ITALY. LETTER V. 41 



2. The following ftratum is a fmall bed of a 

 compacter, whiter, and lefs cracked limeftone, fit 

 for gate-pofts and other architectural ufes. This 

 contains, next to the inferior former ftratum, fome 

 fmall unknown oftracites\ in its upper parts are 

 no petrifactions at all. 



3. The ftratum which is commonly found in 

 the third place, confifts of many fmall beds, either 

 deftitute of petrifactions, or containing different 

 fea-fhells in different beds. The fmaller beds in 

 its upper-part, next to the enfuing fourth ftratum, 

 confift of what they call Oolithes. 



4. This ftratum contains many fmaller ones ; 

 and thefe are either of a red colour, containing 

 frequent ammonites of an enormous fize, or en- 

 tirely white, and then contain no petrifactions or 

 fcarce ammonites. The red Veronefe marble, filled 

 with ammonites, is dug out of this ftratum. 



5. Then follows an infinite variety of white 

 limeftone beds. Thofe which are uppermoftr in 

 the higher mountains, for example, Monte 'Tor- 

 raro, contain nothing *, but the reft is filled with 

 different marine bodies, each ftratum being filled 

 with a peculiar fpecies. 



6. The uppermoft covering of thefe Alps is 

 called by the Italians Scaglia, and confifts of a 

 calcareous bed, which contains either in inter- 

 fperfed nodules, or in fmaller beds a great many 



varioufly 



