THE MONTAGNES DEvS MAURES. Ibl 



an instance of an isolated mountain system whose granite, 

 gneiss and schists are comjiletely cut off from the neigh- 

 bouring- limestone mountains by deep vaheys. Like the 

 Alps or the Pyrenees, the Montagues des Maures possess, 

 although on a small scale, their own river system, their 

 own ravines and valleys. This district differs as widely 

 from the rest of Provence as though it were an island 

 hing at some distance out at sea. A railway, (Chemin 

 de ler du Sud de la France), has recentl}- been run along 

 the coast at the foot of this range. The line ends at 

 St. Raphael, where it meets the main line between Mar- 

 seilles and Genoa. These hills can be easily explored 

 from the stations of the Sud de la France line ; and it 

 was these excursions which detained us in Ip-eres. We 

 never wearied of the iourne\ along the coast, tor the 

 scener^' is charming, with constant alternations of forest- 

 and sea-scape. The mountains themselves, however, 

 present little variet}-. for their siminiits are rounded and 

 do not exceed 1320 feet in height. \ et the luxuriant woods 

 which clothe them tempt one to explore them further. 

 The forests of Cork Oaks will at once strike those who 

 have ne^•er seen them before. The Evergreen Oak is 

 familiar, but the stripped trunks and branches of the 

 Cork Oak present an unusual appearance. The crown 

 of the Cork Oak resembles the Evergreen Oak and its 

 leaves are also coriaceous. Tlrey are onh- to be distin- 

 guished from the lea^'cs of the latter b^• their ovate form 

 and slighth- serrated edges. But the red-brown colour 

 of the stripped parts, which appear almost blood-red in 

 the sunshine, is ve^^• striking. 



