aes 
gered Th a ep eee 
“Fr, 
ail 7 = 
79 
sulphide forced its way through the harder material by passing 
through cracks lateral and oblique in direction until it reached 
a flat surface, where sulphur crystals formed of two kinds—one 
of very pale colour, the other of a rich yellow. The Celestite 
separates on the top from the matrix, leaving the sulphur, and 
encrusts in fine incipient crystallization, or deposited in dots of 
various sizes on the faces of the sulphur crystals. 
3.—Celestite. A specimen typical of most of the Sicilian 
mineral. Like the preceding examples, it came from the 
Jacomini mines at Lercara Friddi, and from the workings in 
the Hocene marls. It consists of Celestite and sulphur, with 
some lime sulphate. This is stalactiticin growth. The sulphur 
is bright canary yellow, in secondary crystals, moulding them- 
selves upon and in the recesses and drusy cavities left by the 
stalactites, which are calcareous, and covered with finely 
semi-crystallized Celestite, whilst here and there, at irregular 
distances, shoot forth radiate groups of stout pellucid rhombic 
prisms of Celestite; others are more needle-like, studding the 
surfaces unoccupied by the sulphur. Some of these stalactitic 
forms are of surprising beauty, both in form and purity of 
colour, and the prisms cross and recross in delightful confusion, 
throwing out here and there obliquely-crossed prisms of the 
mineral as braces to strengthen and gird the compound group 
of Strontian, gypsum and sulphur. 
4,—Is a specimen in the Royal University Museum at 
Palermo, that throws no light upon the origin, but is unique 
and distinctive, on account of its form and purity of colour. 
We can only compare the shape of this fine example to that of 
a hedgehog, through its resemblance to the oval form of that 
creature, also the fact of a distinct and remarkable symmetry, 
each lanciform-shaped crystal of equal length, and as truthful in 
position as the spines of the hedgehog: the colour, of pearly 
white and purity. This example was either from sulphur marls 
at the Caltanissetta workings (of Pliocene age), or from those at 
Lercara Friddi (of the Eocene). 
Summary.—A close scrutiny of these specimens, taken in 
connection with the physical character of the island in the 
Tertiary epoch, say in the Pliocene era, also including the 
