Avifauna of the Eastern Pyrenees. 527 



embroidered scarves^ both subject to high protective tariffs 

 in France^ are the chief articles of the smuggling trade, 

 and both are readily obtained from Spain. 



To return to our narrative. We were now in the extreme 

 north-west portion of the main valley of Andorra, which 

 here extends in a south-west direction for a couple of miles, 

 when the mountains close in. This uppermost basin varies 

 in altitude from 6000 feet at Saldeu, its only hamlet, to 

 5500 feet where the valley narrows. Such portions of it as 

 are productive consist of pasture ; the high flanking moun- 

 tains are, for the most part, barren, but those on the north- 

 east side are clothed with pine-forest, which at the time of 

 our visit was impassable, deep snow clothing it down to the 

 river's margin. The long defile which succeeds affords much 

 wild and romantic scenery. The river boils through a narrow 

 rocky course, steep cliffs wall in the stream and its bordering 

 mule-track, several fine waterfalls pour down the mountain- 

 sides, while on the grassy slopes beautiful alpine flowers and 

 a profusion of gay butterflies add to its many charms. This 

 passed, we found ourselves at Canillo, the second town of 

 importance in the Republic, and at the head of the second 

 basin of the series into which the valley of the Valira may be 

 said to be divided. It is a small village situated among rich 

 arable and pasture-lands, and just below it, on the west side 

 of the river, a noble cliff forms a remarkable feature in the 

 landscape. This section of the valley lies between about 

 4000 to 5000 feet in altitude, and the few woods that clothe 

 its mountains are at a considerable elevation. About a mile 

 below Canillo the fringing mountains again approach each 

 other, and the valley becomes narrow and steep, with coppice- 

 growth not unfrequent on its slopes. It widens out a little 

 at the hamlet of Encamp, but again closes in above Escaldas, 

 which is at the head of the main basin of the valley. This 

 main basin of the Republic runs due north and south, and 

 is, in comparison with the others, a fine flat valley — by some 

 it is described as a plain — perhaps nowhere more than half a 

 mile wide and about three miles in length, but possessed of 

 fine pasture-lands and woodlands. Here is situated Andorra 



