322 
THE MED I TERR ANKN AN NATURALIST 
at the same time the practically complete identity 
in chemical composition of the mass of either. An 
interesting point in connexion with this is the fact 
that Messrs. Founqub and M. Lbvy obtained a 
a leucitic rock from fusing together orthoclase and 
biotite. Prof Samuel Haugliton (l) was, I believe 
the first to treat the mineraiogical composition of 
a lava on the principle of the exhaustion of the ele- 
ment of the magma or paste, the different minerals 
competing for certain oxides which are necessary 
for their formation, so entirely devoting himself 
with remarkable ingenuity to the chemical side of 
the question, but disregarding the physical, which 
however, hardly entered into the scope of the 
subject discussed. We must however not forget the 
varying conditions under which cooling, in an 
igneous rock, takes place, such as time, pressure, 
water volatile acids, and their corresponding salt 
which must be most important elements in modify- 
ing the ultimate mineraiogical composition of the 
solidifying rock. Let us take two groups of the 
mineral elements of Yesuvian essential ejectarneu- 
ta; we have leucite antagonistic to amphibole, ne- 
pheline, and mica, all competing for the potash. 
Now in the pumices of the great explosive erup- 
tions of phases III. and VI. We find amphibole 
sanidine, and io'tide busing up the potash, and 
being the principal crystalline ingredients, whereas 
in the lavas that cooled under quite different con- 
ditions we find these minerals reduced to a mini- 
mum, whilst all the potash has been seized upon 
by the leucite, and sometimes a little nepheline 
How can we account for such phenomena, other- 
wise than in change of conditions'? 
( to be continued ) 
Notes for the month. 
Bota.ni/ 
Whilst on the continent at this season 
“O’er “hill and vale and wood. 
“Sweeps the snow-pinioned blast, and all things 
“veils in white array” flower hunting is either a 
remembrance or a myth. Butin Malta 
“Advancing spring profusely spreads abroad 
Flowers of all hues.” 
( 1 ) Op. r 't. pp. 08 and 13 $ 
and decks the country and valleys with some 
of the brightest of field gems. 
Indeed, I do not think we have anything like 
a winter flora; for, the flower season of Malta is 
divided into two periods, the first of which in- 
cludes the plants which bloom from January to 
March, the second those which come in flower 
from March to May, and these are the greater 
number, without mentioning those which newer 
from January to hi ay. From May to September 
our few summer species struggle out "to blush 
unseen” on the parched soil and in the dusty air, 
crowding in all possible localities which afford 
some moisture. Lastly, from September to 
December a few more, which bear on autumnal 
character linger still while the spring species are 
already budding and putting out their leaves. 
The consequence is that we have many spring 
flowers, a good number of summer and autumn 
ones, but we have no true vernal species. 
It would appear therefore that an early spring 
flora replaces the vernal one, and accordingly 
many plants now in flower will shortly give place 
to whose which characterize the latter period of 
our spring. 
Of those now in flower the most interesting are: 
Our only heath — Erica multiflora L. and Fi<ta- 
cia lentiscus L. both of which adorn the rocky 
sides of our valleys; 
Orchis laclea Poir. and Orchis saccata Ten. one 
of our more curious orchids and a species of very 
limited distribution; the rare AnagyrI faetida L . 
found for the first time last year by the Rev. E. 
Armitage on the hills of Eintahleb and Maddalena; 
Salix peolicilla ta. Desf prominent amongst our 
few wild trees, growing, by the water side at 
Emtahleb and Gineina; 
Periploca angustifolia L. on the rocks of Uied 
Babu and Mistra; 
Lepidium graminifolium L. in the old English 
cemetery at Floriana. 
The pretty Anemone coronaria L. shows its 
violet corollas in all barley, corn and clover fields, 
generally at the same time with the scarlet ones 
of the Pheasant’s eye, the Adonis microcarpaD.C., 
which occupies a place foremost amongst our 
prettiest wild flowers and which, is freely used by 
our flower sellers in the place of garden ones. 
