AEROPHYLACEA, a term used by naturalists for caverns or reservoirs of air, supposed to exist in the bowels of the earth. Kircher speaks much of aerophylacea, or huge caverns replete with air, disposed under ground; from whence, through numerous occult passages, that element is conveyed either to subterranean receptacles of water, which, according to him, are hereby raised into springs or rivers, or into the funds of subterranean fire, which are hereby fed and kept alive for the restoration of metals, minerals, and the like.