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confirmation. It is true, however that all these water-coursesrise very near the basin of lake Fucino , and consequently thevolume of water they, convey is extremely variable, and thatduring a period of several years of drought, many of themremain quite dry, whilst others are reduced to mere threads ofwater .wholly insufficient for the irrigation of the' plains theytraverse ; but this fact is very different from thé regular in-termittence attributed by popular belief to the Rio de S. Jona.

All the mountains around the basin of lake Fucino havebeen entirely cleared of their woods, and the vegetable earthfrom their slopes has been carried into the lake. Cultivationdoes not begin but on the lower third of their height and theplains are remarkably fertile ; While the olive tree grows vi-gorously on the hill sides of S l Pelino and Paterno and theslopes around the plain of Ortucchio; the almond -, apple -, andpear-tree and the vine thrive in the plains of Avezzano , Celano,and Pescina . .

Wilst we can see from this map how vastly important thedraining of lake Fucino has been for this country, the greater partof which was either actually occupied by the water or alwaysthreatened with new encroachments, it shows at the same timethe magnitude of the works which had to be executed, not merelyto deliver the country from so great a volume Of water as thatwhich formed lake Fucino , but also to place so great an extentof territory under cultivation.