by the
Romans, and, in the middle ages, by the Ragusans. After 1881 the Mining
Company of Bosnia began to develop the coal and iron fields; and from
1886 its operations were continued by the government. Valuable salt is
obtained from the pits at Dolnja Tuzla, and the southern part of
Herzegovina yields asphalt and lignite. Mineral springs also abound, and
those of Ilidze, near Serajevo, have been utilized since the days of
the Romans; but the majority remained unexploited at the beginning of
the 20th century.

3. _Climate._--In climate Bosnia differs considerably from Herzegovina.
In both alike the _scirocco_, bringing rain from the south-west, is a
prevalent wind, as well as the _bora_, the fearful north-north-easter of
Illyria, which, sweeping down the lateral valleys of the Dinaric Alps,
overwhelms everything in its path. The snow-fall is slight, and, except
on a few of the loftier peaks, the snow soon melts. In Bosnia the
weather resembles that of the south Austrian highlands, generally mild,
though apt to be bitterly cold in winter. In Serajevo the mean annual
temperature is 50 deg. Fahr. Herzegovina has more affinity to the
Dalmatian mountains, oppressively hot in summer, when the mercury often
rises beyond 110 deg. Fahr. The winter rains of the Karst region show
that it belongs to the sub-tropical climatic zone.

4. _Fauna._--In 1893 the bones of a cave-bear (_Ursus spelaeus_) were
taken from a cavern of the Bjelasnica range, in Herzegovina, a discovery
without parallel in the Balkan Peninsula. Of existing species the bear,
wild-boar, badger, roe-deer and chamois may occasionally be seen in the
remotest wilds of mountain and forest. Hares are uncommon, and the last
red-deer was shot in 1814; but wolves, otters and squirrels abound.
Snipe, woodcock, ducks and rails, in vast flocks, haunt the banks of the
Drina and Save; while the crane, pelican, wild-swan and wild-goose are
fairly plentiful. The lammergeier (_Gypaetus barbatus_) had almost
become extinct in 1900; but several varieties of eagle and falcon are
left. Falconry was long a pastime of the Moslem landlords. The
destruction of game, recklessly carried out under Turkish rule, is
prevented by the laws of 1880, 1883 and 1893, which enforced a close
time, and rendered shooting-licences necessary. The list of reptiles
includes the venomous _Vipera ammodytes_ and _Pelias berus_, while
scorpions and lizards infest the stony wastes of the Karst. In the
museum at