134 



NA TURE 



[Dec. 12, 1889 



the party had the good fortune to see the volcano in great 

 perfection. There existed at the time of the visit four 

 concentric crater rings and two main vents ejecting red- 

 hot lava cakes, which the geologists were able to approach 

 within ten yards, after which they descended some distance 

 on the slopes of the great cone to a small lava stream 

 issuing from its sides, at which various experiments were 

 performed. The director, who has visited the crater over 

 sixty times, remarked that he had never but once seen it 

 to greater perfection. 



The numerous volcanoes of the Phlegrean fields were 

 examined, and most of those present expressed their 

 satisfaction at the many important lessons to be learnt 

 from them. At Pompeii the members had the valuable 

 direction of Dr. A. Sambon for the archaeological part, 

 whilst Dr. Johnston-Lavis devoted himself only to ex- 

 plaining the phenomena and materials associated with 

 the destruction of the buried cities. 



After Naples the party examined on their way north- 

 wards the volcano of Roccamonfina, under the direction of 

 Dr. Johnston-Lavis, and Monte Cassino under that of 

 Prof. Bassani of Naples. The Lyceum at Sessa Aurunca 

 was kindly lent by the commune to accommodate the 

 members during their night's stay on their way over the 

 mountain, a sumptuous dinner being provided by the 

 municipality. The carriages the next day were offered by 

 the province of Terra di Lavoro, and after the ascent had 

 been made of the central cone (Mount Santa Croce) a 

 lunch not less sumptuous than the dinner of the pre- 

 ceding evening was given by the town of Roccamonfina. 

 The next day was devoted to Monte Cassino, its 

 manuscript and art treasures, as well as the Cretaceous 

 limestones constituting the mountain upon which it is 

 built. Prof. Bassani acted as geological director. 



At Rome the party examined the concentric craters, 

 parasitic cones, crater lakes, lava streams of the Alban 

 volcano, also the fossiliferous Pliocene beds capped by 

 volcanic deposits close to the Eternal City. The lower 

 Mesozoic limestones, the travertine, the sulphur springs, 

 and all the other points of geological interest of the 

 Campagna Romana were visited. 



As directors of the excursions around Rome may be 

 mentioned Profs. Mele, Portis, and Striiver. Signer Zezi 

 (secretary of the Italian Geological Survey), Signors 

 Demarchi, Clerici, Tellini, and Prof. Lanciani kindly 

 undertook the archaeological demonstrations which acted 

 as dessert to the rich geological repast. 



The official excursions terminated on October 28, with 

 the trip to Tivoli, although a number of geologists re- 

 mained to visit the sights of Rome. In the evening a 

 dinner was offered to Dr. Johnston-Lavis, Mr. L. Sambon, 

 and the Roman directors. The thanks of the party were 

 offered to the Minister of Public Instruction, Prefects and 

 Mayors, and private individuals, who had done so much 

 to facilitate the progress, through often almost inaccessible 

 districts, for a large party. 



Special votes of thanks were proposed to the different 

 Italian geologists who had kindly offered their services in 

 directing the party through their districts, and lastly to 

 Dr. Johnston-Lavis for originating this new departure in 

 scientific excursions, as well as acting not only as director 

 in his own districts, but interpreting and organizing during 

 the whole excursion, and to Mr. L. Sambon for his 

 administrative skill, his attainments in different branches 

 of science, which added so much to the success and 

 comfort of over forty English geologists, not to speak of 

 the numerous Italians who from time to time joined. 



REMARKABLE HAILSTONES. 

 /^N p. 43 of the present volume of Nature the follow- 

 ^^ ing extract is given from a paper by Prof. Houston 

 in the Journal of the Franklin Institute : — " On some of the 

 hailstones, though not on the majority of them, well- 



marked crystals of clear transparent ice projected from 

 their outer surfaces for distances ranging from J to j of 

 an inch. These crystals, as well as Ijscould observe from 



Fig. 2. 



the evanescent nature of the material, were hexagonal! 

 prisms with clearly cut terminal facets. They resembled 

 the projecting cr)stals that form so common a lining in 



