On certain Rocks in Tuscany of Miocene and Eocene Age. 241 



without diallage, of Miocene age. This i3 much softer than the 

 diallagic serpentine. It forms dykes ; but more generally it is the 

 axial nucleus of hills and mountains, the strata of which are much 

 disturbed. In most cases the serpentine rocks, piercing the sedi- 

 mentary strata, have upheaved them from all sides : for this remark- 

 able species of axis the author proposes the term vericliml, indicating 

 that the strata fall off in every direction. It is frequently rich in 

 copper-ores at its junction with the metamorphosed schists or Gabbro 

 rosso ; here also several zeolites, all containing magnesia (from 1*11 

 to 1350 per cent.), abound; and limpid calcite in extremely obtuse 

 rhombohedral crystals occurs. The limestones are often altered by 

 the serpentine into dolomite (Miemmite), and are otherwise vari- 

 ously affected. Near Matarana a mouse- coloured limestone is 

 changed (by the alteration of the carbonate of iron to a peroxide) into 

 a brick-red marble, often brecciated and veined with serpentine and 

 calc-spar (" Ofiocalce"). The copper-ores (chalcopyrites, bornite, 

 oxide of copper, grey copper, native copper) at Monte Catini occur 

 in nodules or boulders enveloped in the serpentine, as though they 

 had been brought up simultaneously. Chalcedony abounds in the 

 serpentine north of Monte Verdi, where it occurs in large veins, and 

 is occasionally brecciated. Black flint, jasper, agate, waxy opal, 

 &c, are not uncommon. 



Pure alabaster appears to be peculiar to Western Tuscany. It 

 occurs in ovoidal masses, often 3 feet in diameter, in selenitic 

 marls of Miocene age in the Val di Marmolajo. Coloured alabaster 

 is also found in some of the Pliocene beds of Tuscany. Gypsum is 

 widely distributed where serpentine has pierced limestones, as at 

 Matarana and Jano. 



At Jano the palaeozoic coal is represented by isolated plants con- 

 verted into anthracite ; it is the only locality on the Italian continent 

 where Carboniferous fossils have been found ; but Miocene lignites 

 are abundant in Italy. At Sarzanello in Piedmont, 6& feet of 

 miocene coal occurs. This is used in the Sardinian steam-navy. 

 At Castiani, in the Maremme, good lignite, 3 feet 4 inches thick, 

 is worked ; and at Monte Bamboli, also in Tuscany, one bed, 

 4 feet 2 inches, and another, 2 feet thick, have long been in use. 



June 13, 1860. — L. Horner, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



The following communication was read. 



" On the Ossiferous Caves of the Peninsula of Gower, in Gla- 

 morganshire, South Wales." By H. Falconer, M.D., F.R.S., F.G.S. 

 With an Appendix, on a Raised Beach in Mewslade Bay, and the 

 occurrence of the Boulder-clay on Cefn-y-bryn; by J. Prestwich, 

 Esq., F.R.S., Treas.G.S. 



The object of this communication was to give a summary of re- 

 searches made during the last three years by the author and Lieut.- 

 Col. E. It. Wood, F.G.S., the latter of whom has carefully explored 

 at his own charge, since 1848, some of the caves previously known, 

 as well as several discovered by himself. The known bone-caves of 

 Gower (of which Paviland, Spritsail Tor, and Bacon Hole have 

 already supplied Dr. Buckland and others to some extent with ma- 



