158 



proof of a submarine current, carrying the 

 waters of the pole toward the equator. We will 

 not here solve the delicate problem, in what 

 manner within the tropics, and in the temperate 

 zone, for example in the Caribbean sea, and in 

 the lakes of Switzerland, these inferior strata 

 of water, cooled to 4° or 7° act upon the tem- 

 perature of the stony strata of the globe which 

 they cover; and how these same strata, the 

 primitive temperature of which is under the 

 tropics 27°, and at the lake of Geneva 10°, react 

 upon the half-frozen waters at the bottom of the 

 lakes, and of the Equinoctial Ocean. These 

 questions are of the highest importance, both 

 with regard to the economy of animals that live 

 habitually at the bottom of fresh and salt waters, 

 and to the theory of the distribution of heat in 

 lands surrounded by vast and deep seas. 



The lake of Valencia is full of islands, which 

 embellish the scenery by the picturesque form 

 of their rocks, and the appearance of the vege- 

 tation with which they are covered. This is an 

 advantage, which this tropical lake possesses 

 over those of the Alps. The islands are fifteen 

 in number distributed in three groups * ; no 



* The position of these islands is as follows; to the 

 North, near the shore,, Isla de Cura; to the South-East, 

 Burro, Homo, Otama, Sorro, Caiguira, Nuevos Penones or the 

 new dparecidas ; to the North-West, Cabo-Blanco, or Isla de 



