THE CARSON DESEET. 747 



ron Canadensis^ Solidago occidentalis, Epipactis gigantea, Juncus Balticus, 

 known as "wire-grass" and considered valuable for hay and pasturage, 

 Juncus nodosus, Juncus xgpJiioides, Phragmitis communis, Poa tenuifolia, one 

 of the most common bunch-grasses of Nevada, and Avena sativa, or com- 

 mon oat, which, doubtless, escaped from some emigrant's wagon. From 

 the more or less alkaline shore, Mr. Watson obtained: Banunculus cymha- 

 ■ larittj Scirpus Kingii, a new species of rush, Sporobolus asperfolias, found 

 also on the sands of Mono Lake, and Brisopyrum spicatum, a very abundant 

 salt-grass 



The water is highly charged with alkaline salts, and is so dense that 

 the human body floats in it without exertion, and, after drying, the skin is 

 left with a thin white coating. Wherever the water washes the shore, it 

 leaves more or less residue upon evaporation. In the spring of the year, 

 the water attains its highest level when there is but little deposit, and it 

 gradually recedes until late in the autumn it reaches its greatest density, 

 and there is left a very considerable amount of alkaline salts upon the shore. 



In the month of August, a quantity of this water was taken from the 

 south side of the lake for the purposes of analysis. Prof. 0. D. Allen, who 

 made the chemical examination, reports the following composition ; 



Specific gravity, 1.0975. 



Fixed residue in 1,000 parts, 114.7. 



1. 2. Average. 



Magnesia 0.0230 0.0230 0.0230 



Sodium 42.5990 43.0780 42.8380 



Potassium 1.5460 1.6480 1.5970 



Chlorine 39.4100 39.3729 39.3914 



Sulphur 0.0954 0.1002 0.0978 



Sulphuric acid 9.4350 9.4286 9.4303 



Carbonic acid 12.7440 12.5550 12.6490 



Silicic acid 0.2050 0.2050 



Oxygen 6.3465 



112.5780 



