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 

 Europe. 



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 ( Cinclus aquations) , 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 (Si/rnium 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 Eagles, and later on a 

 good many Cinereous and Griffon Vultures, with one or two 

 ." Stein " Eagles (Aguila fulva) . In the zone of the beeches 



2o2 



