31 
monachus Vultures In the surrounding mountains, which apparently 
have never been visited by birdwatchers, needs checking. Evidence 
suggests a marked decline in recent decades. 
The area is also i-nporc-int Ln tlie post breeding period for waders, 
gulls and terns and systeiaatic counts between July and Septe:Tiber 
would add greatly to our knowledge of the importance of the site. 
Tiireats to the area appe-ir to have been mainly from draiaage with 
Calti Golli drained troai some lumdreds of hectares to a mere 35 
hectares in 1981; The lake held up to 3,230 Red-crested Pochard 
Netta rufina , 70,000 Pochard Aythya ferina and 40,000 Coot Fulica 
a tra in winter so the drainage has been particularly detrimental for 
these species. 
A NATO airbase is currently under construction and planes will fly 
low over Acigol at take-off and landing. The current hunting 
practices are unknown although a Common Crane was reported trapped 
some 20 years ago. 
Many of the previous sites In the Birds of Turkey series have been 
away from the main tourist areas of Turkey. Acigol, however, Is in 
easy reach of tourist centres. It is hoped that this publication 
will stimulate visits to Acigol and establish its importance 
particularly In the post-breeding summer period. 
Simon Albrecht 
Per Bafasee; Natur und Geschichte In der tUrklBchen Agais by 
Max Kasparek. 1988, Heidelberg; Max Kasparek Verlag. 174pp, 
paperback, DM 34-50 (obtainable from the author, Bleich Str. I, 6900 
Heidelberg, West Germany) . 
This is a study of both history and natural history at Bafa Gttlii in 
south-west Turkey. It is a somewhat curious combination, but 
clearly a powerful one for the tourist. Bafa Gcilii has an enormously 
rich cultural heritage, and Kasparek' s photographs, plans and 
sketches of ancient buildings and their features flesh out over 40 
pages of text devoted to the lor^ history of the area. Another 27 
pages go on plants (24 of them being a mere list of species), five 
on mammals, 32 on birds and 12 on other animals. 
The bird list records 256 species for the lake and Its shores, with 
an average of aroun.l threo lines of annotation per species; much the 
longest entries are for the waterbirds. It is very largely these 
"waterbirds" that nake Bafa GcJlli of major international luportance 
for conservation (the numbers in brackets Indicate estimated pairs): 
Pygmy Cormorint Pha lacrocorax pygmeus (10), Little Bittern 
Ixobrychus mlnutus (10) , Night Heron Nyctlcorax nyctlcorax (10-20), 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (5-10), Little Ev^ret Hgretta 
garzetta (100), Purple 'Heron Ardea purpurea (5-10), White St irk 
Ciconia ciconia (<2 5) , Ruddy She 1 duck Tadorna ferruglnea ' J -30), 
