300 



ANALYSES OF WATERS. 



a. Onondaga limestone. b. Manlius watevlinie. <•. Talus. d. Depth 45 feet. 



In regard to the mode in which these basin-shaped cavities were formed, it is Dr. Linlv- 

 laen's opinion that it wns by subsidence. An interesting paper, maintaining this view, 

 was read by Dr. L. before the American Association of Geologists and Naturalists, at its 

 meeting in 1846. This view is sustained by the form of the above banks ; by the per- 

 pendicular, but circular walls ; by the nature of the superior rocks, or those which form 

 the lower parts of the basin ; by the fact tliat subsidences on a smaller scale occur occa- 

 sionally ; and lastly, by the still undisturbed position of the surrounding rocks, or the rock 

 which forms the sides. 



The Manlius Green lakes, which are small but beautiful sheets of water, furnish about 

 100 grains of saline matter to the gallon, a large proportion of which consists of the 

 sulphate of lime ; a sufficient quantity, however, of the crenate of lime is dissolved, to 

 impart a bitter taste. The vegetable matters which happen to get immersed in the waters 

 of these lakes soon become incrustcd witli a calcareous deposit, a part of which is an 

 apocrenate of lime. Another pond of the same character as the Manlius Green pond, 

 and whose basin is excavated in the same shales, contains a little more than one half the 

 proportion of saline matter. 



The water of the Onondaga lake, which is also situated upon the salt and gypseous 

 rocks, contains 51 '68 grains of saline matter per gallon. 



Skeneateles lake is quite free from saline matter. It contains, however, lime in solution. 

 As an evidence of its comparative purity, it abounds in trout of a fine quality, some of 

 which have been known to weigh twenty pounds. This lake is situated above the shales 

 of the gypseous rocks. It is surrounded by the Marcellus shales and the Hamilton group ; 

 the latter rocks are quite siliceous, but the former contain a soluble salt of lime. 



A class of waters which abound in this district, are the hydrosulpluu-etted waters, of 

 which there are two orders : tlie first, and most common, are those whose principal salts 

 are sulphates ; the second, those whose salts are chlorides. Organic matter, in each 

 prder, seems to form the base with which tlie sulpluu' is combined. As an example of the 

 first order, the Sharon springs are now the most eminent. They issue from the upper part 

 of tlie Salt group, or rather from the shales just below the Manlius waterlimes. Springs 

 similar to tlie Sliaron are common in the same formation, from Schoharie county to Buffalo. 



