: 
a ffDontblv Journal of Batura l Science. 
Yol. I., No. 10. 
MALTA, MARCH 1st. 1892. 
CONTENTS. 
— Page 
1 Corsica— Sir. R. Lambert Playfair, K.C.M.G. 141 
2 The Fossil Whale from Cittii Vecchia— Prof. Yan. 
Beneden. 143 
3 Lampedusa, and its sponge Fisheries— John H. 
Cooke. 143 
4 The Poppy and its Cultivation. 146 
5 Mediterranean Lepidoptera— Phil, de la Garde R.N. 147 
6 iEtna and its Lava. Streams J.E.S. • 148 
7 New Clausilise from Malta— A. A Caruana Gatto 
M.C.S, 148 
8 Notes on Ant’s-Nest Beetles at Gibraltar and Tan- 
gier— J. J. Walker R.N..F.E.S. 150 
9 A Constribution to the Moss Flora of Malta— Prof. 
E. Sickenberger. 151 
10 Observations on the Geology of the Maltese Islands 
—John H. Cooke. 152 
11 Notes and A eivs:— Vesuvius, — Excavations at Qr- 
tygia.— A “weather lexicon.' —The tarantula.— 
Prehistoric remains at Brunn. — Birds, and their 
habits. — The Mare Ubbriaco — Researches of Pou- 
chet— Weather prognostics in the Mediterranean, 
&c. 154 
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Description of Corsica 
BY 
Lieut. Col. Sir R. Lambert Playfair, k.o.m.g. 
Corsica has been compared in shape to a closed 
hand with the index finger extended, the latter 
being the promontory, called Cape Corse. The 
is land is traversed in its whole length by a chain 
of high mountains, the general direction of which 
is north and south, dividing it into two parts of 
nearly equal extent. Placed, as it is, in the centre 
of the \ Western Mediterranean, between the Alps 
and the- Atlas, and with so great inequalities of 
surface, it presents an epitome of the whole region 
from the warm- sea-level co the Alpine character 
of the interior, where the mountains rise to a 
height of nealy 9,000 feet, and are clothed in snow 
during the greater part of the year, 
All the western coast, and more than two- 
thirds of the whole island, are of granitic forma- 
tion. The central range throws out spurs towards 
the sea, forming on the western side numerous 
bays of considerable size and depth. Nothing can 
exceed the grandeur of the scenery on the coast, 
which culminates in the celebrated Calanches de 
Piana, a succession of stupendous ranite rocks 
worn and hollowed out in the most fantastic man- 
ner, fearful in their forms but soft and lovely in 
in their colouring. There are many similar rocks 
throughout the island, such as the Calanches 
d’Evisa, the Fourches cTAsinao, and the Gorge of 
Inzeca, where a river flows between great cliffs 
and amongst boulders of green serpentine, a sight 
never to be forgotten. 
The eastern side of the island consists of primary 
rocks, more or less easily disintegrated, the detri- 
tus being washed down by rains, so as to form the 
low plains bordering that coast. As the rivers 
force their way through them with difficulty, mar- 
