192 Sketch of the Botany, $c, 



Art. VI. Sketch of the Botany, fyc, of the Neighbourhood of 

 Hyeres. By G. Mumby, Esq. 



In the course of a tour made during the last summer 

 (1836), in company with Messrs. Percy and Wells, for the 

 purpose of exploring the natural productions of the south of 

 France, the neighbourhood of Hyeres, of which I now in- 

 tend giving some description, appeared to me the most inte- 

 resting part of the country. 



The town of Hyeres is situated at the most southern 

 extremity of the department of the Var, which forms a part of 

 the ancient Basse Provence, taking its name from the river 

 Var, which bounds it towards the east. Hyeres was known 

 to the Greeks by the name of Hieros, but afterwards received 

 that of Area? from the Romans, who enriched this town with 

 many monuments, the whole of which have disappeared at the 

 present day, having been destroyed by the Africans, who made 

 several incursions into France during the thirteenth century. 

 The present town of Hyeres is built in the form of an amphi- 

 theatre, upon the southern slope of a hill which overlooks the 

 Mediterranean ; being protected from the north and east 

 winds by hills which surround it. The streets are narrow' 

 and dirty ; and the remains of the castle, nothing of which is 

 left but the entrance, is the only object of interest which art 

 presents to the tourist: we may, however, except the bust of 

 Massillon, the celebrated divine, who first drew breath at 

 this place. The climate is delightful, consisting of a per- 

 petual spring; and on this account Hyeres becomes the win- 

 ter residence of a host of invalids and hypochondriacs, who 

 are blest with the means of supporting the expense attendant 

 on a sojourn in a distant country. The number of rainy days 

 averages forty during the year: during last year (1835) the 

 number was reduced to thirty-three. Snow is rare; and, 

 from 1806 to 1835, inclusive, the ground has been covered 

 with it eight times only: in 1830, it remained on the ground 

 a whole day ; and in ] 829, as long as two days. 



We arrived at this interesting spot on the 29th of June, 

 having walked from Toulon, which is at a distance of about 

 twelve miles. Although we arrived at Hyeres almost melted 

 by the heat of the sun, and blinded by the reflection of its 

 rays from the limestone roads, yet we considered ourselves 

 amply repaid by meeting with, for the first time, the Convol- 

 vulus althaeoides, which expanded its blushing flowers in 

 abundance on the road side; we also gathered the Lavatera 

 Olbia*, pushing its branches to the height of 10 ft. or 12 ft., 



* So called by Linnaeus, from Olbia, an ancient name of the town of 

 Hyeres. 



