Caucasus
a chain of mountains lying to the S. E. of Russia proper, between the Black Sea and the Caspian. It traverses the former Russian province of Caucasia (now the Kuban, Georgian, and Azerbaijan republics) from N. W. to S. E. through a length of 700 miles.
It does not form a single chain, but is divided for part of its length into two, three, or four chains, which sometimes run parallel to one another, and sometimes meet and form mountain mountain ganglions. The heights of the chief summits are Elbruz, 18,572 feet; Koshtan-tau, 17,123; Dych-tau, 16,928; Kasbek, 16,546. Those mountains, as they lie N. of the Caucasian watershed, are to be looked upon as European. The chief rivers are the Terek and Kur, flowing into the Caspian, and the Kuban and Rion (ancient Phasis) into the Black Sea. The N. part of the country produces little but grass, but the slopes and valleys on the S. and especially those nearest the Black Sea, produce various CAUTIN the conclusions of the Caucus being bind-