140 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



of the humblest description, we were again in the region 

 of brown fields and old farmsteads. 



Coueron village, which is marked by a modern 

 church with an aggressive spire, extends along the river 

 bank, but since its streets run parallel with it, the river 

 itself is seen only at certain openings, occurring at irreg- 

 ular intervals. In going to "La Gerbetiere" by the 

 course I have described, the Loire was not visible at any 

 point, and was not seen until we emerged from one of 

 the village streets at the steamer's pier. My guide had 

 said that from the rise at the next crossroads we should 

 see the roof of the house which we had come to visit, and 

 his prediction was verified when I recognized immedi- 

 ately its cupola raised above the gray stone walls which 

 there bound every highway and field. The old villa is 

 rather less than a mile from the village, but owing to the 

 rolling nature of the country, it is completely hidden 

 until at close approach it stands suddenly revealed. It 

 lies in a fork of the road, securely inclosed by high, 

 massive walls of stone, now hoary with age, while on 

 the front it is further screened by a natural growth of 

 bushes and trees. Immediately behind and to the west 

 rises a prominent butte which cuts off the view to Port 

 Launay on the river ; this forms the one distinctive land- 

 mark of the district, as its two windmill towers are vis- 

 ible from all surrounding points. In Audubon's day 

 the house commanded a wide view of the Loire, but the 

 river is now so completely masked by foliage as to be 

 visible only from the upper windows; apparently it 

 once flowed nearer to the house but has been pushed 

 away by the construction of modern dykes. The hill- 

 top to which I have just referred, like the roof of the 

 villa, commands a panorama of the whole region, in- 

 cluding Nantes and all the surrounding communes. 



