SNAKE RIVER HOT SPRINGS. 177 



of these beds and the absence of organic remains, it is impossible to deter- 

 mine, with precision the position of these coals. Unlike the Montana sand- 

 stone north of the Park, these rocks frequently carry well-defined coal seams, 

 although beds of economic value are found mainly in the Laramie. This 

 coal is probably of the same age as that exposed in the banks of the Snake 

 River west of Wildcat Peak. 



SNAKE RIVER HOT SPRINGS. 



On the south side of the river, below the mouth of Red Creek, occurs 

 an interesting group of hot springs, more than half hidden by dense 

 timber, which at this point comes down to the water's edge. A low cliff of 

 blue cherty limestone is exposed along the bank, beneath which, from a 

 line of springs, there issues a large volume of warm calcareous waters. 

 Near by is a long bench of rhyolite, rising slightly above the stream, and 

 the onlv one observed on the south side of the river. The thermal waters 

 are probably closely related to this body of rhyolite, but their mineral 

 constituents are derived mainly from the limestone. These springs divide 

 naturally into three groups, but their mode of occurrence is much the 

 same and they are similar as regards the mineral composition of the 

 deposits. The travertine deposits in their mounds, basins, and terraces 

 resemble those found at the Mammoth Hot Springs. They were visited by 

 the writer in 1886 and again in 1891; they presented but slight changes 

 after this interval of five years. The most picturesque and powerful of the 

 springs are situated farthest up the river and are built out over the stream 

 upon the edge of an old meadow. It was estimated in 1886 that the volume 

 of water running from these springs reached 50 gallons a minute. This 

 group of springs is shown in PI. XXIV. For beauty of color and orna- 

 mentation of the rim they are unsurpassed bj 7 any of those at the Mammoth 

 Hot Springs, although by no means equal to them in magnitude of the 

 deposits or in volume of calcareous water poured forth. The clear water 

 is i if the most delicate turquoise-blue color, and the basin is lined with a 

 soft white travertine of extremely fine texture, impalpable to the touch. 

 The basins which surround the pool are tinted with orange, brown, and 

 red colors, derived from the hot-water algjc. 



Mr. W. II. Weed has furnished from his notebook the following 



JION XXXII, l'T. II 12 



