and Geology of Lake Ontario. 34 1 



" The next spring which I saw is about nine or ten miles 

 west, on the lands of Sidney Breese, Esq. There is another 

 in the same direction in Lennox, and about the same distance 

 from the last. The descent of the rock is very uniform along 

 the line of these springs, and also all the way to Salina or the 

 Onondaga spring. The springs further west, as Montezuma, 

 Clyde, &c. are still deeper ; probably in the same ratio. Be- 

 yond the Genesee River they are more elevated, according to 

 the ascending course of the rock. The descent of this rock in 

 a north direction towards Lake Ontario is not uniform. It 

 falls away by offsets, like the grauwacke of Cattskill Moun- 

 tains ; differing greatly, however, in degree. The edge of the 

 principal offset forms a kind of ridge whereon a road is con- 

 structed, called ' Ridge Road.'"— (G. S. p. 104.) 



" We have a most excellent view of this saliferous rock, 

 with the five next strata above it, in Genesee River near Ro- 

 chester ; in Irondiquet Creek, four miles east; throughout the 

 whole extent of the south shore of Lake Ontario, at short in- 

 tervals, and in the chasm of Niagara River. It is also brought 

 into sight by the disintegration of the overlying ferriferous 

 rocks at intervals from Little Falls to Oneida Creek, within a 

 breadth often miles south of the canal." — (G. S. p. 108.) 



Mr. Eaton states that with ample opportunities of discover- 

 ing any rock salt by borings, ravines, &c., none has been found ; 

 and he thinks that the brine is produced from elementary ma- 

 terials contained in this and the higher rocks (p. 109).* He 

 believes that the salt is diffused through the whole of the strata; 

 but that the strongest waters are at the bottom, as has been 

 verified at Salina and Oak Orchard Creek. At the latter 

 place the rock was bored to the extent of 140 feet, when the 

 conglomerate was found below it. 



A specimen of the dry salt of Salina, analysed by Dr. 

 M'^Neven of New York, furnished, 93*]94 parts of muriate of 

 soda, 2*525 sulphate of potash, 2*269 of muriate of lime, and 

 2*412 of muriate of magnesia. 



No rock salt is found in any of the muriatiferous formations 

 of North America, excepting those of California. 



Grayhand. — A single stratum of trifling thickness, which 

 rests upon the saliferous slate, has received a separate name 

 (as above) from Mr. Eaton. Its only title to such distinction 

 is its extent. It evidently belongs to the salt formation, like 

 a similar layer at Runcorn and Manley in Cheshire. (Geo- 

 logical Survey of England, Conybeare and Phillips, p. 280). — 

 Mr. Eaton describes it as a hard-grained gray homogeneous 



* Sec also Silliman's Amcr. Jouni. of Science, vol. vi. p- 242.— Edit. 



rock. 



