of Central Bulgaria. 409 



nearly the entire valley, thus forming numberless stagnant 

 pools. In some places it resembles nothing so much as a deep 

 ravine cut in the rocks, which rise perpendicularly on both sides ; 

 and it is these spots that are so much frequented by the Griffon 

 Vulture and a variety of other birds ; and, the rocks being rid- 

 dled with naturally formed caves, they breed here literally ia 

 flocks. 



During my residence at Pravidy I kept a collection of live 

 birds of prey amounting to some forty in all, and among them 

 I had three specimens of the GriJ0Pon Vulture. I found them 

 very noisy and pugnacious, especially about feeding-time ; and 

 they would fight among themselves, and sometimes with other 

 birds, in a most determined way. They made use in these 

 combats of their beaks and wings, but never of their claws after 

 the manner of the Falconidce. 



Neophron percnopterus (Linn.). Egyptian Vulture. 



In the Pravidy Valley, the neighbourhood of Shumla, and 

 wherever the hills show a broken face of rock, there I found 

 this Vulture pretty abundant; but in the open country and 

 wooded district, although occasionally to be met with, it is com- 

 paratively scarce. It arrives here early in March, leaving again 

 about the end of October. Nidification commences somewhat 

 later than with G.fulvus, and not much before the beginning of 

 April, as a rule, but varies slightly with the season. In con- 

 finement I found this a very dull and sheepish sort of a bird. 



Falco sacer, Gmelin. Saker. 



This noble Falcon, although not so plentiful as some others 

 of its tribe, is in this country by no means a very rare bird. 

 From April to October it is pretty generally to be met with on 

 the barren wastes which stretch from Hasique to Kushetchen. 

 Whether it remains here during the winter is a question about 

 which I am not absolutely decided ; but I am inclined to think 

 it does. Some specimens I certainly have seen during the depth 

 of winter; but they seem scarcer during the severe cold which 

 freezes the mighty Danube. 



In the spring of 1865 my friend Mr. Robert Barkley, when 

 residing at Shitangick, in charge of the railway-works in that 



