VI CONTENTS OF 



its traces as far as the town of Catania. Elie de Beaumont's 

 theory of Etna. Observations made in the crater of Vesuvius. 

 Examples of the slight degree of solidity of the earth's crust. 

 Approximate calculation of volcanic forces Page 7 1 



CHAP. VII. 



THE BAY OF BISCAY. 

 BIARRITZ. GUETTARY. SAINT -JEAN-DE-LUZ. 



Departure for the Bay of Biscay. Bayonne. The bar of the 

 Adour. Biarritz. La chambre d' 'amour. Geological problems 

 relating to the age of neighbouring rocks. Guettary. Saint- 

 Jean-de-Luz. Encroachment of the sea. Wearing away of the 

 coast; the ground swell. Hermellas. Extreme variability in 

 the type of the Annelids. The Polyophthalmians j organic com- 

 plication. Realisation of some of the fables of mythology. 

 Independence of the nervous centres in certain of the lower 

 animals ; transposition of the ordinary seat of certain sensations 



135 



CHAP. VIII. 



THE BAY OF BISCAY. 

 SAINT SEBASTIAN. 



The road leading from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Saint Sebastian ; the 

 Bidassoa ; the Isle of Pheasants. Saint Sebastian. The Basques : 

 their claims as a race ; their probable origin ; their fueros ; their 

 ethnological characters. The Teredo ; its mode of reproduction ; 

 means of preserving wood from its attacks. Embryological 

 studies ; nature of germs ; theories of evolution, of accolement and 

 of epigeuesis ; distinct life of germs. Development of the Her- 

 mella and the Teredo. Metamorphoses. General idea of life 



185 



CHAP. IX. 



THE COASTS OF SAINTONGE. 

 LA ROCHELLE. 



Journey from Paris to La Rochelle. Historical notice of that town ; 

 its origin ; its constitution ; its sieges. Decay of La Rochelle. 

 Poverty of the coast ; reciprocal dependence of the kingdoms of 



