Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
2 Introduction different natural geographical features. Territorially, it covers the Kőszeg Hills (Kőszegi-hegység) and Sopron Hills (Soproni-hegység), including Vas Hill (Vas-hegy) and the hills beside Lake Fertő (Fertő-melletti-dombság), the gravelcovered plain beyond the River Rába (Rábántúl), the Vas Ridge (Vasi-Hegyhát) and Kemenes Ridge (Kemeneshát), and the West and East Zala ranges (NyugatZalai-dombság, Kelet-Zalai-dombság). It is clear from the list that the sub-Alpine region embraces only the middle parts of the West Hungarian border region. Strictly speaking, the sub-Alpine region (Praenoricum) covers only the three crystalline relict ranges edging the gravelcovered border country of the Kisalföld (Little Plain) —the Kőszeg and Sopron hills and Vas Hill —along with the Vas Ridge and the foothills of the Kőszeg Hills —the Kőszeg Foothills (Kőszeghegyalja) and Pinka Plateau (Pinkafennsík). 5 According to ERNŐ HORVÁTH, former head of the Natural History of Praenoricum 6 research programme, its research territory was to 'include the whole of Vas County (irrespective of the borders of Praenoricum), the parts of Győr-MosonSopron County west of the River Repce, and for now, the parts of Zala County up to the borders of the Praenoricum floral territory (the line of the Upper and Lower Válicka Valley). Later we want to extend this to Türje-Zalavár-Nagykanizsa-Letenye line, i.e. the edge of the continuous distribution of Scotch fir (Pinus sylvestris).' 7 Elsewhere, HORVÁTH explained, 'Our research territory covers not only Vas County, but the sub-Alpine region, i.e. Praenoricum in the phytogeographical sense. This means it includes the territory of Győr-Moson-Sopron and Zala counties as well' (Figure 2.1). 8 The territory divided by the AustroHungarian border revision associated with the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain 9 is treated as one in this book, so that many data and communications about areas on the Austrian (and Slovenian) side are incorporated into the treatment. Change in the distribution of animal populations and their wandering lifestyle, migration or simply straying mean inevitably that strict, accurate borders cannot be drawn round the region examined. Furthermore, some works on fauna do not limit themselves to the territory defined here, so that several articles on the fauna of Ság Hill or the Hanság district are included. The very rich literature on the Austrian side of Lake Fertő has been summarized in 5 ÁDÁM, L. 1975. A Nyugat-magyarországi-peremvidék (The West Hungarian border region). In ÁDÁM, L., and S. MAROSI eds. A Kisalföld és a Nyugat-magyarországi-permevidék (The Little Plain and West Hungarian Border Region). Magyarország tájföldrajza (Topography of Hungary) series 3, 229-546. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. 6 Az Alpokalja Természeti Képe. 7 HORVÁTH, E. 1980. Jelentés a Vas Megyei Múzeumok 1975-1976. évi munkájáról. Természettudományi Osztály (Report on the work of the Vas County Museums in 1975-6, Natural History Department). Savaria a Vas megyei Múzeumok Értesítője (1975-6) 9-10:349-55. 8 HORVÁTH, E. 1981. Az Alpokalja kutatás hat esztendeje (Six years of research of Praenoricum). Alpokalja Természeti Képe, Közlemények (1976-81) 1:15-20. 9 Hungary's post-war border with Austria was decided by the Treaty of Saint-Germain signed on September 10, 1919, not by the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, as its other borders were. The border was definitively altered by Venice Agreement of October 13, 1921.
