TRAVEL, SPORT, AND ORNITHOLOGY IN 

 ASIA MINOR 



ON Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1897, I left Smyrna on 

 a journey to the Murad Dagh, a moun- 

 tain range in the interior of the country, 

 where I hoped to come across deer, and where I also 

 thought I should be likely to find the nesting-places 

 of the various species of eagles and vultures that 

 are indigenous to Asia Minor. February may seem 

 somewhat early for birds' nesting, but the larger birds 

 of prey I knew to be early breeders in Asia Minor ; 

 and as I had taken a nest of the short-toed eagle (Cir- 

 cdetus gallicus) containing one egg, in that country, 

 on the loth of February, 1894, I thought it probable 

 that the golden and imperial eagles, as well as the 

 cinereous and griffon vultures, would also be likely 

 to lay their eggs during the same month or early in 

 March. 



Starting from the seacoast at eight in the morning 

 by the Aidin railway, the town of Chivril was reached 

 at 7.30 in the evening. Although a sprinkling of 

 snow still lay on the tops of the mountains which 

 enclose the beautiful Bay of Smyrna, the air had been 

 warm and balmy during the few days I had spent 



