230 Natural History of Volcanos and Earthquakes. 



any ; but he included in his writings, species from all countries. 

 His chief works on birds and on fishes — which are still valuable 

 from the correctness of the plates — he did not live to finish, and 

 they were edited and published by Ray. Of his character, a 

 biographer thus speaks : 



" And now, having mentioned the dihgence of this great man, 

 let me add that it was such, and his labors so incessant in studies, 

 that he allowed himself little or no time for those recreations and 

 diversions which men of his estate and degree are apt to spend 

 too much of their time in ; but he prosecuted his design with as 

 great application as if he had been to get his bread thereby. All 

 which I mention not only out of the great respect I bear to Mr. 

 Willoughby's memory, but for an example, as has been before 

 recommended to persons of great estate and quality : that they 

 may be excited to answer the ends for which God gives them 

 estates, leisure, parts, and gifts, or a good genius, which was not 

 to exercise themselves in vain and sinful follies ; but to be era- 

 ployed for the glory and in the service of the infinite Creator, and 

 in doing good oflices in the world, especially such as tend to the 

 credit and profit of their own families.'^ 



(To be continued.) 



Art. II. — On the Natural History of Volcanos arid Earth- 

 quakes,* by Dr. Gustav Bischof, Professor of Chemistry in the 

 University of Bonn. Communicated by the Author. 



I. Are volcanic phenomena capable of a satisfactory explanation 

 from the iticrease of temperature towards the centre of the earth, 

 or can chemical processes he ad7nitted loith greater pi^obability 

 to be the cause of volcanic action ? 



On inquiring into the cause of volcanic phenomena we must 

 not forget, says Yon Humboldt,f that the arrangement of volca- 

 nos sometimes in circular groups and sometimes in double lines, 

 is the most decided proof that their action is not dependent on 



* From the Edinburgh New Philosophical Jour., Vol. xxvi, No. 51, Jan. 1839. 



t On the structure and action of volcanos in various parts of the earth, in the 

 Abhandlungen der Konigl. Acad. d. Wissensch. zu Berlin, 1822 and 1823, p. 137, 

 and in Jameson's Phil. Jour. vol. v. p. 223. 



