108 Dr Daubeny on the Geology of Sicily. 
its present imperfect form, than that it should be kept back until 
opportunities occurred of verifying and extending it; for, al- 
though, on a country already minutely explored, there might be 
no excuse for publishing hasty or imperfect statements, yet, when 
the ground we are upon is, in a manner, new and untrodden, 
the most general and superficial observations may often be worth 
recording. 
Such, at least, was my own feeling when I set out on my tour 
round the island ; and this feeling was confirmed after having 
completed it, when, on reviewing what I had done, I reflected 
on the time that would have been saved, or applied to more ef- 
fectual purpose, had I been previously directed to those points 
in the physical structure of the country best deserving of inves- 
tigation. 
In the hope, then, that, as the field of geological inquiry 
nearer home becomes exhausted, the scientific traveller will ex- 
tend his views to this interesting island, I submit to the Society 
the following remarks, persuaded that they will furnish the best 
corrective for any errors they may contain, by affording to 
others the means of detecting them. 
The geology of Sicily may, for convenience’ sake, be divided 
into three parts, corresponding nearly with the three sides of the 
triangle which represents the figure of the island. 
The first division will comprehend the rocks from Messina (or 
rather from Taormina) to Trepani, thus taking in the whole of 
the northern coast, and a small portion of the eastern. 
They will be found to consist chiefly of the primitive, transi- 
tion, and older secondary strata; the most recent formation, in 
this part of the island, being the limestone of Palermo and Tre- 
pani, which perhaps corresponds with the magnesian limestone of 
this country. 
The second division embraces the rocks that occur near the 
western coast from Trepani to Cape Passero, the most southern 
point of the island, and consists chiefly of a series of formations 
which I am inclined to refer to the most recent epoch in the his- 
tory of our planet, namely, that posterior to the formation of the 
chalk. 
The third division, which takes in the line of coast on the 
east, from Cape Passero to Taormina, exhibits indications of vol- 
