I860.] JTERVIS MIOCT.XK IIOCKS OF T( l» \NV. 4 s -") 



anhydrite is occasionally produced. Gypsum is widely distributed 

 where serpentine is found to pierce limestones. 1 chiefly noticed it 

 at Matarana and Jano. 



Lignite. — The Italian peninsula presents no " Carboniferous M coal, 

 with the exception of isolated plants converted into anthracite, as at 

 Jano; Miocene lignites, on the other hand, arc abundant. Their 

 area i.s limited, the beds being often much upturned. At Sarzanello, 

 Piedmont, they lie at an angle of 66° : the first bed is 7 inches thick ; 

 then follows 6 feet of highly bituminous schists, which undergo 

 spontaneous combustion on exposure to the air ; lastly <> I feet of an- 

 thracite-looking coal, employed by the Sardinian steam-navy. 



I made the following section of the pit ofCastiani in the Ifa- 

 remme : — 



54*00 metres of clay. 



3*30 „ lignite. 



9-00 „ clay. 



1-00 „ good lignite. 



Fossil fish-remains and leaves of exogenous trees are found in the 

 shales accompanying the lignite. 



The famous colliery of Monte liamboli is the most extensive in 

 Tuscany. A section gave the following: — 



Pit No. 1. Tit No. L'. 

 feet. feet 



Conglomerate 1 



Calcareous blue clay I 220 113 



Limestone J 



ft. in. 



1st bed of Lignite 4 2 



Limestone containing MytUiis Brardi '•'> 4 



2nd bed of Lignite . . . .' 2 



under which comes Alberese breccia. 



l: ddes leaves of exogenous plantB, I procured remains otAnikra- 



cnlli, riii a) ; more rarely the carapaces of Tortoises bave been found in 



the --bales, it would l ut of place here to speak of the < nomio 



advantages of using this lignite; however, it is so thoroughly mine- 

 ralized as to resemble our Newcastle bituminous coal, and. as such, 

 has been used in several steam-vessels, and in the arsenal at Qenoa, 

 as well as for the manufacture of rails and gas: it is raid to produce 



excellent coke. 



In conclusion, the following is a list of the principal minerals 



found in the Tuscan Bfiocene rocks: — 



//i tin MarU. 



1 . Alabaster ■. Oypsum ; Bel oite. 



In w ins with s, ,■/•< ,itnf . 



2. Jasper* Bilioeous bre< ia* Chaloedony. 



3. <»pal. 



