3.80 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
are generally prismatic, and simply represent the 
flattened jointed structure of straight basalts colu- 
mns. No doubt at the same time meteoric agencies 
have aided in rendering the concentric shelling 
more evident. 
Leaving the basalts hills and proceeding still 
farther from the coast to near Aci. S. Filippo the 
clay beds, covered with numerous and enormous 
angular blocks of lava, are circumscribed by a step- 
like elevation formed of different recent lava 
streams. Upon it are situated smiling villages, 
elegant villas, and below at the contact of the lava 
and the clay numerous limpid springs gush forth. 
Near Reitana fossil remains of elephants have 
been found by others, and I have collected some 
myself in a new tunnel now in construction. In 
this locality, at about 1 m. from the surface of 
the ground, occurs an interesting stratum of 
white pumice, much altered and already become 
friable. It has been said and repeated several times 
that no true pumice was to be fonnd at Etna and 
it is in consequence of this that Prof. Basile main- 
tains that this comes from theLipari Islands; floa- 
ted here on the sea. (1) Microscopic analysis and 
careful study of its mode of occurence is likely to 
settle the question of its true origin (2.) These pu- 
mices extend under the lava as far as Sia. Venera 
where there gushes forth the celebrated springs of 
sulphur water (Sulphuro-saline-ioclo-lithia-manga- 
nesiferous-hydrocarbonated) (3.) 
It is mainly to the waters the Acireale owes its j 
great importance as a first class climatic station 
for the treatment of disease. The Romans built 
sumptuos Thermae near these springs, the 
ruins of which still resists the assaults of 
time. All around us this charming country, in 
different excavations have been found mosaics, 
statues, neglected by the Government and the 
Municipality of Acireale. This is still more the 
case, since the celebrated polemic concerning the 
origin of Xephonia and Acireale would have in 
them so many precious documents to help in sol- 
ving the question. Much praise is however due to 
f 1) G. Basile. — I? Elefante fossile nel terreno 
vvlcanico del h Etna. — Atti. d. Accad. Gioenta. Ser. 
Ill , Vol.XI. 
(2) Either the Val the Bore is not a crater of ex- 
plosion or true pumice should be found at Etna. Ed. 
('?>) Bilvestri O.—X idle sorgenti idrogassose di B. 
Venera a l pozzo . — Catania , 167b, 
the efforts of the Accademia delle Scienze of Aci- 
reale, which in the picture gallery possessed by it 
proposes to incorporate an archeological museum 
combined with the little collection of natural his- 
tory which also belongs to that body and which is 
now being gradually increased. 
The Tola’ Deep-Sea Explorations. 
The full results of the deep-sea explorations 
which were made during the last three summers 
in the Eastern Mediterranean basin on board the 
Po/a have says the Geographical Magazine just 
been issued as a separate work. The Vienna Aca- 
demy of Sciences has decided to continue the 
same explorations in the Aegaean and the Marmora 
Seas this summer. The configuration of the sea-bed, 
the temperature, the density and salinity of water 
at great and small depths, as well as the colour 
of water, its transparency, and its permeability 
for chemical rays, will be studied, as well as the 
j organic life at various depths. The Pola , which 
| is supplied with the very best instruments, and is 
j well equipped for its special purpose, will be under 
the command of Captain W. Moerth. Hofrath F. 
Steindachner, Director of the Zoological Depart- 
ment of the Natural History Museum, will have 
the general management of scientific work; while 
J. Luksch, Professor of the Marine Academy, un- 
dertakes to make the physical observations; Dr. 
K. Natterer will carry on the chemical work; and 
Dr. E. von Marenzeller, who has just communi- 
cated to the Academy an elaborate ‘Report upon 
New Deep sea Echinoderms,’ will make the biolo- 
gical explorations. The soundings will be carried 
on by naval officers. 
On the Occurrence of Lignite in the 
Globigerina bed of Malta. 
A discovery of considerable importance from a 
scientific point of view was made last month during 
the cutting of a tunnel at the Notabile Terminus 
of the Malta Railway. At a distance of about 130 
feet from the station one of the quarrymen came 
across a piece of lignite embedded in the blue, 
variety of the upper Globigerina Limestone at a 
level of two feet above that of the railroad. 
