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for though I was not unacquainted with thefe fingular pro- 

 du(5lions by defcription, I was not lefs forcibly ftruck, on 

 firft feeing a colledtion of them at Verona in January 1791, 

 than if I had never heard of them before. As I had not, at 

 that time, leifure to pay much attention to them, or to make 

 the minute inquiries which they feemed fo well to deferve, I 

 determined, if I fliould again pafs through this part of Italy 

 at a favourable feafon for the purpofe, to vifit, if poffible, the 

 place where they were found, as well to verify the fadl, as, 

 from an examination of the fituation and other particularities 

 of the fpot, to endeavour to form fome conjedlure as to the 

 origin of a circumftance fo extraordinary. 



This opportunity occurring in the month of June following, 

 I took up my refidence for fome days at the town of Arzignan 

 in the Vicentine, by the recommendation of the well-known 

 Abate Alberto Fortis *, and from thence occafionally made ex- 

 curfions through the neighbouring hills, under the guidance 



of 



* I was much indebted fo the hofpitality and kind attention of the Abate Fortis 

 to my accommodation in every refpeft, during the fliort time that I had it in my 

 power to fpend in examining the Euganean hills, and other curious diftrifts of the 

 Venetian territory. It is much to be regretted that the many interefting papers which 

 this gentleman has given to the world, at different times and in various fhapes, on 

 particular parts of the north of Italy, have never been coUefted into one publication. 

 Many valuable works of Signior Giov. Arduino of Venice have alfo appeared in the 

 fame fcattcred manner, which, though written fome years back, would form a moft 

 ufeful coUeftion of accurate local defcriptions and obfervations. At prefent it is 

 very troublefome and difficult to procure many of the writings of tliefe authors, 

 even in the countries where they were publifhed 



