312 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



where the higher strata reposing on the quartz-rocks are seen, flaggy gneiss 

 occurs, the representatives of the rocks termed mica-slate on the south ; but 

 which, from the abundance of chlorite contained in them, have a greater affinity 

 to the chlorite slates of the south-west of the Grampians than to true mica- 

 slates. The arrangement and lithological nature of the rocks in this portion 

 of Ireland bear great resemblance to the liigher members of the quartz-rocks 

 with their succeeding flaggy gneiss of the west of Sutherland, as described by 

 Sir Roderick Murchison, and induce the conclusion that in the former area the 

 equivalents of the latter occur. 



ON TWO NEW OSSIFEROUS CAVES DISCOVERED IN SICILY IN 1859. 

 By Baeon Anca de Mangalviti. 



Since the fourteeth century cayes containing fossil bones have been known 

 in Sicily ; but these were regarded up to the sixteenth century as belonging to 

 giants, the supposed first inhabitants of the island. The caves which have 

 hitherto been explored are six, to which are now to be added two others dis- 

 covered by the author in 1857. The locality of one of these caves is Mon- 

 dello, at the northern extremity of Mount Gallo, to the west of the city of 

 Palermo. It bears the name of Grotta Perciata, because it is hollowed out 

 from both sides. The exposure of the cavern is towards the north-east ; its 

 length twenty-four metres ; its breadth thirty metres ; its elevation above tlie 

 sea forty-nine metres ; and its distance in a straight line from the shore one 

 hundred and sixty-seven metres. The mountain is of Hippiorite limestone, 

 like the other mountains which encircle the basin of Palermo. It was kno'^;!! 

 that the cave contained fossil terrestrial and marine sheUs, but it was not sus- 

 pected that it contained also fossil bones until the author found them after 

 very careful search. He found also, mixed with the bones and shells, tiints and 

 agate having the form of Aveapons, apparently of human workmanship. 



The animals to which the fossil remains belong are the following : — 



Mammalia. — One or two species of deer ; hog (probably Sns scrofa) ; a soli- 

 ped pachyderm (probably an ass). 



Birds. — A species undetermined. 



Marine Shells. — Patella ferruginea or Lamarkii, P. Tidgata, ISIonodonta 

 frafjarioide^, Mm-ex brandaris, Fusus ? 



Land Shells. — Helix aspersa, II. IlazznlUi, II. vermiculata, BuUmus 

 decoUatm. 



The second and most interesting cave exists in the north part of Sicily, near 

 the village of Acque Dolce, and exactly at the foot of Mount San PrateUo. 

 It is known under the name of the " Grotte San Teodoro.". Its entrance is 

 cx]K)scd to the north-east, and its elevation above the sea-level is sixty-five 

 metres; its distance from the shore one thousand forty-one metres. The rock 

 of which ]\[ount San Pratello is composed is also Hippurite limestone, but at 

 the base of the hill, not much more than ninety-seven metres from the shore, 

 and ten metres above the sea, is seen a limestone which the author suspects to 

 belong to the Post -pliocene formation. The cave penetrates into the interior 

 of the mounlaiu lo a depth of seventy metres. Its width at the entrance is 

 fifteen metres, but it enlarges to nineteen metres in the middle. The roof is 

 high and sloping, but without any appearance of "chimneys" or openings pass- 

 ing outwards to the exterior of the mountain. The floor of the cavern, from 

 a wall at the entrance to the extremity, rises 10.90 metres. This height in a 

 e:roat measure arises from fragments of rock fallen from the roof, which have 

 aceunudated from forty-four nietres to the end of the cave. 



