20 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



volcano being in a state of incessant activity, serves 

 as a natural beacon light to vessels passing from 

 Naples to Messina. After having visited the gra- 

 nitic, schistose, and calcareous rocks, and after 

 having studied the populations belonging to each of 

 them, we wished now to compare them with the 

 coasts and fauna belonging to volcanic districts. 

 We therefore set sail for Stromboli, and the evening 

 of our departure was followed by one of those 

 glorious nights which seem to appertain especially 

 to the favoured climes of the South. The sun had 

 disappeared in the west in a bed of gold and purple, 

 the stars had risen in the east and spread over the 

 entire vault of heaven, while the thousand rays of 

 their phosphorescent and quivering light threw so 

 bright a gleam over land and sea that we were now 

 able to distinguish, as through a thin and filmy veil, 

 the distant chain of the Pelorian mountains, and the 

 summit of Mount Etna. The wind was blowing 

 gently from the south, at one time swelling our 

 lateen sail, and at another letting it flap loosely 

 against the mast, so that our sailors were obliged 

 to have recourse to their oars. One of our men 

 would then begin a monotonous song, while the 

 oars, rising and falling in cadence with the voice of 

 the singer, seemed to harmonise with the rhythm of 

 his wild and sonorous chant. Each stroke of the 

 oar was followed by a tremulous phosphorescence 

 which, vanishing almost as soon as it was perceived, 

 revealed to us the presence of those minute animal- 

 cules which produce light as the torpedo engenders 

 electricity. When the breeze again sprang up, the 



