528  Miscellaneous—Marble Quarries of the Island of Paros. 
Mr. Spence Bate took great interest in Art, and was not only 
a promoter, but also a working member of the Plymouth Fine Art 
Society. He also took a warm part in the Plymouth School of Art, 
and in the carrying out of the new Art, Science and Technical Schools 
about to be erected as a Jubilee memorial in Plymouth. 
Mr. Bate naturally felt a keen interest in the Marine Biological 
Association, and was very active and energetic in promoting the 
establishment of their Marine Biological Laboratory recently erected 
at the Plymouth Citadel. 
Some years since he purchased a country residence, called the 
Rock, at South Brent. There he died, after a brief but painful 
illness, on Monday, the 29th July, 1889, aged 71 years. 
Mr. Bate was twice married. His first wife was Miss Hele, of 
Ashburton. She died in 1884. His second wife, to whom he was 
married about two years ago, survives him. He also leaves two 
sons, one of them, Captain McGuire Bate, of the Royal Engineers ; 
the other, Dr. Hele Bate, of London, who was with his father 
throughout his last illness; and one daughter, Miss Bate, who has 
inherited much of her father’s artistic taste. The titles of 52 papers 
by Mr. Spence Bate are given in the Catalogue of Scientific Papers 
published by the Royal Society, vols. i. and vii. 1867 and 1877. 
One of his most valuable researches was published in the Phil. 
Trans. Roy. Soc. 1858, p. 589-606, on the development of Carcinus 
moenas, but his ‘‘ Challenger” volume was his last and greatest labour. 
The loss of one possessed of such varied and brilliant talents 
cannot fail to be both widely and severely felt amongst men of 
science generally and by a large circle of friends by whom he was 
greatly and justly esteemed. 
IMEI SS CA ep ewecan paso) oS. 
Tuer Istanp or Paros, IN THE CYCLADES, AND ITs MarBiE QuArnrizs.! 
The Island of Paros is eleven miles long and eight miles broad at its widest part. 
There is a broad belt of nearly level land round the coast ; but the interior is moun- 
tainous, rising to a height of 2530 feet at Mount St. Elias (probably the ancient 
Mount Marpessus). 
The northern and western parts consist of schist and gneiss, granite appearing 
also in the environs of Parekhia. ‘The southern part of the island consists chiefly of 
crystalline limestone. There is no evidence here of the age of this limestone; but 
that of Attica is now known to be Cretaceous, and probably that of the Cyclades is 
of the same age. The finest statuary marble, or /ychnitis, varies from five to 
fifteen feet in thickness at the quarries of St. Minas ; it occurs in a bed of coarse- 
grained white marble, with bluish black veins. The coarse marble becomes dark in 
colour near the lychnitis, both above and below it, and thus the layer of statuary 
marble is distinctly marked off. The dark colour is due to traces of binoxide of 
manganese and magnetic oxide of iron. It seems probable that the impurities have 
been withdrawn from the lychnitis and have become concentrated near the edges 
of the adjacent seams of limestone. 
The rocks are much disturbed and folded, and often dip at right angles. The 
ancients avoided the marble lying near the axis of elevation, that being of less good 
quality than in other parts. A Greek company formed a few years back to work the 
marble attacked it here, where it could be got at least expense; this discredited the 
marble in the market, and the company failed, having spent over £160,000 in a 
railway, landing-pier, and elaborate installation of various kinds. 
There is a good deal of excellent coloured marble in the island ; but, not having 
been used by the ancient Greeks, this is little known. Rogpert Sway, F.C.S. 
! From British Association Reports, Section C. (Geology), Newcastle Meeting, Sept. 1889. 
