PEALE.] LIFE IN HOT SPRINGS 359 



masses in springs of comparatively lo"S7 temperatures, viz, of 100° F., 

 or less. 



At the Healing Springs of Bath County, Virginia, in water of 85° to 

 88'^ temperature, a green moss-like growth a couple of inches in length 

 forms with great rai)idity on the walls of the reservoirs, pools, and 

 baths, and is used as a dressing for ulcerated surfaces.* 



In the small stream, which is supplied by the springs of San Bernar- 

 dino, California, according to Prof. W. P. Blake,t the water has a tem- 

 perature of 130° F., and is filled with dense masses of bright green con- 

 fervoids. Near the edge of Gardiner's River, in the Yellowstone Na- 

 tional Park, below the Mammoth Hot Springs, similar growths to those 

 just mentioned are found in water of 132° F. temperature. At the 

 Lewis Lake Springs, Taggart, in 1872, found that springs of tempera- 

 tures of 120° F., and less, were covered with a leafy vegetation, while 

 those above that temperature were covered with a growth of fungoid 

 pulp. 



At numerous places in all the geyser areas and at Gardiner's Eiver, 

 in the Yellowstone Park, masses of gelatinous material of greenish, red, 

 yellow, and brown colors are noticed, and usually have been considered 

 as of organic origin. In most cases, where microscopic examination has 

 been made, no trace of vegetable organization has been noted, and in 

 regions where the springs are siliceous this curious material is proba- 

 bly that form of gelatinous silica described in another place under the 

 name of viandite. 



In some springs of very low temperatures a brown, leathery-looking 

 material is found lining the basins. It becomes hard upon drying, but 

 has never, as yet, been examined microscopically or chemically, so that 

 its nature is unknown ; but in all probability it is one of the forms of 

 silica, rather than an organic material. 



Among some of the material collected in 1871, Dr. Billings recog- 

 nized Falmellw and Oscillarice in vegetable matter from Gardiner's Eiver 

 Springs,! ^■^^ i^ '^^^ mucilaginous deposit from the sides of a spring, 

 which had a temperature of 197° F., in the Lower Fire Hole Basin, Dr. 

 Curtis, in 1872, found skeletons of diatoms, but no living specimens,§ 



At the geysers of California, on Pluton Creek, Prof. W. H, Brewer 

 found algae in water of 200° F., and at 1120F. layers 3 inches in thickness 

 were formed. He also found confervw in water of 140° F. to 149° F. 

 Dr. James Blake also found confervw in temperature of 198° F. at the 

 same locality and oscillatorice and diatoms in water of 174° F. At the 

 Pueblo Hot Springs, in Humboldt County, Nevada, Dr. Blake col- 

 lected fifty species of diatoms in water of a temperature of 163° F. || 

 At Benton Spring, Owens Valley, California, algse grow at 160° F., and 

 cease below 100° F.^ 



The following are some of the observations that have been made in 

 foreign localities : 



At Nolok, in Celebes, algse grow in water of a temperature of 123°.8 

 F., and at Langowan, on the same peninsula, a small stream formed by 

 the overflow of the springs has a temperature of 170° and contains 

 algous growths.** 



At Camiguin, an island 80 miles east of Cebu, Mosely, one of the 



'Walton's Mineral Springs of the United States, &c., p. 325. 



t Explorations for a Pacific Railroad Route, Vol, V, p. 63. 



t Report United States Geol. Survey for 1871, p. 70. 



$ Report United States Geol. Survey for 1872, p. 231. 



II Dana's Manual of Geology, p. 611. 



IfAnier Jour. Sci. and Arts, vol. 40, 2d series, p. 31. 



**Bickmore'8 Travels in the East Indian Archipelago. 



