ol A FOREST TOUR AMONG THE DUNES OF GASCONY. 
We subsequently passed through parts of the forest where no 
grazing had been permitted for the last eight or ten years; but 
the bushes had not been cut away, neither had the old trees been 
removed, Here we saw a splendid crop of young seedlings in the 
more open places, and a quantity of suppressed growth among the 
bushes ; all that was wanted was to complete the operation in the 
manner described. When this has been done, the seedlings and 
bush-coppice will grow up together ; but, as has been previously 
mentioned, the oaks will soon push their way through the latter, 
and ultimately kill it out. There are here about 7500 acres of 
this sort of forest, all of which will, in due course, be subjected to 
the kind of treatment above indicated. 
We returned home through a block which is heavily grazed 
over, but contains some magnificent old trees of the most pic- 
turesque appearance, the effect being equal to the most beautiful 
parts of Fontainebleau. 
OhHVA PAY Bae Tt, 
TORRENTS NEAR BARREGES IN THE PYRENEES. 
From Dax we travelled by rail to Pau, where we spent a few 
hours, and visited the splendid public gardens, which contain 
beech trees almost as tall as those at Villars-Cotterets. Thence 
we went by Tarbes and Lourdes, and on a branch line running up 
one of the valleys of the Pyrenees to the terminus, which is on 
one of the roads passing through the mountains into Spain. Some 
picturesque but dirty Spanish peasants, homeward bound, were 
among those who left the station with us at Pierrefitte, whence 
we drove to Barreges. 
The drive was lovely ; the snow-capped granite peaks overlook- 
ing the stream which has cut its way into the Schist, and follows 
its narrow bed between almost perpendicular sides, often of great 
depth. Barréges is at an altitude of 4200 ft, and is used asa 
sanatorium for soldiers, its baths having the reputation of being 
peculiarly efficacious in the healing of wounds. 
After breakfast we started to inspect the torrent of Rioulet, on 
the left side of the valley. The hills are here, generally speaking, 
composed of firm strata, which are not liable to be washed down, 
and thus to cause disasters so serious as those which occur in 
the Southern Alps. But large avalanches are of frequent occur- 
