NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



II. 



PHYSIOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF THE ISLANDS. 



Although these islands, with the exception perhaps of the two 

 southernmost, Yetorup and Kimashir, are never likely to be of 

 much commercial importance, they are of interest as forming part 

 of the long line of volcanic vents extending along the western side 

 of the Pacific Ocean from Northern Kamchatka, down that penin- 

 sula, through the Kurils, Yezo, and Japan, to the Phillipines. 



Professor John Milne, f.r.s., of the Imperial University of Japan, 

 our great authority on earthquakes and volcanoes, has published 

 some notes on the Kurils which he made in 1878, when on a flying 

 visit to these islands, which notes were supplemented by others 

 made on one or two subsequent visits to Yetorup and Kunashir.* 



The Kuril chain of islands extends in almost a straight line in 

 a north-east direction, from the east coast of Yezo to the southern 

 extremity of Kamchatka, a distance of about 630 geographical 

 miles. This line may be regarded as a line of weakness in the 

 Earth's crust, out of which, at fairly equally spaced intervals, 

 volcanic materials have been ejected to form islands. Parallel 

 with the main fissure, on its western side, is a second line of 

 vents at wider intervals, and apparently of more recent origin. 

 This line runs through Alaid, Shirinki, Makanrushir, Ekarma, 

 Chirinkotan, Raikoke, and Makanruru to the volcanoes on the 

 peninsulas standing out from the north-west coast of Yetorup 

 (which, from appearances, were once separated from that island), 

 and across to the 8irotoko peninsula of volcanoes forming the 

 north-east point of Yezo. 



The islands nearest to Yezo — Kunashir and Yetorup — are 

 evidently the oldest, and at one time may have been connected 

 with Yezo, their fauna and flora being identical. Next in age, 



* Trme. Sete, Soc, vol. ix. pt. ii. 1886; Geolog. Mcirj., Dec. 2, vol. vi. and vol. vli. 



