PEALE.] SHOSHONE GEYSER BASIN OEION GKOUP. 251 



THE OEIOI?^ GEOUP. 



The Orion Group of springs, named in 1872, was the first group ex- 

 amined by us. It is on the east side of Shoshone Creek, about 900 feet 

 west of the lake shore. The springs are on a kind of plateau of geyser- 

 ite which is from 25 to 30 feet above the level of the lake. The south- 

 ern edge of this low plateau is fringed with pines ; beyond this to the 

 south are the meadows and marshes that border the creek before it 

 flows into the lake. There are trees scattered over the plateau separat- 

 ing some of the springs from the others and concealing them. 



The Union Geyser is the principal geysfer in the Shoshone Basin and 

 is in this group. The deposit about the geyser is soft and easily broken 

 through, but in other places on the plateau it is generally hard and firm 

 enough to make good walking. The springs of the group are mostly 

 quiet springs, although several, as the catalogue will show, are good 

 boiling springs; none except the Union is known to si30ut more than a 

 foot or two. 



The springs besides the Union Geyser deserving mention are the 

 Taurus, Marble Cliff, Imx)enetrable, and the Kitchen Springs. 



