184'6.] SPRATT ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE ISLAND OF SAMOS. 65 



these methods being communicated may suggest to others observa- 

 tions from which results of great interest may be derived. 



A short additional paper was afterwards read from the same au- 

 thor, in which he stated, that after examining many exogenous trees 

 from Portland island, he is satisfied that the sun's heat was as much 

 above the internal heat at the time of the deposit of the beds of 

 Portland oolite as it is now, the stems being similarly excentrical. 

 He also thinks that the small thickness of the rings of these trees 

 proves that the growth of vegetation was not formerly more rapid 

 than it is now. 



In conclusion, the author directs attention to the importance of 

 accurately observing all instances of upright stems of trees that may 

 be discovered in situ. 



2. Remarks on the Geology of the Island of Samos. 

 By Lieut. Spratt, R.N., F.G.S. 



Plates II. III. 



The island is divided into two equal parts by a high mountain run- 

 ning transversely across from the north to the south shore, and at- 

 taining a height of 4000 feet. The ancient as well as modern name 

 of this range is Ampeloni. 



Besides Mount Ampeloni, there are two other conspicuous moun- 

 tains rising at the two extremes of the island. The western one, 

 Mount Kerki, is the highest point in the island and is 4000 feet 

 above the sea. The eastern mountain is the least in elevation of the 

 three, and does not exceed 1200 feet. Mounts Kerki and Ampeloni 

 are composed of a mass of crystalline limestone overlying mica 

 schists, but whether conformably I had no opportunity of observing ; 

 neither can I speak of the amount and direction of the dip of these 

 older rocks; in Mount Kerki however the dip was considerable, 

 whilst in Ampeloni and the eastern mountain it is not great ; in the 

 latter indeed the strata are nearly horizontal, so that the schistose 

 rocks do not appear at all. 



These mountains are connected together by a series of flat-topped 

 hills and ridges from 400 to 800 feet in height. The deposits forming 

 these are all of freshwater origin, and appear by their fossils to be 

 identical with the lacustrine formations on the shores of the Gulf of 

 Smyrna and the island of Scio, which have been described on a 

 former occasion, and are supposed to be of eocene date. 



The portion of the island of Samos described in this paper, the 

 only part I had an opportunity of examining closely, is the district 

 lying to the east of Ampeloni between Port Vathy on the north, 

 and the site of the ancient city of Samos on the south side of the 

 island. 



The accompanying section is on a line between these points, where 

 VOL. III. — part I. F 



