Bjobh on Superficial Deposits in Canada. 385 



running parallel with it, the intervening space being for the 

 most pa»-t a marl-bed. In this dell or ravine numerous springs 

 exist, which constantly pour forth large quantities of water 

 strongly impregnated with iron; the water on coming to the 

 surface is clear, transparent and colorless, but with a strong ferru- 

 ginous taste ; and very shortly after exposure to the air it yields an 

 oleaginous-looking scum of a highly iridescent appearance, which 

 floats on the surface of the ditches, but quickly dissipates and 

 subsides to the bottom, forming a deposit of hydrated peroxide 

 of iron or ochre, which is found here and in some of the 

 neighboring lots in beds varying from one to three feet in thickness, 

 and of an extent and quality which seems to be economically 

 available, although much mixed with vegetable remains. The 

 springs impregnated with this ferruginous matter penetrate a 

 bed of clay about ten feet in thickness, and where they are 

 strongest appear to have excavated holes in the clay-bed, 

 forming natural wells ; but it is a remarkable fact that they 

 appear to run in veins in a south-easterly direction, as there occurs 

 between two of the strongest springs at a short distance apart 

 another very powerful and deep spring, which is compara- 

 tively free from ferruginous matter. This latter spring which 

 has entirely cut away the clay to a diameter of about six feet, form 

 ing a well as regular as if artificially excavated, apparently yields re- 

 markably pure and clear water, and is intermittent in its action? 

 occasionally throwing up the water with great violence to the 

 heio-ht of about eighteen inches above the surface, as if from the 

 eflfects of gaseous pressure applied under the source of the water. 



I should here state that the rocks of the country abound in iron 

 pvrites, and loose masses of this substance are found abundantly 

 strewed all around. 



In this natural well, my friend who resides on the lot found, on 

 probing the quick-sand at the bottom, with a pole to a consider- 

 able depth, a long straight wooden twig about an inch in di 

 ameter, with a little bag of deer-skin tied to one end with a thong 

 of the same material, and coated all over with a bright metallic 

 substance resembling tin, and which on submitting a portion of 

 the stick to my friend Dr. Hunt, he pronounced to be of the fol- 

 lowing nature and origin : " The specimen of wood is very inter- 

 esting, in as much as thehard metallic coating is /row /)yn7e5, formed 

 by the decomposing action of the organic matter of the wood 

 upon the sulphates in the water, in presence of a solution of 

 Can. Nat. 25 Vol. VII. 



