4 



ETNA. 



[Ch XXVI. 



Monte Nucilla near Nicolos 



the base of which several successive currents have flowed, 

 and showers of ashes have fallen in historical times, till at 

 last, during an eruption in 1536, the surrounding plain was 

 so raised, that the top of the cone alone was left projecting 



"'''"" Monte Nero, situated above the 

 Grotta deir Capre, was in 1766 almost overflowed by a 



above the general level. 



current : 



Monte 



Fig. 70. 





View of Etna from the summit of the limestone phitform of Primosole, 



looking north. 



a. Highest cone, 



b. Montagnuola. 



c. Monte Minardo, with smaller lateral cones 



above. 



d. Town of Licodia dei Monaci. 



e. Argillaceous and sandy beds with marine 

 shells nearly all of living Mediterranean 

 species, and with associated and contempora- 

 neous volcanic rocks. 



/. Escarpment of stratified subaqueous vol- 

 canic tuif, &C.5 north-west of Catania. 



g. Town of Catania. * 



A, i. Dotted line expressing the highest 

 boundary along which the marine strata are 

 occasionally seen. They reach at Catira, 4 

 miles north of Catania, a height of about 1,258 

 English feet above the level of the sea. 



k. Plain of Catania. 



I. Limestone platform of Primosole of the 

 Newer Pliocene period. 



m. La Motta di Catania. 



exam 



o 



so 



? 



a lava stream^ creeping along tlie top of a ridge wliicli ^liad 

 been built np by the continued superposition of successive 

 lavaSj flowed directly into tlie crater, and nearly filled it. 

 The lava, therefore, of each new lateral cone tends to detract 

 from the relative height of lower cones above their base ; 

 that the flanks of Etna, sloping with a gentle inclination 

 envelope in succession a great multitude of minor volcanos, 

 while new ones spring up from time to time. 



Marine strata and volcanic rochs of Etna of Newer Pliocene 

 date. — In the annexed outline of Etna and its environs, whicli 

 I made in 1828 from the platform of tertiary limestone of 

 Primosole, the summit of the volcano 



C^ 



}CXV 



] 



ie all; 



by ail 1 



Xlie( 



cially ci 

 the sea ; 

 for not 

 clays oi 

 are cap 

 in one c 

 while t 

 other r 



the Sin 

 wards i 

 neighb 

 In the 

 and 



points 

 marim 



beneal 

 gradiiE 

 more f 

 600 fe 



Cataui 

 of 1,2^ 

 At tha: 

 and at 

 a mile 



are 



as 



igiieou 



u 



is seen 24 



geogra- 



aetio 



^aid iu 



^ledit, 



older 



