Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Iviii. (1914), iVc. 8. 17 



analysis gives conclusive negative evidence in both cases. 

 The chlorine in sea water is about 1885 parts per 100,000, 

 so that an infiltration of only i per cent, of sea water into 

 the mere would increase the chlorine in its water by 

 18-85 parts per 100,000. The chlorine at no depth exceeds 

 4 parts per 100,000, which is regarded as quite a normal 

 amount for pure fresh water. We may, therefore, dismiss 

 the idea that the lake is subject to marine influence as 

 simple folk-tale. The fact that the chlorine is greater in 

 amount at the surface than at the bottom, and that, 

 moreover, at the surface it is no more than normal, also 

 does away with the idea that the bottom water of the 

 mere is salt by reason of the solution of rock salt from the 

 underlying strata. 



We may note in passing that the water possesses only 

 five degrees of total hardness, and may, therefore, be 

 regarded as quite a soft water. 



The analysis brings out another interesting point, 

 namely, that the total salts present in the water, as ex- 

 pressed in the figures for the chlorine content and the 

 hardness (both temporary and permanent) are relatively 

 greater at the surface than at the bottom, viz., 13 "28 

 parts per 100,000 at the surface, as against iO'38 at the 

 bottom, showing that the water at the bottom of the mere 

 is actually fresher than at the surface. Dr. Hickling has 

 suggested to us that this difference is the result of evapora- 

 tion and the consequent concentration of the salts at the 

 surface. 



The analysis, so far, fulfils the purpose for which it was 

 made, but further consideration of the figures obtained 

 reveals features of considerable interest. The amount of 

 oxygen absorbed in the course of the analysis suggests the 

 presence of large quantities of organic matter in solution. 

 According to the table of standards devised by Frankland 



