LINOS A AND ITS ROCKS 13 



eral freshness of their lavas and scoriae, point unmistakably to 

 their eruption in recent times. The lack of almost any reference to 

 the island by ancient writers leaves us without any documentary 

 data, but the presence of the graves in the tuffs of Monte Levante 

 and of ruins near Monte Biancarella and in the north crater of 

 Monte Bandiera proves that the extinction of these tuff cones, at 

 least, antedates human occupation. No hot springs nor other 

 evidences of present vulcanicity are found on the island, and its volca- 

 noes must be regarded as extinct. 



To recapitulate the apparent facts as to the order of eruption of 

 the several cones, my observations show that the tuff cones belong 

 to an earlier period than those of lava, though it is probable that the 

 two periods overlapped to a slight extent. Of the former the north 

 crater of Monte Bandiera is almost certainly the oldest on the island, 

 followed, probably soon after, by the south crater, the so-called 

 II Fosso. Monti Levante, Pozzolana, and Biancarella are, almost 

 unquestionably, later than these, and it seems probable that the 

 date of the two former is prior to that of the last named, though the 

 exact order is impossible to ascertain. It is more difficult to deter- 

 mine the sequence of the lava and cinder cones, as the relations of 

 their several flows when adjoining, are, except in one instance, 

 obscured by superficial sands, ashes, and cultivated soil. From their 

 size it would seem reasonable to ascribe the eruptions of Monti 

 Rosso and Vulcano to a rather early period, while Monte Raneri is 

 probably of a later date, and is certainly earlier than Monte Ponente, 

 the eruption of which may be regarded as closing the era of volcanic 

 activity. 



From the submarine topography indicated on the map (Fig. i), 

 it is probable that submarine eruptions, similar to those of the islands 

 of 1 83 1 and 1 89 1 near Pantelleria, have taken place to the north and 

 to the southeast of Linosa. It may be noted that rock is indicated 

 on the chart as forming the sea-bottom at both these points, surrounded 

 by sands. 



In Fig. 2 is shown a view of the island from the southwest, based 

 on a sketch made by me when leaving the island, as, unfortunately 

 I had no camera with me during my visit. While somewhat dia- 

 grammatic, it yet shows the relative positions, shapes, and sizes of 



