The Geology of Cyprus (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ... Ostrea cochlear, Poli. Hinnites crispus, Bronn. Virleti, Desh. 2. Newer Pliocene. The dominant member of this group has been described as "calcaire grossier" by Gaudry, meaning, doubtless, that it is a rough shelly limestone like that of Eocene age near Paris. Mr. Eussell has used the latifrons, Desh. Boblayi, Desh. Dubuissoni, Defr. Balanus tintinnabulum, Lam. names "Kyrenia Rock" and "Nicosia Beds" for the particular sandstones that are quarried near these two places; and it may hereafter be found convenient to use the term "Nicosian" as a general designation for the newer Pliocene of Cyprus. This group of beds covers the greater part of the Messorian plain from the Bay of Morphou on the west to that of Famagusta on the east. Thence it spreads southward to Cape Pyla and Larnaca Bay. There are also considerable areas in the Akrotiri promontory and near Ktima. The group comprises a variable set of deposits including pebbly sands or conglomerates, yellow calcareous sands and sandstones, glauconitic sands, yellowish shelly limestones, and dark-coloured marly limestone. Of all these the most conspicuous and prevalent are the shelly limestones, which consist almost entirely of organic debris--small worn fragments of shells and other marine organisms, with a small percentage of fine quartz-sand; the whole is really a shell-sand, more or less compacted by infiltrated carbonate of lime. The rock thus formed is sometimes soft and friable, soiling the hands, sometimes hard and durable, so as to form an excellent building-stone. In colour this stone varies from a light yellow to a reddish-brown. With respect to thickness, this set of beds seems to vary from 50 to 130 feet, and may be more in places. The commone...