WRIGHT—TOUR IN SICILY AND PORTUGAL. 301 
Schmidtuformus swarmed in the flowers, often alighting, too, on the hot 
crumbly cinders of the crater. Many rare and several new species of 
Hymenoptera were found here by Mr. Haliday. On the 3rd we left 
early for the Val] de Bove, returning late the same night. In several 
of the villages through which we passed, delicious, large, juicy cherries 
were purchased for about twopence a pound. The 4th was spent on 
the slopes of Etna, and after breakfast on the 5th we left Nicolosi for 
the summit. 
Our good friend, Sig. Gemmellaro, had sent on before us a couple 
of men and mules, with some dry straw to sleep on, at the ‘‘ Casa degli 
Inglesi,’’ and with instructions to put the place in as good order as pos- 
sible. He told us that only one or two parties had ascended since the 
snow had melted, and that the cottage had suffered from the effects of 
the past winter. The party consisted of Mr. Halliday and Cullen, on 
mules, each of whom had its boy, the guide alsomounted; and a boy with 
our traps, which consisted of top coats and railway rugs, a vesuvius, 
some tea, bread, butter, and fresh eggs all packed in panniers across 
the fourth mule. Not being accustomed to ride, I proceeded on foot. 
The road, for the first mile or so above the village, was over a rude 
tract of black ashes, with here and there clumps of Genista. Then we 
would cross a lava tract, with here and there a little patch of culti- 
vation. It wascurious to see in how short a time the hard tough lava, 
when under cultivation, broke up into a fine, rich-looking dark earth, 
in which the foot would sink sometimes for inches. It was also asto- 
nishing to see how luxurious the growth of the vines was in this soil; 
sometimes their roots were to be seen clinging to a mass of lava, which 
they would in time disintegrate, but from which it was hard to believe 
they could draw much of nourishment. This part of the ascent was not 
of much interest. At times the road was strewn with large stones, 
making it very tiresome to walk on; again, for long lengths, it was 
covered with fine volcanic ash, and it was a great comfort, by taking 
advantage of a few short cuts, to get away from and in advance of the 
mules and their jingling bells, and to be able to walk at whatever 
pace one liked. 
Once passed the chestnut region, we came on large snow reservoirs, 
covered over some feet thick with volcanic ash, to be opened one 
by one during the summer for the supply of snow, as a substitute for 
ice, to Catania. Here and there some few plants were breaking into 
flower; among them some species of Arabis and Cardamine; and in 
sheltered spots Berberis etnensis wasin full bloom. I was struck, how- 
ever, by the great absence of vegetation in the region intermediate 
between the chestnut woods and that of the base of the cone; it was so 
different in this respect from what I had seen at the same elevation in 
Switzerland and the Tyrol. For nearly an hour before we came to the 
Casa, we were obliged to traverse large fields of snow, in some places so 
hard as to be easily walked over, but in other places so soft that at 
every step I went up to my knees. About an hour before sunset we 
entered the Casa. We had come along pretty leisurely, and having spent 
