TATRA MOUNTAINS (Hungarian Tarczal)  or the High Tatra, the highest

group in the central Carpathians, and the central group of the whole Carpathian system . They extend between the rivers . Waag, Arva, Dunajec and Poprad, and form a sharply defined and isolated group, rising abruptly like a gigantic wall to an altitude of over 8400 ft. in the midst of a high plateau situated 2600 ft. above sea-level . The Tatra Mountains extend through the Hungarian counties of Liptb and Szepes, and with their northern extremities also through the Austrian crownland of Galicia, and have a length of 40 M. and a width varying between 9 and 15 M . The mean altitude is between 6000 and 7500 ft . The principal peaks are:—the Franz-Josef or Gerlsford (Hung . Gerlachfalvi-Cstics, 8737 ft.), the highest in the Carpathian system; the Lomnitz (Lomniczi-Csics, 8642 ft.); the Eisthal (Jegvolgyi-Csiccs, 863o ft.); the Tatraspitze or Hohe Visoka (8415 ft.); the Kesmark (8226 ft.); the Meeraugenspitze (Tengerszem-Csiccs, 8210 ft.); the Schlagendorf (Szalllki-Cs1ecs, 8o5o ft.); and the Krivan (8190 ft.) . The principal valleys, which lie at an altitude of 2600 to 3250 ft. above sea-level, and present some of the wildest scenery, are: the Kohlbach Valley, the Felka Valley, the Valley of Mengsdorf, the Javorina Valley, the Kotlina Valley, in which is the stalactite cavern of Bela, and the Bielka Valley . One of the characteristics of the Tatra are the numerous mountain lakes (112 in number), called by the people " eyes of the sea." The largest of them are the Lake of Csorba, in the southern part of the group, which has an area of 50 acres; the Grosser Fischsee in the Bielka Valley; and the Wielki Staw, with an area of 85 acres, the largest of the Five Polish Lakes, which lie in the Rortoka Valley .