ORNE, a department in the north of France, is bounded N. by the department of Calvados, E. by those of Eure and Eure-et-Loir, S. by those of Sarthe and and W. by that of Manche. It lies between 43' 12' and 43' S8' N. lat., 1' 0' E. and 0° 47' W. long. Its greatest length from east to west is 84 miles ; the average width is 25 miles. The area Is 2355.6 square miles. The population in 1841 was 442,072; in 1851 it had fallen to 439,884, which gives 13614 to the square mile, or above the average per square mile for the whole of France.
The department is formed out of the old duchy of Alencon, the northern part of Perehe, and a portion of the south of Normandie ; and it is named from its chief river, the Orne. It is traversed from east to west by a range of wooded hills, which forms part of the watershed between the English Channel and the Loire. The highest points in this chain do not exceed 1308 feet. The larger portion of the department lies to the north of the range, from which numerous lateral chains spring off in a general north or north-western direction, ioclosing between them fertile and well-watered valleys. A small
portion of the department, drained by the Iton and the Rile [Eons], slopes towards the north-east. The other morn important rivers to the north of the principal range are—the Toucque, the Dive [Cate rams], the A tiro [EunEJ, and the Orne, which gives name to the department. The Orne risen near Seca, and runs through the depart ment past Argentan in a north-west direction, till it enters Calvados, where it turns north-by-east, passing Caen; here it becomes navigable and enters the English Channel about ten miles below this town, after a course of abont seventy miles. Its principal feeders are the Noireau, the Aixe, and the Odor). That portion of the department which belongs to the basin of the Loire is drained by the MATF.NNE and the