Dr, Daubeny on the Geology of Sicily. 233 
appearance of intermixture, caused probably by a disintegra- 
tion of the older rock having taken place on its surface, pre- 
viously to the deposition of the more recent one. 
I have no data on which to rest any well grounded opinion 
with respect to the age of this limestone, having seen none 
precisely resembling it in other parts of the ian It would 
appear, however, from the account given by Scilla, that a due 
examination of the mountains round Messina, would lead to 
the discovery of more of the same rock, and thus afford us the 
means of ascertaining its relations. For the present, I am 
rather disposed to refer to it a recent origin. 
East of Melazzo, the yneiss is succeeded by a schistose 
rock, which here possesses the characters of mica-slate. 
This formation, consisting sometimes of this variety of rock, 
and sometimes of clay-slate, constitutes a considerable chain 
of hills, extending in a south-west direction from thence to 
the coast, of which Noara is the most elevated peak. I 
crossed this range of mountains, in my first journey at Taor- 
mina, on the road leading from Catania to Messina, and in my 
second, after I had skirted the western base of Etna, in 
striking across from Randazzo to the northern coast. 
This wild and little explored district, which Brydone de- 
scribes as the haunt of banditti, may be traversed at present 
in the most perfect security, and would deserve to be visited 
by every traveller, were it only for the striking views it pre- 
sents of Mount Etna on the one hand, and the Lipari Islands 
onthe other. The prevailing rocks appear to be either some 
of the intermediate gradations between mica-slate and clay- 
slate, a loose rubbly variety of the latter kind of rock, or a 
conglomerate made up of fragments of quartz, mica, and clay- 
slate, which may be fairly considered a gray-wacke. Fer- 
rara, in his Campi Flegrei, notices the occurrence of a por- 
phyry “composed of felspar, schorl, mica, red or greenish 
grains of quartz, and greenish-red chrysolite,” (Qu. olivine ?) 
1 have myself found, in the gravel near Taormina, rolled 
masses of a hard porphyry, consisting chiefly of felspar, with 
some mica. 
The clay-slate also contains eccasional beds of anthracite, 
as near Messina. The prevailing character of the slaty rocks 
is earthy and friable; but to this there are many exceptions, 
especially near Taormina, where we meet with a compact 
Vou. X---No. 2, 30 i 
