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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Archbishop of Vienne, in the fifth century, mentions the 
occurrence of “ frequent shocks of earthquakes,” “ fires often 
blazing,” and “piled-up mounds of ashes,” in this part of France. 
The geologist will see along the banks of the Ardeche and other 
streams an example of the power of swollen rivers in removing 
large masses of rock ; indeed, nowhere have I seen better 
examples of transportation of rock masses by river floods than 
in this country. The ruins of a seignorial castle of Ventadour 
are grand as seen from the “ chimney ” just alluded to. The 
river bed has once been filled with a torrent of lava ; hut the 
victorious waters have again excavated a channel to the former 
level, and exposed the old river gravels, covered by the basalt. 
Hills of red cinders rise among the granite rocks, whose base is 
clothed with noble chestnut trees ; and the peasant trains the 
vine on the sunny slopes, little mindful of the “ ignes suppo- 
sitos cineri doloso.” 
On the road to Montpesat is a small mineral spring called 
“ Pestrui,” which affords a sparkling chalybeate water, very 
refreshing and agreeable to the taste. Large hampers were 
being sent off filled with bottles of the “ Pestrui eaux,” con- 
sidered excellent for gout and dyspepsia. Great quantities of 
the edible fungus Boletus edulis grew beneath the chestnut 
groves. The peasants of the country are well aware of its 
excellence, and consume it in great quantities. We had a 
large dish, garnished with fresh trout, at Montpesat, which 
would have been highly appreciated at the fungus foray of the 
Woolhope Club. The local name is “ Ceps de Bourgogne.” 
Here, too, we saw two or three specimens of a beautiful green 
Mantis, or praying insect, and, though late in the season, a 
good many butterflies. The “ Gravenne of Montpesat ” rises 
boldly on the left, with its red cinders, out of groves of chestnut 
trees and pines. The term “ Gravenne ” is derived from 
46 gravier,” or gravel, to which the loose cindery surface of the 
cone is not inaptly compared, and a neighbouring cone is called 
La Gravenne de Souillols. The crater from which the mass of 
scoriae and cinders which covers the side of the cone have been 
erupted lies on the side immediately above Montpesat, and 
the surface of the cone is strewn with granitic debris blown 
out of the crater during eruptions. A lava stream has poured 
into the bed of the Fontaulier, which, below the ruined castle 
of Pourcheirolles, meets another lava stream coming down the 
bed of the Pourseille. The summit commands a grand view of 
granite mountains, profoundly scored in deep gullies, with 
volcanic cones rising abruptly from their flanks. No word- 
painting can do justice to the scene selected by Mr. Scrope for 
his admirable illustration of the “Valley of Montpesat” (PL 
XIV.) in his “ Volcanoes of Central France.” The position of 
