Trana 
14 FROM THESSALONICA, 
to the Greater Beshek, called Trana Beshek, 
rather a village than a town, standing by the 
Beshek: sldc of the Water, commanding a beautiful 
prospect. After passing this place, we col- 
lected a few rare plants, and one in full flower 
which was quite new to us. The geological 
phasnomena were also interesting : the moun- 
tains were of granite, very high, but covered 
from their bases to their summits with olive- 
trees. There were also Falionia oaks of great 
size, and enormous plane-trees. We observed 
also masses of a rare mineral aggregate, which 
Natural j^g^y j^g cousidercd as diallage porphyry \ being 
the Bianco the sauic substaucc that is called ''bianco t nero' 
c nero For- i • i c i • 
phyry. by Italian lapidaries. This kmd of rock is 
mentioned by Ferber, in his " Travels through 
Italy ^j' and its great beauty is the subject of 
an allusion ^ when he is describing a kind of 
marble found near the harbour of Porto Ferrajo, 
in the Tuscan territory ; but it had never before 
been observed in its natural state. It consists 
of oblong crystals of opake ivhite feldspar, imbed- 
ded in the dark diallage of Hamf. An opake 
(1) Every substance containing imbedded crystals of feldspar heiu^ 
now called porphyry. 
(2) See Ferher'9, Travels, p. 21?. Lond. 1776. 
(3) Ibid. p. 267. 
(4) Traits de Min^ralogie, torn. III. p. 89. Pans, 1601. 
