a department of the north-west of France, formed out of parts of the ancient Orleannois, and a portion of the duchy of Maine. It is bounded on the north by the department of the Eure, on the east by that of Seine-Oise, on the south by those of Loiret and Loire-Cher, and on the west by those of Sarthe and Orne. Its extent is 2420 square miles, or, according to the Almanach Royal, 602,752 hectares. The civil divisions are four arrondissements, twenty-four cantons, and 460 communes, containing 265,943 inhabitants. The face of the country is level in general, with a few hills, none rising to a greater height than 500 feet. The soil in the middle and west of the department is the best. It consists, for the most part, of thick layers of grey, yellow, or black clay, intermixed with sand, or of calcareous earth, and is on the whole fertile, but in the south-west, especially in the arrondissement of Nogent, it is sandy and dry, and many tracts of land are so poor as to be uncultivated. None of the rivers of this department, even those from which it is named, are navigable till they have left it. The agriculture is better conducted than in most of the departments of France; and the production of the various kinds of corn so far exceeds the consumption, that nearly 200,000 quarters are annually exported to the other parts of the kingdom. The wheat is remarkably fine, and is prized on account of its being easily preserved for a long time, and best adapted for sea voyages. The cows are small, but yield good butter for the supply of Paris, and fat oxen and calves for the markets of Poissy and Senaux. The sheep are numerous, but not remarkable, except some flocks whose wool has been improved by crosses with the merino races. Wine is not extensively produced, nor of the best quality; but in some parts there is an abundant supply of apples, from which cider is made as the common drink of the inhabitants. There are no mines but of iron, and these yield about 1200 tons annually, which is not more than one third of the demand. The manufactures are not extensive; but leather, paper, cotton goods of various kinds, serges, flannels, and other coarse woollens, hosiery, hats, caps, household linen, such as sheetings and table linen, and some earthenware, are furnished. The department draws its supply of fuel from its own woods, which cover about one twelfth part of the whole surface.