422 



REPORT — 1886. 



Volcanoes of Honshiu and Kiushiu — continued. 



In Honshiu, Kiushiu, and the southern islands there are at least seventy-eight 

 volcanoes. Out of these about twelve have well-formed cones and twenty-four are 

 still steaming. 



2. Number of Volcanoes. 



Because Japan has not yet been completely explored, and because 

 there is considerable difficulty in defining the kind of mountain to be 

 considered as a volcano, it is impossible to give an absolute statement as 

 to the number of volcanoes in this country. If under the term volcano 

 we include all mountains which have erupted within the historical period^ 

 those which have a true volcanic form, together with those which still 

 exhibit materials on their flanks, which have been ejected from a crater, 

 traces of which can still be seen, we may conclude that there are at least 



