Shumen Plateau Nature Park (excluding mosses). The faunal species reported consist of 350 invertebrates and more than 240 vertebrates. The mammals recorded are: badger ("Meles meles"), beech marten ("Martes foina"), fox ("Vulpes vulpes"), red deer ("Cervus elaphus"), roe deer ("Capreolus capreolus"), wild boar ("Sus scrofa") and soforth. There are also several species of avifauna. The reptile species reported include Aesculapian snake ("Elaphe longissima"), European green lizard ("Lacerta viridis"), Hermann's tortoise ("Testudo hermanni"), horned viper ("Vipera ammodytes"), spur-thighed tortoise ("Testudo graeca"), and wall lizard ("Podarcis muralis"). Animals, which are under different protection categories, reported in the park are: black woodpecker ("Dryocopus martius"), Eurasian eagle-owl ("Bubo
River Meles be subject to contradictory views among scholars and other concerned parties. Homer is connected with the valley of Smyrna and the banks of the Meles. His figure was one of the stock types on coins of Smyrna, one class of which showed the poet sitting, holding a volumen on his knees, and supporting his chin on his right hand was called "Homerian" by numismatists. The epithet "Melesigenes" (which means, "son of Meles" was applied to him. The cave where he was to compose his poems was described as being near the source of the river, his temple, the Homereion, stood