O'Reilly — The Earthquakes in New Zealand and Andalucia. 461 



antipod of the North Island, and about 70 kilometres to the west 

 of the projection of the antipod of the axis of maximum volcanic 

 activity in the Northern Island. 



It is further to he remarked that the earthquake mentioned 

 by Mr. Macpherson as having occurred December 22nd in Galicia 

 and part of Portugal affected a space representing the antipod of 

 the northern part of the middle island of the New Zealand group, 

 the outline of which corresponds in places with the coast line of 

 Galicia. Moreover, as Mr. Macpherson states that the shock took 

 place to the west of the N.W. and S.E. zone which crosses Spain 

 as described by him, it is evident that its seat was close to the west 

 coast of Galicia, which corresponds so remarkably with the antipod 

 of the N.B. coast of the Middle Island. 



An equally interesting feature of the comparison established 

 by the map is, that the antipod of the western and more open 

 portion of Cook's Straits corresponds to the mountain ranges of 

 Sierra de Gata and Sierra de Gredos; the former, very wild, and but 

 imperfectly explored as yet, attains a height of 1753 m. at the 

 peak known as Pena de Francia ; the latter, equally wild and grand 

 in its scenery, attains a height of 2661 m. in the summit known 

 as La plaza del Moro Almonzor. That is to say, a strait in New 

 Zealand, said to be deep, corresponds as antipod to very lofty and 

 wild mountain ranges in Spain, and necessarily the seats of vast 

 geological disturbances. As if to point out more strongly these 

 seeming antipodal relations, there have occurred within the last 

 three months two further earthquakes in Spain, as regards the 

 relations of which with the antipodal points of New Zealand pro- 

 jected on the map, the following details are of interest : — 



In Nature, vol. xxxv., p. 59, occurs the note: "A shock of 

 earthquake was felt in the district of Beira Alta (Portugal) on the 

 11th inst. (November, 1886). This district is described in Yivien 

 de St. Martin's, " Dictionnaire de Geographie Universelle," as being 

 watered by the affluents of the Deuro, the Youga, and Mondego 

 rivers; the principal towns are Yizeu and Guarda. This district 

 lies, therefore, in that part of Portugal whereon falls the projection 

 of the antipod of the Collingwood District, north-western extremity 

 of the Middle New Zealand Island. Yizeu lies at about 32 kilo- 

 metres, = 19 j miles, from the projection of the coast line, while 

 Guarda corresponds very exactly as antipod to Cape Farewell. 



