lapideous Orthoceratites with the external fuperficies ftriped and.
channeled, fomething like the cardo, or hinges o f a ihell.
A Ihallow and narrow canal, which at low water does not admit
the paffage of boats, divides this iiland from the continent ;
and attentively examining the oppofite banks, it is eafy to perceive
that this feparation is not very ancient. The extremity
o f Simolkoi, that ftretches towards the -neighbouring ihore, is
compofed of white faline marble, * the fame as that o f the Ihore
oppofite to it. It -is not unlikely, that the intermediate ipace
was dug up in former times, to furniih materials for the fculp-
tor; and this conjecture appears the more probable, becaufe the
marble o f Simolkoi refembles the ancient ftatuary marble ufed at
Rome. The corrofion effected by the lea fait on the portion o f
this ftratum that remains alternatively above, and under water,
according as the tide ebbs and flows, rendering the fuperficies o f
the marble rough and knotty, difcovers a quantity o f fragments
o f the marine cryftallized bodies that compofe it. The natu-
ralifts, and fome o f the molt celebrated, as Swab, and Rafpe,
have fuppofed the fubftance o f faline marble void o f extraneous
bodies j and, indeed, I will not pretend to affirm, that, in all
faline marbles, the veftiges of fuch bodies are preferved fo as to
be diftinguilhable. Yet before I denied it, I would vifit the quarries,
and examine pieces that had been long expofed to be walh-
ed by the fea, and to the action both o f the air and the fun. The
marble
* Marmor (micans) particulis fpathojo-fouamofii > Li tin*
Hocpetrificatis deftituiiur. Swab;
O f this marble of the iiland Simofkoi there ought to be a variety fpecified qua
peltificatis fcatet, and the fame thing may be obferved in the ancient Roman ftatuary
marble, which was very different from the faline marble of the Greek iilands,
whereof ftatwes were alfo made.
marble o f Carrara, at leaft at fir 11 fight, feems to fall under this'
learned and ingenius explanation. But however this may be, it
certainly admits o f no doubt; that the white marble o f Simolkoi
is precifely of the iatne nature as the ancient Roman ftatuary
marble; and hence it would be o f no fmall importance to examine
this fpot carefully, in order to difcover i f pieces o f a proper
meafure could be dug up. It is ridiculous to think o f drawing
advantage from marble that appears above ground, or to
form .a judgment o f it.from the fuperficies o f the exterior ftra-
tum. And i f the quarry o f Simolkoi was not found proper for
ftatuary uies, a fearch might be made in the neighbouring parts-
with almoft a certainty o f fuccefs.
On this iiland fome foflil bones are found, though in a very
fmall quantity. But-on Rogofniza,, and the rocks o f Muja and.
Blanca’ contiguous to it;, they, are found in large mafles. The.
fituation o f Rogofniza lies fo much out o f the way, that nothing ;
But the violence o f contrary winds can induce veflels to touch at it.
It.is fituated in a large bay,. and may ierve for-a harbour to fmall
veflels. The inhabitants are poor-and wretched.- TheOrthocernfites ■
prevail in the lower ftratum o f the marble on this iiland;. in the
clefts there are mafles'of flowered alabafter,. or as it may rather be
called,,red veined ftalactites. I faw foflil bones there, at a diftance
from their native fituation, confined in large broad pieces of.
concreted ftone,. and accidentally placed before, the,-houfes of:
thofe peafants. Walking about the habitations, o f Rogofniza,,
I happened to difcover, in the hard marble rock, a curious foflil
very much relembling horns, and recolleit to have obferved, in
the publick mufeum o f natural hiftory at Padua, a piece o f the
fame fpecies, under the denomination of Cornu Vacinum. I am
however; o f opinion, that the ceratomorphous foflil o f Rogofni--
za , as well as the other at Padua, are Orthoceratites of which