180 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
carcases of wild animals, birds, and even of men that have met their fate 
there. . . . Exhalations of carbonic acid gas occur abundantly in many 
other districts which were the former seats of volcanic action." . „ 1 
In Death Gulch, Yellowstone National Park, a volcanic region, it rises 
from the waters to such an extent as to suffocate wild animals, — even 
grizzly bears.? 
Fouqué shows that within certain limits carbonic acid is emitted about 
volcanoes in larger proportions as one leaves the more active vents, and 
Sainte-Claire Deville shows it to be a prominent gas of fumaroles.2 Sir 
William Hamilton speaks of noxious gases about Vesuvius killing birds 
and other animals, and even persons.* Some of these gases seem to act 
like carbon dioxide. 
Daubeny refers to these gases, and says that they are supposed to 
consist chiefly of carbonic acid gas.” In another place he states that 
“carbonic acid is a common product of volcanoes nearly extinct ; it is 
emitted, as we have seen, very abundantly from fissures in the neighbor- 
hood of Naples, as well as near Rome, in the Vivarais, in the Eytel |... 
It is supposed that the Mofettes, which often succeed an eruption of 
Vesuvius, consist of this gas; but it is remarkable that during a state 
of vigorous action this volcano does not appear to emit it.” 6 
Dr. Johnston-Lavis tells of the escape of carbon dioxide from springs 
of Sujo and from other openings in the vicinity of Roccamofina (between 
Rome and Naples) in sufficient quantities to suffocate human beings." 
Now we have satisfactory evidence in the Fernando de Noronha group 
of islands of volcanic activities off the northeast coast of Brazil. This 
group lies two hundred miles northeast of Cape St. Roque, and, with the 
exception of certain small areas of wolian sandstones, is made up entirely 
of eruptive rocks.? 
1G, Poulett Scrope. Volcanoes; the character of their phenomena, etc., ed. 2, 
p. 151-152. London, 1862. 
2 Т. A. Jagger, Jr. Death Gulch, a natural bear-trap. Pop. Sci. Monthly, Feb, 
1899. 
Ward in Science, March 24, 1899, p. 459. 
3 Russell’s Volcanoes, р. 52. 
4 Wm. Hamilton, Observations on Vesuvius, Mount Etna, and other volcanoes, 
p. 164-167. London, 1774. 
5 Charles Daubeny. A description of active and extinct volcanoes, р. 161, 
London, 1826. 
8 Op. си. р, 876, 
7 Н. J. Johnston-Lavis. The south Italian volcanoes, p. 77-79, and plate xvi. 
Naples, 1891. 
° J. С. Branner. The geology of Fernando de Noronha. Amer. Journ. Bol 
1889, XXXVII., p. 145-161. 
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