ORIGIN AND NATURE OF SPRINGS. 11 







intermits every six minutes ; and there is still An- 

 other, in France, which flows for 36 minutes, and 

 then ceases for 33^ minutes. In England there 

 are several intermitting springs of an interesting 

 character, and in this country there are a consid- 

 erable number. In Vermont we have visited a 

 spring which intermits as often as every three min- 

 utes, but the flow of water is small. The new 

 spouting spring at Saratoga is an intermittent spring 

 of a rather peculiar nature, as the flow does not 

 entirely cease, and the intermissions are not for a 

 fixed period of time. This is obviously due to 

 obstructions in-the flow of water, caused by carbonic 

 acid gas. This gas in large quantities accompanies 

 the water, and sometimes it fills the tube and for an 

 instant holds the water back, or permits but a small 

 flow ; then the gas is forced out, and the water rises 

 again. Undoubtedly the irregular evolution of gas 

 causes many springs to intermit, but there are also 

 other causes which operate to produce such results. 

 When springs have a connection with the sea 

 through pervious strata, the tide would operate to 

 produce an irregular flow. At flood tide the press- 

 ure would cause a flow ; at the ebb, the condition 

 of things would be reversed, and it would cease. 

 Some of the spring-bearing strata conduct water 

 after the form or under the conditions of the siphon, 

 and consequently they flow intermittently. The 



