SCO ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



fainter tints of "seismic bands" in the north; but only in Iceland does the 

 deeper hue indicate threat intensity, accompanied by the signs of considera- 

 ble volcanic action there being ten smaller dots, besides the large one for 

 Hccla. The Azores, TenerifTc, and Cape Verd Islands, are all shown to be 

 volcanic; and along the south of Europe the band is of greater intensity, 

 and especially in Italy, also marked as volcanic. There is a deep band from 

 the Levant and Cairo to Tiflis, and it meanders across Persia and Central 

 India to Calcutta. A large tract of sea and land, encircling Borneo, is 

 clearly one of the most intensely seismic and volcanic regions of the earth. 

 The bands then extend in a north-easterly direction, over Hong Kong, Jeddo, 

 etc., and across the ocean to the Russian and British territories on the north- 

 west coast of North America. The band extends along the whole of the 

 western coast of Labrador, California, etc., increasing in intensity as it enters 

 Mexico; and here again volcanoes become prevalent. This continues over 

 Central America, and again pursues the line of the west coast of South 

 America to Cape Horn. In the West Indies is another line or band, and the 

 coast of the United States has a band of less intensity; while the only ap- 

 proach to the centre of the North American continent is along the valley of 

 the Mississippi. The most northerly portions of Europe, Asia, and North 

 America, arc quite free from these influences. But from the West Indies a 

 band extends southward (with a branch touching the south-east coast of 

 Australia), through New Zealand, to nearly 80 south latitude, terminating 

 in the volcanic peak of Mount Erebus. 



TRACES OF ERUPTIVE ACTION IN THE MOON. 



The following remarks on the above subject were recently made before 

 the Royal Astronomical Society (London), by the Rev. T. W. Webb: 



" The inquiry as to the continuance of volcanic or explosive action on the 

 surface of the moon must be admitted to be a very interesting one. Astron- 

 omers are generally agreed as to its entire cessation on any conspicuous 

 scale; but this would not necessarily infer the impossibility, or even im- 

 probability, of minor eruption?, which might still continue to result from a 

 diminished but not wholly extinguished force. Till the publication of the 

 labors of Beer and Madler the necessary data for the determination of the 

 question were very imperfect; and since that time the general impression 

 would seem to be adverse to the idea of any physical change. Before, how- 

 ever, it is entirely acquiesced in, it may be well to see whether any evidence 

 of an opposite nature exi-t?. Want of leisure has hitherto prevented me 

 from entering upon the subject in any other than the most incidental man- 

 ner; but I would request permission to direct attention to one or two regions 

 where an accurate investigation might be desirable. One of these is the 

 spot named Cichus, near the south extremity of the Mare Niibium. Here, 

 many years ago, in comparing Schrb'tcr's drawings with the moon, I was 

 struck with the apparent enlargement of the small crater which has defaced 

 one side of the ring. On procuring the map of Beer and Madler, I found 

 that they had also seen it enlarged. Could AVC, in this instance, depend 

 upon the older drawings, we might reasonably infer the probability of a 

 change since the year 1702. Schroter was undoubtedly a coarse draughts- 

 man, but still he was faithful and careful; nor does there seem any appcar- 

 anr-e, but the reverse, that his designs were copied from one another to save 

 trouble; if not, the airreement of throe separate figures seems fair evidence 

 that this little crater was not then of its present magnitude.'" 



