CHAP. V. ON THE SUMMIT OF CORAZON. Ill 



person or persons who deposited them on the spot where they 

 were fonnd.' 



The rock of the summit is described by Prof. Bonney as an 

 augite-andesite/ and closely' resembles examples from several of 

 the mountains which will be referred to in later chapters. Its 

 natural colour is a slaty-grey^ but this is only apparent in newly- 

 broken, unweathered fragments. Surfaces which are exposed to 

 the atmosphere become a dull red (approximating to Indian red), 

 and this colouring doubtless arises from the rusting of the iron 

 that is present in these lavas. ^ 



The summit ridge was by no means exclusively rocky. The 

 scoriaceous surfaces, by decay, had been converted into soil, and 

 in the earth so formed there was quite a little flora. I collected 

 five lichens and as many mosses, three Drabas, a Lycopodium, a 

 Werneria, and an Arenaria. These were growing upon the very 

 apex of the mountain, and from their abundance and vigorous 

 condition it was clear that most if not all of the species might 

 have attained a considerably greater elevation if there had been 

 higher ground in the vicinity.* 



From amongst this vegetation, I disinterred an earthworm, 



^ On return to Machachi, no one could throw light on the matter. The objects 

 appeared to have been on the summit for j^ears ; yet (though they were not freshly 

 dressed) they did not appear to be a century and a half old. One can hardly sup- 

 pose that La Condamine and Bouguer indulged in this frivolity. To have trimmed 

 these specimens with such regularity would have occupied a considerable length 

 of time. They weigh eight pounds. 



"^ Proc. Royal Soc, June 19, 1884, and Supp. App., p. 142. 



^ The volcanic dusts referred to on pp. 125, 141 are only this rock in a finely- 

 divided state. If some of it is placed upon a sheet of paper and a magnet is moved 

 about underneath, it will appear to dance. The particles of iron can be drawn off 

 and separated from the rocky ones by means of the magnet. 



4 *Alectoria divergens, Ach., Gyrophora sp., ^'Neuropogon melaxanthus, Nyl., 

 Farmelia sp., Stereocaulon sp.; '^Andrecea striata^ Mitt., Bartramia aristata, Mitt., 

 *B. Potodca, Mont., Cryptodium lutescens, Jaeg., Orihotrichum sp. ; "^Lycopodium 

 Saururus^ L. ; *Draba imbricata, C. A. Mey., B. obovata, Benth., and * another 

 (not determined); Arenaria dicranoides, H.B.K. Those marked with an asterisk 

 were abundant. 



