* 
T. S. Hunt on the Chemistry of Natural Waters. 57 
occur in regions where volcanic agencies are evidently active, 
the only ones hitherto studied are those of New York and west- 
ern Canada; which issue from unaltered, and almost horizontal 
Upper Silurian rocks. (§ 31.) The first account of these re- 
markable waters was given in this Journal in 1829 (vol. xv, 
p- 238), by the late Prof. Eaton, who described two acid springs 
in Byron, Genesee Co., N. Y.; one yielding a stream of dis- 
tinctly acid water sufficient to turn a mill-wheel, and the other 
affording in smaller quantities a much more acid water. ‘I 
latter was afterward examined by Dr. Lewis Beck (Mineralogy 
of New York, p.150). He found it to be colorless, transparent 
and intensely acid, with a specific gravity of 1-118; which cor- 
responds to a solution holding seventeen per cent of oil of vitriol. 
No chlorids, and only traces of lime and iron, were found in this 
water, which was nearly pure dilute sulphuric acid. Prof. Hall 
(Geology of New York, 4th District, p. 1384), has noticed in addi- 
tion to these, several other springs and wells of acid water in the 
adjacent town of Bergen. Paiste westward, in the town of Al- 
abama is a similar water, whose analysis by Erni and Craw will 
be found in this Journal, [2], ix, 450. It contained in 1000 parts 
about 2°5 of sulphuric acid, and 4°6 parts of sulphates, chiefly of 
lime, magnesia, iron and alumina. In this, as in the succeeding 
analyses, hydrated sulphuric acid, SO,HO, is meant. 
The earliest quantitative analyses of any of these waters were 
those by Croft and myself of a spring at Tuscarora, in 1845 and 
1847, of which the detailed results appear in this Journal, [2], 
viii, 364. This, at the time of my analysis in September, 1847, 
contained, in 1000 parts, 4:29 of sulphuric acid, and only 1°87 of 
sulphates; while the previous analysis by Prof. Croft gave ap- 
above Niagara Falls, and at Chippewa. 
All of these springs, along a line of more than 100 miles from 
east to west, rise from the outcrop of the Onondaga salt-group; 
but in the township of Niagara, not far from Queenston, are two 
Similar waters which issue from the Medina sandstone. One of 
these is in the southwest part of the township, and fills a small 
basin in yellow clay, which, at a depth of three or four feet, is 
underlaid by red and green sandstones. The water, which like 
ose of Tuscarora and Chippewa, is slightly impregnated with 
sulphuretted hydrogen, is kept in constant agitation from the es- 
cape of inflammable gas, It contained, in 1000 parts, about two 
sulphates. This water was collected in October, 1849, and at that 
time another half dried-up pool in the vicinity contained a still 
more acid water. Another similar spring occurs near St. Dar 
vids in the same township. me 
Am. Jour. Sct.—Srconp Serres, Vou. XL, No, 118.—Juny, 1865. 
8 
