Aug. 17, 1876] 



NA TURE 



335 



I 



to be crossed at the Belcombe pass (2,400 m.). The 

 diameter of the latter is about 5,000 metres ; it is disposed 

 in horsehoe form, and is prolonged eastwards by two great 

 parallel walls, which are named respectively the Rampart 



of Bois Blanc and the Rampart of Tremblet, and which 

 surround the great burnt region ; here is the mass of the 

 present volcano. 



When we reached the top of the rampart the descent 



The Formica leo and the Bory Peak (extinct crater) from above the Pass of Belcombe. 



looked dreadful, and appeared perpendicular to a depth 

 of 250 metres. Below, sombre-coloured lavas stretched 

 out m a sort of platform which serves as a base to the 



volcanic mountain, whose slopes they cover to an equal 

 height all round ; there is detached from the foot of the 

 rampart a little cone of scoriae in admirable preservation, 



The Inclosure and the Cone of the present Crater. 



which Bory de St. Vincent has named the Formica-leo 

 (Ant-lion). Attempting the descent by the help of some 



shrubs which had lodged themselves in the interstices of [ peared quite near, was more than 300 metres from us. 



the wall, we reached with difficulty the base of the escarp- 

 ment. The Formica-leo, which, seen from above, ap- 



