438 
The Water Eeouonnj of France 
Uesignation of Places. 
Surface of 
Waters 
per 
1000 Acres. 
Population 
per 
Square 
Kilometre. 
Mean 
Longevity. 
Department of Cher. 
Acres. 
Years. 
Cantous of ArgL'nt, Augilon, Aubigny, aud Vierzon 
6 
13-40 
30-04 
Department of Loirct. 
Cantons of La Ferte and Sully, not including the) 
Cantons of Clery, Jargeau, and Gien 
41 
7 
11-31 
22-50 
21-33 
30-64 
Department of Loir and Cher (Sologne). 
Cantons of La Motte, Beuvron, Neung, Komorautin, 1 
and Salbris, not including the town of Komoran-> 
tin ) 
Cantons of Bracieux, St. Aignan, and Coutres 
45 
14 
15-40 
37-20 
29-40 
34-34 
Nantua and Belley, which are built hio^h in the mountains, show 
a steady increase of population ; whilst Bourg, Trevoux, and 
Gex show an equally steady decrease. In tact, anything more 
desolate than this town of Bourg, and the flat swampy plain 
in the midst of which it is built, can scarcely be imagined. 
Having recently made an agricultural tour through this whole 
district, I am able to testify to the accuracy of these returns. 
This state of things is not confined to the province of Bresse, 
but it exists in all its portentous reality wherever stagnant waters 
prevail. Another instance may be found in the department of 
Charente Inferieure. Of the six chief towns of that district, 
three — viz. Saintes, Jonzac, St. Jean d'Angely — are sheltered 
from the noxious marshy gases, whereas La Rochelle is only 
partially so, and Rochefort and Marennes are entirely surrounded 
with swamps. A trustworthy official report gives the following 
returns : — 
Increase Decrease 
of Population, of Population. 
Saintes 43-1 
St Jean d'Angely 41-9 ,, 
Jonzac "19 
La KocbcUe -72 
Kochefort .. 3G0-0 
Marennes .. 28-6 
If we turn to the South of France in the department of Gard, 
two towns, Le Vigau and Alais, built in an elevated position 
over primary or secondary strata, may be contrasted with the 
others, Uzes and Nismes, situated, the former on a tertiary 
valley ; the latter, at the extremity of that large rocky and 
