144 Pi'oceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



by lava lay on the surface dead but not burned. No doubt 

 cooling is very rapid at the surface of the flows or when lava 

 occurs in small isolated masses, but it is a well known fact that 

 lava remains molten at a short distance from the surface for a 

 very considerable time. At Vesuvius it is commonly observed 

 that the lava is glowing hot a few inches from the surface long 

 after the flow has taken place although the surface itself can be 

 walked on with impunity. Probably contact with the tree would 

 be sufficient to cause a local cooling assi-sted further by the 

 porosity of the charcoal permitting access of air. We must also 

 remember that it is assumed that the flow at this point was 

 comparatively thin, perhaps attaining only a few feet in thick- 

 ness, and that it was cooling both from top and bottom so that it 

 is quite likely the flows succeeded one another within a conjpara 

 tively short time and before much debris had accumulated in the 

 mould. Most of these points might have been settled by the 

 proprietor of the quarry, but up to the present enquiries for him 

 have been fruitless and I have not yet been able to locate the 

 quarry, nevertheless this note will at least serve as a record of 

 this interestingr occurrence. 



