2. Considering the moon’s position with regard to the sun, at conjunction there were 32, at opposition 37, and at quadrature 74. East of the meridian the maximum was at least four hours. 3. When the moon was north of the equator these were 68, when south 82. 4. A maximum of earthquakes seven and eleven days after the moon’s perigee. The fact that these results were obtained for the earthquakes of a special small seismic area renders them more interesting.[101] _Frequency of earthquakes in relation to the position of the sun._—The question as to whether there is a connection between the frequency of earthquakes and the relative position of the sun is to a great extent identical with the question as to the relative frequency of earthquakes in the various seasons. It is a subject which we find referred to by writers in the earliest ages. Pliny and Aristotle thought that earthquakes occurred chiefly in spring and autumn. In later times it has been a subject which has been most carefully considered by Merian, von Hoff, Perrey, Mallet, Volger, Kluge, and others who have devoted attention to seismology. In a résumé of the earthquakes of Europe, and of the adjacent parts of Asia and Africa, from A.D. 306–1843, Mallet gives the following results:— +------------------+------------------------+----------------------+ | | For Nineteenth Century | For the whole period | +------------------+------------------------+----------------------+ | Winter Solstice | 177 } Solstices | 253 } Solstices | | Spring Equinox | 151 } } 306 | 170 } } 403 | | Summer Solstice | 129 } } Equinoxes | 150 } } Equinoxes | | Autumnal Equinox | 164 } 315 | 159 } 329 | +------------------+------------------------+----------------------| The above periods were called by Perrey _critical epochs_, because as a general result of his researches he found that at such periods there was a greater frequency of earthquakes. Fuchs, quoting from Kluge’s tables, extending from 1850–1857, tells us that the recorded earthquakes occurred as follows:— In the Northern Hemisphere— Equinoxes =1324= Solstices 1202 In the Southern Hemisphere— Equinoxes =301= Solstices 261 Earthquakes are, therefore, more frequent at the equinoxes, and this especially at the autumnal equinox. In the northern hemisphere, at the solstices, the greater number of shocks occur about the winter solstices, whilst in the southern hemisphere, about the summer solstices. Exceptions, however, are found in Central America and the West Indies, in the Caucasus, and the Ægean Sea.