86 Mr. R. Spruce on the Musci and Hepatice of the Pyrenees. 
Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay, is nearly W. by N.; and 
their length, from Cape Creux to the Port des Passages, is about 
270 English miles. It is well known that the Pyrenees have at 
the latter limit reached but half their length, and that their con- 
tinuation constitutes the elevated ridges of Bizcaya, Asturias and 
Gallicia, up to their real termination at Cape Finisterre; at pre- 
sent, however, we have only to do with that portion which sepa- 
rates France from Spain, and to which the name “ Pyrenees” is 
popularly limited. 
When attentively considered, the Pyrenees will be found to 
consist of two chains: the western, which increases in altitude 
from the ocean to the Maladetta (10,722 ft.*), its highest point, 
whence it rapidly sinks to the opposite sea; the eastern com- 
mencing north of the Maladetta, with hills of slight elevation, 
increases in height as it approaches the Mediterranean, not far © 
from which is Mont Canigou (8652 ft.), one of its loftiest sum- 
mits. From the point of dislocation is thrown off to the north- 
ward a remarkable embranchment, which separates the basin of the 
Garonne from that of the Adour, giving birth to the latter river, 
and stretches through the Dept. of the Hautes Pyrénées a little 
way into that of Gers: its highest point is the Pic du Midi de 
Bigorre (9000 ft.). Some geologists (as M. Reboul) have traced 
several distinct axes of elevation in the Pyrenees; and M. Ele 
de Beaumont supposes that they have been upheaved at four 
distinct epochs, though the great mass owes its elevation to only 
the third of these, which was posterior to the chalk formation. 
The fourth epoch of elevation is perceivable only in the localities 
where serpentine (ophite) appears. 
The loftiest summits of the Pyrenees are nearly all out of the 
central chain ; the Maladetta, the culminating point of the whole 
range, is to the southward of it; as is also Mont Perdu, the next 
in altitude. The depressions (called “ Ports” m the medial 
ridge, and usually. “‘ Cols ” im the transversal ones) are all of con- 
siderable elevation, often from 7000 to 9000 feet, and there are 
only two passes practicable for carriages, one at each extremity 
of the chain. On the southern or Spanish side the ascent is 
more abrupt than on the northern side, where two ridges (at 
least) parallel to the medial ridge, and yielding to it very little 
in height, are usually distinctly traceable. The Spanish Pyrenees 
are also watered by fewer streams, have fewer lakes, and are less 
clad with forests than the French. On both sides the valleys are 
in most cases steep; the basins we successively encounter in 
* The altitudes are all in French measures, and I have given very few, 
for besides that I had not the opportunity of determining any myself, the 
altitude of the same mountain, as stated by different observers, often varies 
considerably. 
