THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
153 
facings and copings of buildings, and for capitals, 
vases, and balustrades. Two grave defects mili- 
tate against its more extended use in high-class 
architectural work. The first of these is its great 
variability in colour, and the second is the fre- 
quent occurrence of unsightly blotches in the 
stone caused by the presence of concretionary 
nodules of hematite and ironstone. These nodules 
when cut through show ugly markings which 
.disfigure the work in which they occur. 
Among the men the markings are known as 
“ suabcC' or finger-marks, a name that has been 
suggested by the form that they most commonly 
assume. 
At Tal-Gandia, and Tal Balal a fine grained, 
compact variety of this same bed is quarried, and. 
is largely used in the construction of tomb-stones 
and monuments. 
At Inghieret , in the vicinity of the Marsa, and 
also on the out-skirts of Birchircara there are 
quarries from which several qualities of this same 
bed are obtained, but they are ail inferior to, 
and are, by no means, to be compared with the 
stone quarried from the other places that I have 
mentioned. Gozo is not behind either in the 
quantity or quality of the stone that is quarried. 
At Ta-Bardan in Sannat, a hard fine grained 
free stone of a pale yellow colour is found, which 
for durability and compactness is equal to the 
best quarried in Malta. A considerable trade is 
carried on in the manufacture and sale of small 
stone stoves or ovens called “ kenur,” that are in 
great request among the poorer classes of the 
towns and casals. These stoves are made of a soft- 
freestone, which is remarkable for the great 
resistance that it offers to .heat. It is quarried 
at Tal-Taflia near Rabato, Gozo. 
Considered roughly the Globigerina formation 
may be divided into three qualities of stone known 
respectively as first quality, second quality and 
third quality. (1) 
The stone of the first quality is somewhat coarse 
grained when compared with the others. It is 
however much used for outdoor work as after 
exposure to the air it acquires a hardness and com- 
pactness which renders it very durable. The second 
quality stone, when dry, presents the appearance 
of being as good as, if not superior to that of the 
first quality. But there is a material difference 
between the two; a difference that is more easily 
discernable in wet than in dry weather. 
During the wet season this stone changes its 
colour and readily exfoliates, and it is therefore 
rendered comparatively useless for outdoor work. 
Its brilliant white appearance and comparative 
durability, when dry, are qualities too valuable to 
be discarded, and it is therefore used very largely 
for interior decorative purposes. The differences 
of quality between these two kinds of stone are 
strikingly demonstrated in the exterior walls of 
the older houses of Luca and the surrounding 
villages. If examined, even in the most cursory 
manner, it will be seen that while many of the 
stones have preserved their original size and shape, 
others have wasted away to such an extent, that 
many of them are reduced to less than one half 
of their original bulk. 
The third quality stone is of an exceedingly 
rotten nature and soon spilts up and wastes away. 
It is therefore seldom or never used for building 
purposes, unless it be to serve as rubbish for 
filling in foundations. 
The thickness of the Globigerina formation is 
not uniform. The eroding forces that have been at 
work, have effected great changes in altering ihe 
original thickness of the beds in different localities 
and thus while at Luca and the surrounding areas 
(1) By some, only the hard crystalline varieties 
of the Upper, and Loioer Coralline Limestone are 
regarded as first quality rock ‘ } all o f the C lohigerma 
Limestone being classed as second and third quality , 
