sa have been quite
exempt, and Fayal has only suffered from one eruption (1672). The centre of
activity has for the most part been St Michael's, while the neighbouring
island of St Mary has altogether escaped. In 1444-1445 there was a great
eruption at St Michael's, of which, however, the accounts that have been
preserved exaggerate the importance. In 1522 the town of Villa Franca, at
that time the capital of the island, was buried, with all its 6000
inhabitants, during a violent convulsion. In 1572 an eruption took place in
Pico; in 1580 St George was the scene of numerous outbursts; and in 1614 a
little town in Terceira was destroyed. In 1630, 1652, 1656, 1755, 1852,
&c., St Michael's was visited with successive eruptions and earthquakes,
several of them of great violence. On various occasions, as in 1638, 1720,
1811 and 1867, subterranean eruptions have taken place, which have
sometimes been accompanied by the appearance of temporary islands. Of these
the most remarkable was thrown up in June 1811, about half a league from
the western extremity of St Michael's. It was called Sabrina by the
commander of the British man-of-war of that name, who witnessed the
phenomenon.

_Climate._--The climate is particularly temperate, but the extremes of
sensible heat and cold are increased by the humidity. The range of the
thermometer is from 45deg Fahr., the lowest known extreme, or 48deg, the
ordinary lowest extreme of January, to 82deg, the ordinary, or 86deg, the
highest known extreme of July, near the level of the sea. Between these two
points (both taken in the shade) there is from month to month a pretty
regular gradation of increase or decrease, amounting to somewhat less than
four degrees. In winter the prevailing winds are from the north-west, west
and south; in summer the most frequent are the north, north-east and east.
The weather is often extremely stormy, and the winds from the west and
south-west render the navigation of the coasts very dangerous.

_Fauna._--The mammalia of the Azores are limited to the rabbit, weasel,
ferret, rat (brown and black), mouse and bat, in addition to domestic
animals. The game includes the woodcock, red partridge (introduced in the
16th century), quail and snipe. Owing to the damage inflicted on the crops
by the multitude of blackbirds, bullfinches, chaffinches and green
canaries, a reward was formerly paid for the destruction of birds in St
Michael's, and it is said that over 400,000 we