----------------------------Original message---------------------------- RE: French Forest Surveys of the 17th C.-- here's what I learned, in case it's of use to anyone else: re: French forest surveys. the best source i've found is Roger J.P. Kain and Elizabeth Baigent's, The Cadestral Map in the Service of the State. Chapter 6.2 is "Forest Maps." includes citations to 10 other works and a photo on one map. Monique Pellitar includes an illustration of another of these maps in her book, La Carte de Cassini (1990). ---------------------------------------------------------- from Francis Herbert, RGS: I can help only with a literary reference leading to either other references or to a living 'expert' (perhaps!). In my annual Bibliography for 'Imago Mundi' vol.42 (1990) I have noted the following (transcribed, of course, less italics, bold and diacriticals):- "De nouveaux [sic] plans de forets a la Bibliotheque Nationale [= Some new forest maps in the Bibliotheque Nationale] / Monique Pelletier. - In: Revue de la Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris), automne 1988, No. 29, pp. 56-62: ill.(some col.). - 21 notes & [7] refs. - Brief survey of 105 MS. maps (in 2 vols) purchased in Dec. 1987 chiefly of Normandy of c. 1665-88 [...] with work by J.-B.H. Caron, C. Chandellier, L. Chandellier, P. Delavigne, J. Fleurs, J. Le Feron, J.-B. Le Feron du Plessis, & J. Longuet. - ISSN 0249-7344" For Monique Pelletier's contact details try 'Who's who in the history of cartography' ('D8') / ed. M.A. Lowenthal (Map Collector Publications for Imago Mundi Ltd, l995), ISBN 0-906430-15-1; or ICA Commissions listings (although she stepped down last year from chairing History of Cartography Committee). In the circumstance, may I wish you 'Good hunting'?! Sincerely, Francis [Herbert, Curator of Maps, Roy.Geogr.Soc., London] [log in to unmask] LC