38 Kraus — Occurrence of Gelestite near Syracuse, JV. Y. 



tium as would be the case if the water were in contact with 

 the limestones overlying the rock salt beds for a considerable 

 length of time. 



I am indebted to Professor F. A. Saunders of Syracuse 

 University for a very careful spectroscopic examination of this 

 Tully brine. The spark spectrum was produced by means of 

 a Rowland concave grating, using a scale which was sufficient 

 to give a visible spectrum of about fourteen inches. From the 

 study of the negative of this spectrum, it was shown that all 

 the characteristic lines of strontium were strongly developed, 

 and clearly revealed the fact that strontium is actually present 

 in this artificial brine in more than a spectroscopic trace. 

 Not only is strontium present but a trace of barium was also 

 noticed. After having communicated the fact that strontium 

 is present in the Tully brine to Pennock, he was able to 

 confirm Saunders's observation. Strontium is not indicated 

 in the analyses of Englehardt, given above, on account of 

 the fact that it was not tested for, and is, therefore, estimated 

 with the calcium ; hence the amount of CaS0 4 is necessarily 

 a trifle too high. As to the amount of strontium, calculated 

 as sulphate, present in the above brine, I shall report later. 

 I have not been able, as yet, to examine the brines from the 

 wells on the Onondaga Salt Reservation, which are formed 

 by true meteoric waters, because the wells are shut down dur- 

 ing the winter months. 



With the following facts in mind, (1) that celestite is quite 

 soluble in water containing sodium chloride, magnesium chlo- 

 ride or calcium chloride in solution, and (2) that the dissemi- 

 nation of celestite through the rock is not at all unlike that 

 which would be necessary to form cavities as found in the 

 " Vermicular " Limestones, (3) also that when such a rock has 

 been leached the appearance of the resulting rock is exactly 

 like that of these so-called " Yermiculars, " and (4) that the 

 brines of this vicinity do contain a considerable amount of stron- 

 tium, also traces of barium, which is isomorphous with stron- 

 tium and usually replaces it to a small extent in celestite, and 

 (5) the finding in that " Vermicular, " which outcrops in var- 

 ious places in Syracuse and vicinity, of cavities with such 

 forms as would be produced by the leaching of celestite crys- 

 tals,* we cannot but come to the conclusion that these many 

 cavities, now empty, in the " Vermicular Limestone" of the 

 Salina Epoch must have once contained a mineral of the char- 



*The specimen of fig. 5, is from E. Adams St. near Irving Ave., Syra- 

 cuse. A study of the cavities on the surface of this rock, which is locally 

 known as " the vermicular, " reveals those forms which are so characteristic 

 of celestite. They are not unlike those of fig. 3, where the fresh material is 

 still present in the interior. 



