THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
Length in Days. Height in inches. 
Rate of Motion in 
inches per diem. 
Jauuary 
6 3 
o 
o 
o 
0-135 
February ... 
5’2 
0-326 
0-127 
March 
6'0 
0-379 
0-128 
April 
47 
0-308 
0-133 
May 
6'4 
0-268 
0-080 
June 
6’4 
0-192 
0-059 
July 
7 3 
0-180 
0'050 
August 
70 
0-171 
0-043 
September ... 
8'5 
0237 
0-059 
October 
67 
0'290 
0-092 
November ... 
5 '8 
0-276 
0-096 
December ... 
6‘4 
0 371 
0-124 
Mean for Year 
6'5 
0-283 
0-097 
Summer 
7'2 
0223 
0064 
Winter 
57 
0-387 
0-124 
From this it appears that the depressions avera- 
ge 6j days in passing, and the winds of one side 
may be excepted to come near averaging 3 days in 
duration or sufficiently so to attract notice to the 
period. Very frequently we have only the winds 
belonging to one side of a depression, and gene- 
rally it is the rising side that is windy. Comparing 
Summer half with Winter half, there is consi- 
derable contrast to be seen. The Summer depres- 
sions average ] 7 days more in length and C" 16 inch 
less in depth than the Winter ones, so that the 
motion of the barometer is twice as lively in the 
Winter half. April is a remarkable month for short 
period. In Summer, especially in .June and July, 
when the weather is very fine, there is a constant 
difference between the 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. reading of 
from 3 to 5 hundredths of an inch in favour of the 
morning reading, the result of diurnal variation. 
This is seldom seen in Winter or indeed after 
August.” 
Geological Notes of Acireale 
BY . 
Gaetano Platania 
Following the coast one meets with springs of 
ferruginous water very rich in iron ; which flow 
out from the rocks about one metre above sea level 
under the Timpa di Sta. Caterina, at a point 
almost inacessible from the land side. A little 
335 
farther on is the Timpa di Tamaso, celebrated for 
the aerolite which was seen to fall there. Gradually 
the cliff diminishes in height as Capo Molini is 
approached, upon which rises the ancient and 
renowned tower called Sta. Anna, and near which 
was wrecked the British Eclipse Expedition of 
1870. 
Leaving behind the smiling coast, which accord- 
ing to legend was the site of the amours of Aci 
and Galatea, the furious jealousies of Polyphemus, 
and passing the Capo Molini we soon reach the 
Port of Ulysses so celebrated by the Homeric 
poems, as also the seven reefs and islands which 
the enraged Polyphemus was supposed to have 
hurled at the daring Ulysses. The largest of these 
reefs, is the island of Lachea; it is composed of 
columnar basalt, dolerite and a metamorphosed 
clay to which Gemmellaro gave the name of Cyclo- 
pite. This island is renowned for the large and 
beautiful crystals of Analcirne, which can be col- 
lected there in great abundance, and which in 
consequence of their very limpid nature and such 
fine water have been utilized as gems. The Anal- 
cime is also found as salbands to the dykes of 
dolerite which traverse the clay, and as a crystal- 
line crust on the latter where in contact with the 
dolerite. The same mineral is found sometimes in 
such extreme abundance as at the Faraglione 
Grande as have given the name of Analcimite to 
the Dolerite which was filled with it and which in 
consequence becomes a remarkabl hard rock. 
In the island of Lachea and in the other Cyclo- 
pean reefs arc to be found many other minerals, 
as for example Pyrrhotite in crystals, Pyrites, 
Chalcopyrite, Haematite (specular), fine staleno- 
hedra of Calcite, granular Magnetite, rhombohedra 
of Dolomite, Siderite, Arragonite, Pyroxene with 
the variety Diopside associated with Anorthite, 
fibrous Tremolite of white, green and red colour, 
and Anorthite var.Cicoplite in fiat tables (a mineral 
and not a rock), etc. (1) 
On the eastern side of the island of Lachea are 
to be observed, at different heights above the sea 
level, bands of rocks covered by serpulae and 
bored by lithodomi, which proves the recent eleva- 
{1.) I have also met with good crystals o/Thomn , 
sonite . 
/ 
