110 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
Q. pubescens, the most common sessile-fruited Oak in the sou h 
of Europe. The Cork tree is also frequent in the Landes; but 
in the part I crossed, there were but a few and stunted indi- 
-~ viduals, i 
“ It was on a cloudy day that we arrived at Pau, and the 
Pyrénées were hidden from view; but the next morning, 
going out on the promenade, their long line of rugged peaks, 
extending along the whole of the south, near and distinct, 
backed by a perfectly clear sky, produced in me sensations 
which I had not felt for a long time and during the whole 
day that I remained at Pau, I could scarcely take my eyes 
from the fascinating object. Perhaps it is owing to the ass 
ciation of my ideas with the happy tour I formerly made 
there, as well as from the peculiar nature of these mountains, 
‘springing so suddenly and majestically from the plains below, 
but the view of the Pyrénées, from every point on the Fre : 
side, did always appear to me to excel any chain of the Alps 
though the latter be on a very much larger scale; andit w s 
with the greatest delight that on the 2d of August, we at last 
entered the Valley of Ossau, leading to this place. Yet the 
day was most scorching, the country, even to the mountain 
pastures, burnt up by the unusual drought, and it was in 
cloud of dust that we toiled up the road as slowly as over- 
tired post-horses could drag us, and this place, enclosed 
deep narrow gully opening into, or rather shut out from the 
eastern branch of the great valley, felt so close and sul | 
that nothing but its wild woody precipitous sides, crowned 
by rocky peaks and patches of snow, reminded us that we 
were close under mountains, rising to near 9000 feet above 
the sea. LA depths j vito eee 
** I had met at Pau with a M. Manescon, the master of the 
post and diligence, who is an amateur of Botany, and recom- 
mended me to the apothecary here, M. Cazeaux, who has 
some knowledge of the science, and through whom I m ide 
acquaintance with the intelligent self-taught, but really e: 
lent naturalist of the Vale of Ossau, Pierre Sacazes Ga: 
a peasant and shepherd, who though far from being poo: 
