, Linn. Cinereous Vulture. 



In Central Bulgaria this is by no means a common species ; 

 still it is to met with, during the breeding-season and summer 

 months, among the thickly wooded hills that border on the 

 Pravidy Valley, and in other similar situations. 



In habits I have found this species somewhat shy, principally 

 frequenting the wooded districts, and seldom venturing into the 

 open country. It also appears to be of an unsociable disposi- 

 tion, seldom mixing with the other Vultures, except to fraternize 

 with them at their common feasts of carrion, when, indeed, they 

 are frequently to be seen amicably feeding together ofi' the same 

 carcass. 



I have noticed these birds only during the spring and sum- 

 mer; they certainly do not remain during the winter, and they 

 are therefore (in some degree, at least) migratory. 



* [For a notice of the ornithology of this district, see the entertaining 

 paper in • The Ibis ' for 18G1, pp. 301-374.— Ed.] 



