NOTES. 



et alibi pascitur : in ipso monte non alimentum habet sed viam," (Ed. 

 Ruhkopfiana, T. iii. p. 32). Strabo distinctly recognises the probable exist- 

 ence of a subterranean communication between the volcanoes of Sicily and 

 those of Lipari, Pithecusa (Ischia), and Vesuvius, " which we may suppose had 

 once been a fiery crater." He speaks of the whole district as " undermined by 

 fire" (Lib. i. pp. 24? and 248). 



(2 s9 ) p. 229. Humboldt, Essai politique sur la Nouvelle Espagne, T. ii. 

 pp. 173175. 



P*) p. 230. Ovid's Description of the Elevation of Methone (Metamorph. 

 JV. 296306), runs thus : 



" Est prope Pittheam tumulus Trcezena sine ullis 

 Arduus arboribus, quondam planissima campi 

 Area, nunc tumulus ; nam res horrenda relatu 

 Vis fera ventorum, csecis inclusa cavernis, 

 Exspirare aliqua cupieus, luctataque frustra 

 Liberiore frui coelo, cum carcere rima 

 Nulla foret, toto nee pervia flatibus esset, 

 Extentam tumefecit humum ; ceu spiritus oris 

 Tendere vesicam solet, aut direpta bicorn 

 Terga capro. Tumor ille loci permansit, et alti 

 Collis habet speciem, longoque induruit sevo." 



Ihis geologically important description of the upheaving of a bel or dome- 

 Aaped elevation on the mainland, agrees remarkably with that given by 

 Aristotle of the upheaving of an island of eruption (Meteor, ii. 8, 1? 19.) 

 / " The Earth continues to tremble until the wind (ore/xos) which caused the 

 trembling has made its way through and escaped from the ground. This is 

 what happened lately at Heraclea in Pontus, and formerly in Hieva, one of 

 the jEolian islands. At Hiera, part ot the ground was inflated, and, with a 

 loud noise, rose into a hill, until the " strong breath" (irvevfj.a) found an 

 outlet. It then threw out sparks and ashes, which covered the neighbouring 

 town of the Liparians, and even reached some of the cities of Italy." This 

 description distinguishes very well between the eruption itself, and the inflation 

 and upheaving of the ground by which it wts preceded. Strabo describes the 

 phenomenon of Methone (Lib. i. p. 59, Casaub.) as " an eruption of flames, 

 in which a volcano was raised to a height of seven stadia (?). In the day it 

 was inaccessible from the heat and the smell of sulphur ; but in the night 

 it had a fragrant odour (?). The heat was so great that the sea boiled for a 

 distance of live stadia ; and twenty stadia off, the waters were disturbed and 



