MARNE 130 MABNE below. The hoary marmot, an American species, ranging as far N. as the Arctic Circle, is A. pruinosus. Marmots live in MARMOT large societies in extensive burrows. They are very active in the summer, and pass the winter in a state of torpidity. MARNE, a river of France, the most considerable tributary of the Seine, rising in the plateau of Longres, flowing N. W. past Chalons to Epernay, thence W. and MARNE, a department in the N. E. of France, formed out of the old province of Champagne, ti-aversed by the river Marne, and to a less extent by the Seine and the Aisne; area, 3,167 square miles; pop. about 450,000. It is in the dry and chalky soil of the N. that the best varieties of champagne are grown, of which two-fifths are exported. The rear- ing of sheep is an important industry, and extensive woolen manufactures are carried on; cereals, beet root, and pota- toes are grown; honey and wax are produced ; building stone is quarried ; and metal works, tanneries, etc., are in opera- tion. See Marne, Battles of the. MARNE, BATTLES OF THE. The first Battle of the Marne fought in Sep- tember, 1914, marked a turning point in the European War. On Sept. 6 French and British halted their retreat from Mons and Charleroi and made a stand against the German armies. General von Kluck, unable to invest Paris as origi- nally intended, while the French armies remained undefeated, was forced to stand and fight. The great struggle began on Sept. 6. Manoury's Sixth Army with Sordet's cavalry were concentrated near Amiens, their right on Roye and as Von Kluck swerved to the left this army was on the flank of the entire German line first battle of the marne, SEPTEMBER, 1914 joining the Seine at Charenton, a few miles above Paris; length, 326 miles; is navigable for 126 miles up to St. Dizier. It is connected by canals with the Rhine, the Aisne, and the Seine, See Marne, Battles of the. extending to Verdun. Next to the Sixth French Army were the British and then the Fifth French Army under D'Esperey, of four corps, with Conneau's cavalry be- tween. The three armies operated to- gether on Sept. 6. against the First (Von
