334 On a new Species of P'lmelodus. 



sity of force, it is known, that if the volcanic fire was at d 

 great depth, the melted lava could neither raise itself to thfe 

 edge of the crater, nor pierce the flank of these mountains, 

 which to the height of 1400 toiscs (8971;^- feet) are fortified 

 by high surrounding plains. It appears, therefore, natural, 

 that volcanoes so elevated should discharge from their mouth 

 but isolated stones, volcanic cinders or ashes, flames, boil- 

 ing water, and, above all, this carburetted argil impregnated 

 with sulphur^ that is called moj/a * in the language of the 

 cobntry. 



The mountains of the kingdom of Quito occasionally ofl^er 

 another spectacle, less alarming, but not less curious to the 

 naturalist. The great explosions are periodical, and some- 

 what rare. Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, and Siingav, some- 

 times do not present one in t\veuty or thirty years. But 

 during such intervals even these volcanoes will discharge 

 enormous quantities of argillaceous mud ; and, what is more 

 extraordinary, an innumerable quantity of fish. By acci- 

 dent, none of these volcanic inundations took place the year 

 that I passed the Andes of Quito ; but the fish vomited from 

 the volcanoes is a phEenomenAu so common, and so gene- 

 rally known bv all the inhabitants of that country, that there 

 cannot remain the least doubt of its authenticity. As there 

 are in these regions several verv well informed persons, who 

 have successfully devoted thcnisclres to the physical sciences, 

 IhavehadanDpportunity of procuring exact information (rcn- 

 seignemens) respecting these fishes. JSI. de Larrea, at Quito, 

 vrell versed in the study of chemistry, who has formed a 

 cabinet of the minerals of his country, has been, above all 

 others, the most useful to me in these researches. Exa- 

 mining the archives of several little towns in the neighbour- 

 hood of Cotopaxi, in order to extract the epochs of the great 

 earthquakes, that fortunately have been preserved with care, 

 I there found some notes on the fish ejected from the vol- 



* M. Humboldt seems not to liavc been aware that this name lias been 

 aiSxed to it in consequence of its having some resemblance to a kind of 

 blackish coarse bread made of giits or pollard, and used in Spain by tomi' 

 v«ry poor but proua people, or for purposes of penitence in casts of a pccad<i 

 mortal. — TraiiihitOT. 



