at once changing their nature, they become finuous in the moil
extravagant diredjons. It is not eafy to give a fatisfadory explanation
o f this phenomenon, i f we will not believe it to proceed
from the various motion o f the waters o f that ancient fea,
which fuccelhvely dartiing together the component parts of thefe
calcareous ftrata, carried them, fometimes in one, and fome-
times in another diredion, according to the currents and
ftorms prevailing at different .periods-
T he marble ihores o f the port o f Sibenico, in many places,
ihew evident marks o f diflocation, which poffibly may
have been the confequences of fome violent earthquake. The
grotto o f St. Antonio is remarkable enough; for its vault
is formed o f the angle o f two pieces o f the hill, which,
in falling, were joined together. The long hanging rock is
alfo obfervable; it Hands on the little peninfula Delk-fornaci,
near the city, and extends near a mile in length, in a diredion
oppofite to the fea, on a bafe o f a tenacious barren earth, o f a
bluiih colour, and marine, but without teftaceous bodies. The
Friimentarii which are confined in the hard ftone, are the only
diftinguilhable fpecies o f foffil bodies to be feen on that fpot.
I made a trial o f fiihing for marine produdions in the greateft
depth o f the canal, or ftrait o f St. Antonio, making ufe o f a
boat, and coral fiihing tackle; by which means, we drew from
the bottom, various pieces of that ftoney cruft, which in many
places forms itfelf at the bottom o f teftaceous fragments,
fand, and mud concreted together. Every one o f thefe pieces
extraded, appeared to me an iiland peopled with fubmarine beings.
I examined haftily the red oloturii; alfo the red and ar-
borous fpunges, and other congenerous Zoophytes; fome o f
T 2 ■ ■ them.