a city of the island of Sicily, in the kingdom of Naples, in the province of Noto, 120 miles from Palermo. It is the capital of a district of the same name, which extends over 120,000 square miles, and contains 80,000 inhabitants, who are said to be the most active and wealthy of any of the inhabitants of Sicily, and produce the most abundant supplies of corn, tobacco, oil, wine, soda, hemp, wool, canary seed, cheese, and butter, which is chiefly exported to Malta. The city is built amongst straggling craggy rocks, but contains several beautiful edifices, especially a fine Franciscan convent and two hospitals. Although situated in a humid atmosphere, it contains 21,000 inhabitants.