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sells, the mountain Chimsera burns, and indeed with a continual flame, day and night^[1]. Ctesias of Cnidos informs us, that this lire is kindled by water, while it is extinguished by earth and by hay^[2]. In the same country of Lycia, the mountains of Hephasstius, when touched with a flaming torch,^[3], burn so violently, that even the stones in the river and the sand burn, while actually in the water: this fire is also increased by rain. If a person makes furrows in the ground with a stick which has been kindled at this fire, it is said that a stream of flame will follow it. The summit of Cophantus, in Bactria^[4], burns during the night; and this is the case in Media and at Sittacene^[5], on the borders of Persia; likewise in Susa, at the White Tower, from fifteen apertures^[6], the greatest of which also burns in the daytime. The plain of Babylon throws up flame from a place like a fishpond^[7], an acre in extent. Near Hesperium, a mountain of the Æthiopians^[8], the fields shine in the night-time like stars ; the same thing takes place in the territory of the Megalopo-

that the number of extinct volcanos is considerably greater than those now in action.

1. Chimæra was a volcano in Lycia, not far from the Xanthus; the circumstance of its summit emitting flame, while its sides were the resort of various savage animals, probably gave rise to the fabulous story of the Centaur of this name, a ferocious monster who was continually vomiting forth flame.
2. The word in the text is "fœnum"; Hardoum suggests that the meaning of the author may have been Htter, or the refuse of stables. Lemaire, i. 454.
3. The emission of a gas, which may be kindled by the apphcation of flame, is a phænomenon of no very rare occurrence ; but the effects are, no doubt, much exaggerated. See the remarks of Alexandre in Lemaire, i. 454.
4. The country of the Bactrians was a district to the S.E, of the Caspian Sea, and to the north of the sources of the Indus, nearly corresponding to the modern Bucharia.
5. There would appear to be some uncertainty as to the locality of this place: our author derived his statement from the writer of the treatise de Mirab. Auscult.
6. "Caminis."
7. Probably the crater of a former volcano.
8. This mountain, as well as the (Greek characters), mentioned below, has been supposed to be situated on the west of Africa, near Sierra Leone, or Cape Verd; but, as I conceive, without sufficient authority. See Alexandre in Lemaire, i. 455.