P Y R 



P Y R 



rocks, undermined by the waters, *they are cxpofed to La- 

 vanges, or the impetuous dcfcent of va(l mafles of fnow, 

 called Avalanches in Switzerland, and have their glaciers 

 and other terrific features of the Alps. 



The opinion of Raniond, that the fummit of inont Perdu 

 (which fee) muft have been covered by the it-a, is confirmed 

 by Lapeyroufe, (Journ. des Mines, N 46.) A fiugular fea- 

 ture of the Pyrenees coidiilsof houhs, as they are called, or 

 walls difpofed in a circular form. Near the fummit of mont 

 Perdu is a confiderable lake, more than 9000 feet above the 

 level of the fea, which tiirows its waters to the E. into the 

 Spanifh valley of Beonlia ; and which the travellers allege 

 as a proof that mont Perdu really belongs to Spain, and 

 that Tuccarroy forms the boundary. Lapeyroufe fuggells 

 it as probable that the fole accefs to the fummit of mont 

 Perdu will be found on the fide of Spain ; there being three 

 fuinniits called by the Spaniards •' Las Tres Sorrellas," or 

 the Three Siitcrs ; the highell being to the N., and the 

 loweft OH the S., but feparated by large glaciers. Hence 

 he infers the exillence of chains of mountains, in which 

 bands of granite, porphyry, trap, hornblende, and petro- 

 Clex, alternate vertically with primitive Umeitone, and are fo 

 intermingled as to prove a common origin. But in the Py- 

 renees thefe bands are furmounted by fecondary lime-ftone, 

 replete with marine fpoils, and containing even fkeletons of 

 animal.-, fo that he concludes that the highell mountains of 

 the chain muft have yielded to the fury of the ocean, and 

 that the fecondary parts only now exill. Mr. Townfend 

 (Spain, i. 89.) obferves, that the lime-ftone and fchiftus 

 feed the vegetation on the N. of the Pyrenees, while the S. 

 is barren, and confifts of ~ granite ; while, in faft, mountains 

 m-e generally barren and precipitous on the S. and W., be- 

 caufe the moft violent rains and tempefts come from thofc re- 

 gions. Pinkerton's Geog. vol. i. 



The paffages over thefe mountains from one country to 

 another are five ; the three principal of which are from St. 

 Sebaftian to St. Jean de Luz ; from Pamplona to St. Jean 

 de Luz ; and from Jonqueira to Perpignan. Thefe moun- 

 tains afford quantities of timber for (hipping, which are 

 conveyed, by means of the Ebro and other ft reams to the 

 fea, with abundance of pitch and tar. The Pyrenees give 

 name to three of the French departments. 



Pyrenees, Eajlem, one of the nine departments of the 

 foutliern region of France, in N. lat. 42" 40', formerly 

 . RouffiUon, bounded on the N. by the departments of the 

 Arriere and the Aude, on the E. by the Mediterranean, on 

 the S. and W. by Spain ; about 58 miles from E. to W., 

 and from 18 to 25 from N. to S., or 28 Fr. leagues in length, 

 and 15 in breadth, containing 4337^ kilionietres or 212 

 fquare leagues, and 1 17,764 inhabitants ; it is divided into 

 3 diftrifts, 17 cantons, and 249 communes. The three 

 diftrifts are Perpignan, including 51,961 inhabitants, Ceret, 

 24,750, and Prades, 41,053. According to Haffenfratz, 

 the number of circles is 3, of cantons 25, and of inhabit- 

 ants 114,158. The contributions in the nth year of the 

 Frenchcraamounted to 1,010,520 fr., and the expences for 

 adminiftration, education, &c. to 181,961 fr. 85 cents. 

