202 Scientific Intelligence — Geology. 



number of Meloniae, which at once leads us to suppose that there must 

 have been a precipitation of grains of sand at the time when the trans- 

 formation into calcareous spar began to take place. The Textilariae, 

 and, as far as yet appears, the Nodosariae, which are noticed among these 

 Meloniae in the oolitic limestone, as well as in the mountain limestone, 

 present marks of difference from the genera still found in a living state.* 



6. New Volcano in the island of Meleda in the Adriatic. — The Gazzetta di 

 Milano announces that a new volcano was formed, about the middle of 

 last September, in the mountainous island of Meleda, situated in the 

 Adriatic, near Ragusa. In the night of the 14th, the crew of a Roman 

 vessel, the Madonna-di-san-Ciriaco, which happened to be in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and had felt successive shocks for four hours on the previous 

 evening, saw lava issuing from the centre of the island, and flow over a 

 space of about half a mile. The following night, while sailing in the 

 neighbouring canal, about two miles from land, they observed that seven 

 craters had been formed in the mountains of the island, and were throw- 

 ing out burning substances. The appearance of this volcano has been 

 considered as having an immediate relation to the very violent earth- 

 quakes which were felt at Ragusa on the evening of the 15th September. 

 However this may be, the following are a few particulars respecting the 

 earthquake which occurred at this date. The first shock was felt at 57 

 minutes past 4 o'clock. It was severe, and sensibly followed the di- 

 rection from south-west. To this first shock, which, lasted for four se- 

 conds, succeeded another still more violent, which [continued from four 

 to five seconds, the wind blowing from the south-west ; and it was ac- 

 companied with a subterraneous noise. Other shocks occurred in the 

 evening, nor did they cease till midnight. At 28 minutes past 1 o'clock 

 on the morning of the 15th, a very violent oscillatory motion in the di- 

 rection of south-west was experienced. 



The inhabitants were beginning to become greatly alarmed ; many 

 shocks succeeded which took place during the day, and it was at last 

 determined to quit the town. A horizontal cloud, which extended from 

 the north-east to the south, known in the country by the name of houtre, 

 and which appears to accompany every earthquake, and which was very 

 conspicuous during the earthquake of 1669 which destroyed Ragusa, 

 again appeared on this occasion, and it was not displaced by the wind. 

 At Ragusa Vecchia, the shocks were less severe than at Ragusa, but 

 they were more violent at Ombla, in the island of Guippassa, and in the 

 neighbouring districts, particularly in Erzegovina. In the island of 

 Curzola, the shocks took place on the 14th and 15th ; as well as at 

 Zara, Obrovazzo, and Almissa. The shocks were sometimes preceded 

 by a detonation, and the barometer sank very sensibly. In Carniola, at 

 Cilli, some shocks of an earthquake were likewise felt on the morning 

 of the 15th. On the 16th, at Ragusa, two other shocks were again felt 

 during the night, when soon after a brilliant meteor was seen to the east. 



* From L'Institut., No. 517, p. 401. 



