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Updated: May 29, 2025
But the chief point of interest is the chain of volcanic crater-cones and dome-shaped eminences which rise from the plateau, amongst which the Puy de Dôme towers supreme. Their individual forms stand out in clear and sharp relief against the western sky, and gradually fade away towards the south into the serried masses of Mont Dore and Cantal, around whose summits the evening mists are gathering.
The most noteworthy features in connection with this formation are the crater-cones, craterlets, pits, white spots, and light streaks which figure on the otherwise smooth interior. Mr. T.P. Gray, F.R.A.S., of Bedford, who, with praiseworthy assiduity, has devoted more than ten years to the close scrutiny of these features, Mr.
Standing on the summit of the Puy de Dôme, and looking northwards or southwards, the eye wanders over a tract formed of dome-shaped hills and of extinct crater-cones rising from a granitic platform. But what is most peculiar in the scene is the ruptured condition of a large number of the cones with craters.
Its southern section, that of Mont Dore, the Cantal, and the Haute Loire, is characterised by magnificent valleys, traversing plateaux of volcanic lava, and exhibiting the results of river erosion on a grand scale; while its northern section, that of the Puy de Dôme, presents to us a varied succession of volcanic crater-cones and domes, with their extruded lava-streams, almost as fresh and unchanged in form as if they had only yesterday become extinct.
Many of these volcanoes of second or third magnitude lie outside the forest zone, both above and below it; such as the double hill of Monti Rossi, near Nicolosi, formed in 1659, which is 450 feet in height, and two miles in circumference at its base. Sir C. Lyell observes that these minor crater-cones present us with one of the most delightful and characteristic scenes in Europe.
BUCH. Adjoins Busching on the S.E. It is about 31 miles in diameter, and has a less broken barrier. There is a large crater on the E. wall, and another smaller one on the S.W. Schmidt shows nothing on the floor, but Neison noted two minute crater-cones.
In addition to the sheets of basalt, numerous crater-cones rise from the basaltic platform at a level of 5000 feet above the sea, and two volcanic mountains, rising far to the west of the principal range, called respectively Harrât Jeheyma and H. Rodwa, almost overlook the coast of the Red Sea.
Recent observations of these spots with a 13 inch telescope by Professor W.H. Pickering, under the exceptionally good conditions which prevail at Arequipa, Peru, have revived interest in the subject, for they tend to show that visible changes have taken place in the aspect of the principal crater-cones and of some of the other spots since they were so carefully and zealously scrutinised nearly a quarter of a century ago.
The fundamental rock is slate or grit of Devonian age, furrowed by numerous valleys, often richly wooded, and diversified by conical hills of trachyte; or by crater-cones, formed of basalt or ashes, sometimes ruptured on one side, and occasionally sending forth streams of lava, as in the cases of the Perlinkopf, the Bausenberg, and the Engelerkopf.
Lastly, turning our attention to the European area, notwithstanding the still active condition of Etna, Vesuvius, and a few adjoining islands, we see in all directions throughout Southern Italy evidences of volcanic operations of a past time, such as extinct crater-cones, lakes occupying the craters of former volcanoes, and extensive deposits of tuff or streams of lava all concurring in giving evidence of a period now past, when vulcanicity was widespread over regions where its presence is now never felt except when some earthquake shock, like that of the Riviera, brings home to our minds the fact that the motive force is still beneath our feet, though under restrained conditions as compared with a former period.
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