FRANCE. 



FKANCE. 



IMI 



The red squirrel, the alpine Bquiml, and a specie* of the flying 

 squirrel are also found in the foreaU of the Voagea and in the wood* 

 on the banka of the Moselle or on the alopea of the higher Alps. The 

 >maller beaeU of prey and vermin, such as the fox, the badg.-r, t)>. 

 hedgehog, the polecat, the weazel, the rat (of which the original 

 black specie* hu been, as in England, exterminated and replaced by the 

 invasion of a larger kind), the mouse, the mole, and the field-moute are 

 sufficiently numerous in their reipectire haunts. Among tin. 

 amphibious animals are the otter and the water-rat 



Of birda the chief songsters and the birds of passage are much 

 the same as in England, with the addition of the hoopoe and one 

 or two others. 



The flamingo is found on the shores of the Mediterranean. Ol 

 game, there are the red partridge, common in the departments of the 

 centre and west, and the gray partridge, common in the south ; the 

 quail, the ortolan, the beccafioo, the pheasant, the woodcock (abundant 

 in Picardie), and the snipe in Auvergne. The plover, lapwing, wild 

 duck, and others are taken in great numbers on the coasts of the 

 Channel and the Ocean, especially in the department of Charente- 

 Inf^rieure. 



Of other animals we mention only a few : the gecko of Mauritania 

 it found on the Mediterranean coast There are several species o! 

 vipers and of harmless snakes : the latter are in some places regarded 

 as fit for food. Frogs are numerous and of many species : one, the 

 prickly frog, is of a great size and hideous form. 



The tortoise, the salamander, the scorpion, and a kind of spider 

 closely resembling the tarantula of Italy, are found. The honey 

 bee (which is reared in great numbers) and the silk-worm are the most 

 valuable insects ; the Spanish fly is sufficiently numerous to furuish an 

 article of exportation. Leeches are found in many parts. 



Fitherie*. The coasts abound in fish of various kinds, the taking of 

 which occupies a number of hands : the herring, the mackerel, and 

 especially the sardine or pilchard, are the chief objects of attention to 

 the fishermen of the coasts of the Channel and the Atlantic : the tunny 

 and the anchovy, to the fishermen of the Mediterranean. The oyster, 

 crab, lobster, and other Cruitacea are in great demand. The best are 

 fouml on the coast of the departments of Manche, Calvados, and 

 Charente-Infe'rieure. 



IHriiiont Civil, ccletiattical, Judicial, and Military. Before the 

 revolution of 1789 France was divided into 33 governments or pro- 

 vinces of very unequal extent It is now divided into 86 departments, 

 which are named from the principal rivers that drain them, from 

 the mountains within their limits, from their situation, or from 

 some remarkable locality. The arrondissements are always named 

 from the chief town in each. These 86 departments are divided into 

 868 arrondissement*, 2847 cantons, and 36,835 communes, which, except 

 that they have a corporate form of government, do not generally differ 

 much in extent from parishes. Each department is administered by 

 a prefect ; each arrondissement by a sub-prefect ; and each commune 

 by a mayor (maire). In each department there are also several 

 officers connected with the arrangement and receipt of taxes, an engineer 

 of roads and bridges, a military sub-intendant, and a company of gens- 

 darmea. In the chief towns of departments courts of assize are held ; 

 each arrondissement has its tribunal of first instance, and each canton 

 a judge of the peace. Th* more important departmental capitals 

 are Beats of high courts of justice and appeal, and head-quarters of 

 Military Divisions. 



The prefect is appointed by the central power and is invested with 

 the civil, financial, military, and in some respects judicial administra- 

 tion. He regulates the articles of the departmental budget, which IIP 

 discusses with the council-general He presides at the conscriptions 

 for recruiting the army, and overlooks the whole financial adminis- 

 tration, including direct and indirect taxes, public domains, woods 

 and forest*, Ac. Assisted by his council he forms a tribunal of first 

 instance. In all these capacities he communicates with the ministers 

 of the crown. Once a year a council-general of department, composed 

 of as many members as the department baa cantons (but not ex- 

 ling 30), assembles to examine the accounts and proposals of the 

 prefect, to assign to each arrondissement the proper share of taxation 



determine upon the demands for reduction mode by councils of 



ement, Ac., and to settle the amount of taxes for depart- 



natal purposes. The council of arrondissement, which consists of 



ess than 9 members, has similar duties in conjunction with the 



ret, only in a narrower sphere ; it addresses its opinion on the 



, requirement* of the arrondissement to the prefect, who 



Finally the communal council (composed of 10 to 86 mem- 



>en according to the importance of the commune), considers with 



the mayor the special interests of the commune, its octroi duties, 



roads, jommunal property, receipt-, and local expenses. The mem 



bers of the departmental council, are chosen by the electors of the 



department; tnote of the municipal councils by the communal 



HMMHh 



The nld povernmrnt* or provinces of France, as well as all tlipir 

 more imporUnt nulxlivisioiw, are noticed in this work. The depart- 

 mat* and all the large towns are also described. 



In the following table the area and population nf each of the 



departments is giren as returned in the official census of 

 1851 : 



