Jugoslovenski Rotar

influence of modern civilisation which does not tolerate this nomadic form of cattle breeding, the regular rythm of these wanderings was interrupted. This lead to a disproportionate and fast exploatation of vegetation resulting in an almost complete devastation. To-day when the coastal region has been transformed into a Karst desert cattle breeding is made possible only by alpine pastures in the highest of the mountains. These аге at the same time the most beautiful and the most intereesting regions of this mountain system.

The Dinarie Alps rise to moderate heights. Their culminating points being Maja lake in Albania with 2.700 meters (8.500 ft), Golemi Korab on the Albanian frontier with 2.764 meters and in the interior of the Yugoslav territory the highest peaks are Djerovica in the Prokletija with 2.656 meters and Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor with 2.525 meters. And still the Dinaric Alps give the impression of really high mountains. This is due to their mesozoic limestone formation, to their specific Karst physiognomy, to their unusual development, to their rocks and sharp crags, to their peculiar white peaks and especially to the great differences in relative heights between the deep river beds and vertiginous summits. The Prenj mountain itself, although not distant from the sea — in fact so near it that on its southern slopes one can hear the chirping of cicadas even to the height of 2.000 meters — in the shade of its beautifully formed cliffs and ridges harbours the eternal snow. Tho neighbouring Cvrsnica mountain although its slopes are massive while it is crowned by heavy rock hides in its strangely beautiful passes the loveliness of forests and flowery pastures for wild game. That is why the Royal family chose this spot for their special preserve for chamois. The deeper we enter in the Dinaric Alps the faster disappears the bare Karst, and beyond the watershed, on the north-eastern slopes of these mountains, we have mighty forests, huge expanses of conifers and foliate trees. The mountains Vratnica, Vlasié, Zvijezda, Jahorina, Romanija, and further down across the green Bosnia as far as the river Drina, represent by their forests great wealth which is in the course of exploatation and they appeal to the romantic sense of the visitor.

The Dinaric Alps are the most interesting at the watershed of the two main Dinaric rivers the Neretva and the Drina. Here we have the mountains Tovarnica, Zelengora, Magli¢, Bioé and Volujak. Maglić and its surrounding mountains rise to medium height. Their slopes are covered by dense forests. On its outstanding ridges grows the white pine — pinus leucodermis — as well as a very rare variety of pine tree — picea omorica Panéi¢i. Above the forest line extend the alpine pasture lands which are used in the summer by the herdsmen from Herzegovina. At this time when the huts of the shepherds are inhabited there is a festive atmosphere on these mountains. At the edge of the forest in the shade of old beech trees wooden huts are constructed, stately and imposing. Here milk products are prepared, specially cheese and cream, according to old precepts in sheep and goat skins. These Dinaric delicacies are the same to-day as they were in the days when the Romans used to obtain from the Illyrian mountains their supplies of caseus illyricus and caseus dardanicus. From the huts