 . The capital is Perpignan. This department is fertile in 

 corn, wine, oil, flax, hemp, fruits, and paftures. On 

 the hills there is little wood, but variety of medicinal plants 

 and herbs. There are feveral lofty mountains on the S. and 

 W. boundaries, as MalTane, Canjgou, &c. 



Pyrenees, Lower, a department of France, in the 

 S.W., or Garonne region, compofed of BearH, Navarre, 

 Bafque-Fran^ais, with a part of Chalofla and of Landes, 

 in N. lat. 43° 10', and bounded on the N. by the departments 

 of the Landes and Gers, on the E. by the department of the 



Upper Pyrenees, on the S. by Spain, and on the W. by the 

 fea ; 70 miles in length, and from 15 to 45 in breadth, or 

 16 Fr. leagues in length and 10 in breadth. It contains 

 8072^ kiliometres, or 388 fquare leagues, and 384,030 in- 

 habitants. It is divided into 5 diflricts, 40 cantons, and 

 660 communes. The diftricts or circles are, Pau, including 

 99,486 inh.ibitants, Oleron, 69,484, Mauleon, 65,447, 

 Bayonne, 69,486, and Orthcs, 80,127. According to 

 Hadentratz, its circles are 6, its cantons 44, and the number 

 of its inhabitants 138,339. Its capital is Pau. Its con- 

 tributions in the nth year of the French era amounted to 

 1,523,760 fr. and its expences for adminiftration, &c. to 

 290,740 fr. 66 cents. This department, bounded on one 

 fide by the Pyrenees, and on the other by the ocean, pre- 

 fents a great variety of foil and diverfity of profpeft. The 

 mountains are crowned with woods ; the hills are covered 

 with vines ; the vallies are rich and populous ; the heaths are 

 wild and uncultivated. Tlie plains yield wheat, rye, barley, 

 oats, millet, flax, fruits, and paftures. It has mines of 

 filver, copper, iron, quarries of marble, granite, flate, and 

 mineral fprnigs. 



Pyrenees, Upper, a department of France, in the Ga- 

 ronne region, formerly Bigore, in N. lat. 43% bounded on 

 the N. by the department of the Gers, on the E. by that of 

 the Upper Garonne, on the S. by Spain, and on the W. by 

 the department of Lower Pyrenees ; 20 Fr. leagues long 

 and 16 bro.id, or 53 Englifti miles in length, and from 25 

 to 38 in breadth ; a fmall diftridl towards the N. being 

 fcarcely more than feven miles in breridth. It contains 

 49372 kiliometres, or about 235 fquare leagues, and 

 206,680 inhabitants. It is divided into 3 diftrifts, 26 can- 

 tons, and 501 communes. Its diilrifts or circles are Tar- 

 bes, including 87,005 inhabitants, Bagncres, 78,099, and 

 Argeles, 41,376. According to Halienfratz, its circles 

 are 5, and cantons 30, and the number of its inhabitants 

 188,690. Its capital is Tarbes. Its contributions in the 

 I itii year of the French era amounted to 893,637 fr. and 

 its expences for adminiftration, &c. to I73,759fr. izcents. 

 The plains in this department yield little wheat, but abundant 

 crops of rye, barley, and millet, excellent wine, flax, and 

 paftures. The hills produce confiderable forefts, witli 

 mines of iron and lead, quarries of marble, flate, and 

 mineral fprings. 



PYRENOIDES Puocessu.s, in Anatomy, a procefs of 

 the fecond vertebra of the neck ; called alio odonto'tdes, and 

 denUformis, or the tooth-like procefs. 



The word iri/fuvosi^')!.-, is formed of tou^hv, nucleus, kernel, 

 or berry, and !iJo-, figure. 



PYRETHRUM, in Botany, an ancient Greek name, 

 adopted by Haller, Gartner, and the writer of the prefent 

 article, who are followed by Willdenow and Alton, for 

 the genus in queftion, on account of its refemblance to the 

 TTt'ptOpoj of Diofcorides. The latter is, however, the j4n- 

 themis Pyrethrum of modern writers, or Pellitory of Spain ; 

 owing its Greek appellation to the fiery or pungent flavour 

 of the root ; whence alio it obtained the Latin name of Sa- 

 livaria, becaufe it caufes fo remarkable a flow of fahva. 

 Our prefent Pyrethrum is made up of feveral Linnaean 

 fpecies of Chryfanthemum and Matricaria, with fome new 

 ones. — Haller Helvet. v. 1. 40. Sm. Fl. Brit. 9C0. 

 Willd. Sp. PI. V. 3. 2150. Ait. Hort. Kew. v. 5. 97. 

 Purfli V. 2. 527. Gaertn. t. 169. — Clafs and order, Synge- 

 nejia Polygamia-fuperjlua. Nat. Ord. Compofitii d'lfcoicien, 

 Linn. Corymbijerny Juil. 



Gen. Ch. Common Calyx hemifpherical, imbricated ; the 

 fcales clofe-prcfled, rather acute, membranous at the edges. 

 Cor, compound, radiated. Florets of the didi perfeiS, 



numerous, 



