a province of Russia in Europe, the most southern part of that empire. The peninsula known to the ancients as Chersonesus Taurica, and now known by the Tartar name of Crem, or Crimea, forms the better portion of the province. The northern portion is the Steppes of the Nogay Tartars. The whole extent is 44,903 square miles. The southern part is a beautiful country, with lofty hills and delightful valleys between, which, when cultivated, are extremely fertile; and the climate resembles that of the best part of Greece. The northern part, or Steppes, is fertile, but during a portion of the year is burnt up, and exhibits a bare sandy plain. After rain the grass springs up with intense rapidity, and the wheat that is sown yields very abundant crops. The breeding of cattle is, however, the chief pursuit, and especially that of horses, which are very numerous; and those crossed by the Arab race are of great value. The cows and sheep are numerous, but the wool of the latter is very coarse. When the Russians obtained possession of this country, it was much more populous than it has been since, many of the Mahommedan inhabitants having forsaken it. At present it contains about 370,000 inhabitants. They are of various religions, as well as races, some fixed, but more migratory. It comprehends a climate from 44° 30' to 47° 41' north latitude, and consequently is adapted to produce the fruits and other vegetables of the warm regions, and when well peopled will become a most important portion of the Russian empire.