Its eruptions produce enormous quantities of pumice, and
deep layers of mud, volcanic sand and pumice surround it on the plateau.
Of the air currents about and above Cotopaxi, Wagner says (_Naturw.
Reisen im trop. Amerika_, p. 514): "On the Tacunga Plateau, at a height
of 8000 Paris feet, the prevailing direction of the wind is meridional,
usually from the south in the morning, and frequently from the north in
the evening; but over the summit of Cotopaxi, at a height of 18,000 ft.,
the north-west wind always prevails throughout the day. The
gradually-widening volcanic cloud continually takes a south-eastern
direction over the rim of the crater; at a height, however, of about
21,000 ft. it suddenly turns to the north-west, and maintains that
direction till it reaches a height of at least 28,000 ft. There are thus
from the foot of the volcano to the highest level attained by its
smoke-cloud three quite distinct regular currents of wind."

COTRONE (anc. _Croto, Crotona_), a seaport and episcopal see on the E.
coast of Calabria, Italy, in the province of Catanzaro, 37 m. E.N.E. of
Catanzaro Marina by rail, 143 ft. above sea-level. Pop. (1901) town,
7917; commune, 9545. It has a castle erected by the emperor Charles V.
and a small harbour, which even in ancient times was not good, but
important as the only one between Taranto and Reggio. It exports a
considerable quantity of oranges, olives and liquorice.

COTTA, the name of a family of German publishers, intimately connected
with the history of German literature. The Cottas were of noble Italian
descent, and at the time of the Reformation the family was settled in
Eisenach in Thuringia.

JOHANN GEORG COTTA (1) (1631-1692), the founder of the publishing house
of J. G. Cotta, married in 1659 the widow of the university bookseller,
Philipp Braun, in Tubingen, and took over the management of his
business, thus establishing the firm which was subsequently associated
with Cotta's name. On his death, in 1692, the undertaking passed to his
only son, Johann Georg (2); and on his death in 1712, to the latter's
eldest son, also named Johann Georg (3), while the second son, Johann
Friedrich (see below), became the distinguished theologian.

Although the eldest son of Johann Georg (3), Christoph Friedrich Cotta
(1730-1807), established a printing-house to the court at Stuttgart, the
business languished, and it was reserved to his youngest son, JOHANN
FRIEDRICH, FREIHERR