414 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



evaporation or by cooling, or by the two combined. A little rain in 

 the spring- and autumn furnishes this water, as do also innumerable 

 small, sluggishly flowing springs present in all the lakes. But on 

 account of the dry air of this arid region the surface is generally dr}^ 

 or nearly so, and in midsummer the white clouds of efflorescent sul- 

 phate that are whirled up by the ever-blowing winds of Wyoming can 

 be seen for miles. Even should there be a little water present there 

 is no difficulty in gathering the crystals by the train load. The spring, 

 however, is the worst season of the year, on account of the warm 

 weather and of the rains — conditions unfavorable to the formation of 

 crystals. The layer of this white sulphate is from 3 to 12 inches in 

 thickness. When the crystals are removed the part laid bare is soon 

 replenished by a new crop. 



The following is an analysis of the purest of this white sulphate of 

 soda, calculated upon an anhydrous basis, that being the condition, of 

 course, in which it would be used: 



Na,S04 99. 73 



MgCl.^ - 26 



Insoluble Trace. 



99.99 



Below is given an analysis of the water of the lake: 

 Density = 14i° Tw. (=1.0725 specific gravity). Ten cubic centi- 

 meters contains: 



Gram.s. Per cent. 



Na2S04 0.756:3= 92.23 



CaSO, 0. 0146= 1. 79 



MgSO, 0.0070= .85 



MgCla 0. 0300= 3. 66 



Na^BA 0.0121= 1.47 



Total solids 0. 8200 100. 00 



Total solids by evaporation . 0. 8240 



One cubic foot of this water contains 10.72 of pure crystallized sul- 

 phate of soda.^ 



(See Specimens Nos. 62086, 53427, U.S.N.M., from Albany County, 

 Wyoming.) 



Other similar deposits occur in Carbon and Natrona counties, and 

 still others are reported in Fremont, Johnson, and Sweetwater counties. 



It has recently been stated ^ that glauber salts has been found on the 

 bottom of the Bay of Kara Bougas, an inlet of the Caspian Sea, in 

 deposits sometimes a foot in thickness. 



'Journal of the Franklin Institute, CXXXV, 1893, pp. 53, 54, 56. 

 ^ Engineering and Mining Journal, LXV, 1898, p. 310. 



