Les, or the Heath, a department of France, formed out of the district of Chalosse, a part of the ancient province of Gascony. It extends over 3810 square miles, or 900,534 hectares, of which more than two thirds are barren sandy heaths. It is situated between longitude 0° 3' and 1° 39' west, and between latitude 43° 29' and 44° 39' north. It is divided into three arrondissements, twenty-eight cantons, and 368 communes, and contains 260,000 inhabitants. It is by far the most miserable part of the kingdom. It is generally a level district, covered with heath, intermixed with swamps, in which, like the oases of Africa, a few spots are to be found with inhabitants, and only near to them can a little rye be grown. The rest exhibits only heaths, or firs, or cork trees. One district in the south-east, that of Chalosse, is an exception, being moderately fertile; but it is small as compared with the whole. The chief river is the Adour, which is navigable, and receives the waters of several smaller streams. On the sea shore are several lakes. Agriculture is in a backward state; and though rye is the chief corn, yet enough is not grown for the scanty population. The climate is not healthy, the heat in summer is scorching, and in winter it is mostly cold; but snow rarely falls, and never continues throughout the whole day. The chief products are wild fowl, river and sea fish, honey, wax, timber, cork, pitch, tar, and turpentine. The wine is only good in a small part, and in others the grapes are converted into brandy. Some mines of iron are worked, but not sufficient for the demand of the department. Two deputies are elected for the house of representatives. The capital is the city of Mont de Marsan.

LANDGRAVE (formed from the German land, earth, and graff, or grave, judge or count), a name formerly given to those who executed justice in behalf of the emperors, with regard to the internal policy of the country. The title does not seem to have been used before the eleventh century. These judges were first appointed within a certain district of Germany; but in process of time the title became hereditary, and they assumed the sovereignty of the several districts or counties over which they presided. Landgrave is now applied by way of eminence to those sovereign princes of the empire who possess by inheritance certain estates called landgraviates, and of which they receive the investiture from the emperor. There are four princes who have this title, viz. those of Thuringia, Hesse, Alsace, and Leuchtenberg. There are also other landgraves, who are not princes, but counts of the empire.