196 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



which prevails during eruption will be readily gathered 

 from the circumstance that in January 1803 the 

 enormous bed of snow which usually covers the cone 

 of the volcano was dissolved in a single night. 



It would seem that the Mexican volcanoes also 

 belong to the same region of disturbances. Near the 

 Isthmus of Panama the great Cordillera of the Andes 

 lowers itself to the height of about 800 feet, and 

 beyond begins the continuation of the volcanic chain 

 in Central America and Mexico. Nor are the volcanoes 

 of the West Indian or Caribbee Islands wholly discon- 

 nected with the region of disturbance in Southern 

 America. And it is rather singular that even the 

 earthquakes which have occurred in the valley of the 

 Mississippi seem to be connected with the West Indian 

 and South American volcanic region. The violent 

 earthquakes which took place at New Madrid in 1812 

 occurred at exactly the same time as the earthquake of 

 Paranas, f so that it is possible,' says Sir Charles 

 Lyell, e that these two points are part of one volcanic 

 region.' 



(From the Daily News, September 18, 1868.) 



THE GREATEST SEA- WAVE EVER KNOWN. 



ON AUGUST 13, 1868, one of the most terrible calami- 

 ties which has ever visited a people befell the unfor- 

 tunate inhabitants of Peru. In that land earthquakes 

 are nearly as common as rain-storms are with us ; 



