Recieics — Dr. Johnston Lavis — 8. Italian Volcanoes. 181 



In Bulletin No. 75 Mr. N. H. Darton gives a " Record of North 

 American Geology from 1887 to 1889 inclusive." He has previously- 

 published one for 1886, which appeared in the same series in 1887. 

 For terseness and the clear way in which the contents are set out, 

 so that the eye of the searcher is not wearied in its endeavours to 

 find the particular paper wanted, we recommend this production to 

 the attention of any who may be disposed to attempt the revival of 

 the ill-starred and more ambitious " British " prototype now years 

 behind time. 



V. — The South Italian Volcanoes. F. Furcheim. Naples. 



THIS work is one of the results of the excursion of the Geologists' 

 Association to Southern Italy in 1889. The account of the 

 excursion is written by Dr. Johnston-Lavis, who acted as principal 

 director. On September 18th the party embarked at Messina, on 

 a small steamer which had been chartered for a week's cruise 

 amongst the Lipari Islands. In the portion of the report dealing 

 with this part of the excursion much interesting geological informa- 

 tion is given, and the exact state of the active vents of Vulcano and 

 Stromboli is described. On returning to Sicily the party proceeded 

 to examine the phenomena of Etna, under the able guidance of Prof. 

 0. Silvestri, of Catania. The celebrated Val di Bove was visited 

 from Acireale, and the central ci'ater from Catania. 



On October 1st the party assembled at Naples, and the second 

 part of the excursion was' commenced. A fortnight was most 

 profitably spent in this classic region, and the usual objects of 

 interest were visited. The great extinct crater of Roccamonfina was 

 examined on the way to Rome, where the excursion was brought to 

 a successful termination on Oct 28th. Visitors desirous of studying 

 the volcanic phenomena of Southern Italy will find, in this report, 

 valuable information as to the best way of employing their time. 



The account of the excursion forms only a small portion of the 

 volume. Of the 335 pages, 239 are devoted to an exhaustive 

 bibliography of the district, which has been compiled by Madame 

 and Dr. Lavis. There are also papers on special subjects by 

 Messrs. Platania, Lavis, Sambon, and Zesi. Sixteen plates complete 

 the volume. Fifteen of these are excellent reproductions of photo- 

 graphs, and three which illustrate successive stages of an explosion 

 in the crater of Vulcano are extremely interesting. They convey 

 a vivid impression of the actual nature of the phenomenon. 



The Geologists' Association and Dr. Lavis are to be congratulated 

 on having so successfully carried out a somewhat ambitious pro- 

 gramme. They were received with great cordiality by many Italian 

 geologists, and on several occasions experienced great kindness and 

 hospitality at the hands of local authorities. 



Now that the slight inconveniences necessarily attendant on such 

 an excursion are forgotten, the members who took part in it must 

 look back with unalloyed pleasure to the time so profitably spent in 

 a district full of interest, both from a geological and from a historical 

 point of view. 



