Ornithology of Asia Minor. 85 
We left Osmanieh January 23rd, and passing by the village 
of Dervish and the banks of the Hamus, ascended the ever- 
green-covered hills of the Giaour-dagh. Among the few fir 
trees our old friend Sitta krueperi was common enough; and 
the high-level valley near Bunaluk was well stocked with 
Francolins, though its elevation must be about 2000 feet. 
Bunaluk, or Baghdche, is a desolate sort of place, half Turk 
half Armenian, and is situated close up under the hills in a 
corner of the valley. Fallow deer were said to be numerous 
not far off ; and as the horns shown us were unlike any hitherto 
seen, we were anxious to get a specimen. A bad fall had 
fairly laid me up; so some native sportsmen were dispatched, 
who outstayed the time allotted them; but we subsequently 
learned that they returned with camels laden with twelve 
deer and some antelopes. 
From this point there are two route to Marash; but the 
shorter being closed by snow, we followed the longer through 
the defile considered by some to be the Pyle Amanides. 
Snowdrops, colchicums, and crocuses were blooming on 
the eastern side of the hills, down which a sharp descent led 
to a village on the edge of a lonely marshy country. This 
was a part of the so-called plain of Bazardjik, on which, four 
hours further to the north, are the wretched hovels of Sarilar 
and the lake of the Giaour-geul. 
By far the greater portion of this lake is so covered with 
tall reeds that it is impossible to get near the open water 
without using the native boats. These are regular “dug- 
outs,’ being hollowed from barked but undressed logs from 
20 to 30 feet long. They are worked by a paddle at each 
end, and are by no means bad craft when there is no wind 
to create a wash. 
A lot of reeds thrown in made dry seats, on which N. and 
I patiently sat while a good quarter of a mile of thickish ice 
was broken through before we emerged onto the more open 
water, which had been kept from freezing by the wind. How- 
ever, the sight that met us was well worth the trouble ; for on 
every side rose myriads of Ducks, Anas boscas, A. acuta, A. 
elypeata, A, strepera, and A. crecca being the most numerous. 
