234 Dr. Daubeny on the Geology of Sicily. 
mica-slate,* in which quartz sometimes abounds. At Rocca 
Lumera, and Ali, some miles to the north of the latter place, 
we meet with a quartzose variety of slate, containing various 
metallic sulphurets, such as galena, sulphuret of antimony, 
together with iron and copper pyrites. The decomposition 
of these have probably given rise to the formation of alum, 
for which Rocca-Lumera was once celebrated: but the works 
at present seem quite neglected. The same remark applies 
to the lead mines formerly worked in that neighbourhood. 
The slate near its southern termination, alternates with 
beds of red sandstone, and is covered by a compact lime- 
stone, many varieties of which are much prized as marbles. 
It is more frequently of an ash colour, sometimes brecciated 
with irregular patches of red and gray, or diversified by un- 
dulating veins of a whitish and more crystalline variety of 
calcareous matter, which penetrate the substance of the bed. 
The junction between the limestone and the subjacent mica- 
slate, is well seen near the road, at the foot of the hill on 
which the ruins of Taormina are situated. This hill, and 
probably most of those contiguous, consist of this limestone 
which stretches far into the interior, constituting a sort of 
boundary line between the Volcanic and Neptunian districts, 
a barrier beyond which the lavas of Etna have never yet 
penetrated, 
To this same formation seems to belong the series of rocks 
which I before mentioned, as occurring on the northern coast, 
after we have passed Melazzo, on our way to Palermo. 
They are best seen at Cape Minjivio,t where the Greek 
colony of Tyndaris formerly stood. They there consist of 
beds of mica-slate, alternating with a bluish crystalline lime 
stone, without shells, of a granular rock, consisting princi- 
pally of quartz and mica, which I shall denominate Quartzy 
Rock, and a sandstone made up of minute fragments of the 
above two ingredients. The strata are here inclined ata 
considerable angle; and, if my observations are correct, to 
the north-west ; but this does not accord with the dip which 
1 have noted down as belonging to the slate of Taormina, 
— 
* Few of the rocks in this district, excepting those near Taormina, 
exhibit the characters of primitive mica slate. 
+ Minjivio isa corruption of Mons Jovis, a temple in honour of Jupi- 
ter having formerly stood there. 
