diff --git a/pycoast/cw_base.py b/pycoast/cw_base.py
index 49e3268..f270ffb 100644
--- a/pycoast/cw_base.py
+++ b/pycoast/cw_base.py
@@ -649,8 +649,8 @@ def _iterate_db(self, db_name, tag, resolution, level, zero_pad, db_root_path=No
         else:
             format_string += 'L%s.shp'
 
-        if type(level) not in (list,):
-            level = range(1,level+1)
+        if not isinstance(level, list):
+            level = range(1, level + 1)
 
         for i in level:
 
@@ -792,13 +792,6 @@ def add_overlay_from_dict(self, overlays, area_def, cache_epoch=None, background
                 params = DEFAULT.copy()
                 params.update(overlays[section])
 
-                params['level'] = int(params['level'])
-                params['x_offset'] = float(params['x_offset'])
-                params['y_offset'] = float(params['y_offset'])
-                params['width'] = float(params['width'])
-                params['outline_opacity'] = int(params['outline_opacity'])
-                params['fill_opacity'] = int(params['fill_opacity'])
-
                 if section != "coasts":
                     params.pop('fill_opacity', None)
                     params.pop('fill', None)
diff --git a/pycoast/tests/test_pycoast.py b/pycoast/tests/test_pycoast.py
index 0b9d1de..cf34154 100644
--- a/pycoast/tests/test_pycoast.py
+++ b/pycoast/tests/test_pycoast.py
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ def test_foreground(self):
         self.assertTrue(fft_metric(euro_data, res),
                         'Writing of contours failed')
 
-        overlays = {'coasts': {'level': 4, 'resolution': 'l'},
+        overlays = {'coasts': {'level': [1, 2, 3, 4], 'resolution': 'l'},
                     'borders': {'outline': (255, 0, 0), 'resolution': 'c'},
                     'rivers': {'outline': 'blue', 'resolution': 'c', 'level': 5}}