Dr. Buckland was, I believe, the first English geologist who examined this valley with attention, and I am indebted to him for having described it to me, before I visited Sicily, as more worthy of attention than any single spot in that island, or perhaps in Europe.
PLATE III.
VIEW LOOKING UP THE VAL DEL BOVE, ETNA.
The Val del Bove commences near the summit of Etna, and descending into the woody region, is farther continued on one side by a second and narrower valley, called the Val di Calanna. Below this another, named the Val di St. Giacomo, begins,—a long narrow ravine, which is prolonged to the neighborhood of Zaffarana (e, [fig. 48]), on the confines of the fertile region. These natural incisions into the side of the volcano are of such depth that they expose to view a great part of the structure of the entire mass, which, in the Val del Bove, is laid open to the depth of from 3000 to above 4000 feet from the summit of Etna. The geologist thus enjoys an opportunity of ascertaining how far the internal conformation of the cone corresponds with what he might have anticipated as the result of that mode of increase which has been witnessed during the historical era.
Great valley on the east side of Etna.
| a, Highest cone. | b, Montagnuola. |
| c, Head of Val del Bove. | d, d, Serre del Solfizio. |
| e, Village of Zaffarana on the lower border of the woody region. | |
| f, One of the lateral cones. | g, Monti Rossi. |