[ 3o6 ] 



of Neptunian ftoncs it throws up, as may befeen in Gioeni's Litho- 

 graphy of Vefuvius, confirms this opinion; that the calcareous ftrata 

 are covered to a great depth with lava cannot be doubted, but that 

 the whole mafs of Vefuvius confifts of volcanic ejeilions has not 

 been proved ; it is faid that in finking a well near the fea fhore 

 beds of lava, have been found at great depths, but howeafily may 

 have the mother ftones of lava, hornblende and fhiftofe hornblende 

 be miftaken for lava itfelf ? 



With refpe6l to /Etna there Can be no doubt. Dolomieu found 

 immenfe heaps of fea fhells in its north-eaft flanks at the height 

 of near 2000 feet over the furface of the fea. Hence he juftly 

 concludes that this volcano exifted as a mountain before it was 

 uncovered by the fea ; he adds that at the height of about 2400 

 feet there are regular ftrata of grey clay filled with marine fhells ; 

 thefe ftrata muft then have been depofited while the mountain was 

 a forming under the fea ; it contained alfo he fays prifmatic lava, 

 but the word lava, particularly with the addition prifmatic, can 

 now impofe on no one *. 



He farther affirms that in particular parts of this mountain, 

 calcareous ftrata exift under the lava. — So alfo Count Borch, in his 

 Letters on Sicily and Malta, informs us that the original ftone 

 of which iEtna confifts is granite mixed with jafper, neither of 



which 



* Ponces, 465. 466. &c. 



