If ALT. LETTER XVI. 22 



lefier part diftinguifhed "by names j wherefore I 

 (hall attempt their defcriptions. 



A. Serpentino verd' antico found in large blocks 

 and lumps near Oftia, the 'old harbour where the 

 Egyptian fhips unloaded. The ground green ; 

 the fpots oblong or parallelepiped, feld-fpath or 

 fherl ; more or lefs green. The colour perhaps 

 owing to copper ochre. In the fubftance now and 

 then holes or bladders like thofe which air forms 

 in melted materials i but white tranfparent flint, 

 or agate-fpots, of an undetermined or roundifh 

 figure, are common in it. I have feen the fol- 

 lowing varieties. 



a. Dark-green, with fair green fpots ; common. 



b. Dark-green, with white fpots. 



c. Dark- green, with black fpots. 



d. Fair- green, or green-yellowilh, with black 

 fpots. 



B. Porfido verde propriamente coji cHamato ; 

 dark-green, nearly black, with different fhadow- 

 ings or grafs-green. The mafs never quite fo 

 hard as jafper, but often refembling trapp, and to 

 be fcraped with a knife. The fpots white, but 

 commonly undetermined. The following varieties 

 have offered themfelves to me. 



a. Green porphyry, jafper-like dark or. black- 

 green, with diftincl: oblong fherl-fpots, larger than 

 < in 



