a 
210 Notices of ine Geology and Mineraiogy of Sicily. 
enormous pieces in the cabinets of Prince Biscari, and 
the Benedictines at Catania. 
Amber is very abundant under the argillaceous strata in 
irregular pieces of various sizes. It is found there, and 
also in scattered pieces in alluvial soils, and on the sea 
shore. It is of various colours, transparent and opaque. 
Some specimens contain insects perfectly preserved. Jet 
is found on the shores of Catania at the river Simetus. 
Other subtances are wrought as jet, viz. indurated as- 
phaltum, bituminized wood, found in chalk strata at 
Licatia, and bituminous schist, very hard and black, from 
the mountains of F. di Nis. 
Fossil wood is found in dry ferruginous soils ; specimens - 
are brought from Mascaldi and Cefalu. 
Sulphur is abundant in almost every part of the island. 
Mines of sulphur are found in great abundance fora great 
distance around the river Salso, and also around Girgenti. 
Where they are not, yet discovered, they are indicated by 
sulphur springs, &c. ‘They are usually accompanied by 
pyrites, common salt, and gypsum, and imbedded in strata 
of chalk and clay, in the intervals between the limestone 
mountains. They often extend in a winding direction in 
veins more than thirty feet thick. The middle of the 
veins are pure sulphur—the sides are adulterated. The 
mines of Riesi, Milocca, Palma, and Raddusa furnish im- 
mense quantities. It is found massive and crystallized, of 
a great variety of colours, yellow, red, green, &c. Very 
little is found in the crater of Aitna. None of the sulphur 
consumed and exported in such immense quantities, is ob- 
tained from that Volcano. / 
Alum is found in efflorescences among bituminous 
schists; also in the strata of argil around sulphur mines, 
particularly those of Raddusa and Palma ; also in efflores- © 
cences in fissures of the crater of AXtna. The alum of Li- 
pari was famous in ancient times. In the fifteenth centu- 
ry that of Ichia was wrought extensively, and about the 
same time that of Tolfa in the Roman State. This last 
has superseded all the others. In the sixteenth, alum 
was extensively manufactured along the coast from Mes- 
sina to Taormina at the foot of Pelorus, particularly at 
F. di Nisi. There are extensive remains of alam works 
