Yol. 56.] SALT-LAKE OF LAENACA. 753 



much of the rain-water, falling in. the Kalokhorio and Pasha 

 Chiftlik Valleys, found its way into the salt-lake, thereby 

 increasing the area of the latter to tho detriment of salt-collection. 

 Prof. Gaudry, in fact, distinctly states with regard to the channels 

 designed to carry off surplus water (by which no doubt he refers to 

 the intercepting channels, or to those which at that period corre- 

 sponded to those now existing) that ' they are now for the most 

 part filled up/ It is very probable that much the same state of 

 things existed ten years later, and even up to the time of the 

 British occupation in the year 1878. Now, however, the artificial 

 channels, shown in the map (PI. XXXIX) in heavy lines near the 

 Ummal Haram Tekke on the south and the monastery of Ayios 

 Yeorgios on the north, intercept flood-water and convey it to the sea. 

 Therefore the only water which now collects in the lake derives its 

 origin, either by percolation from the sea, or from the rain which 

 falls upon the surface of the lake itself or upon the land in its 

 immediate neighbourhood. This explains its present contracted 

 area, as compared with the prevalent conditions in Prof. Gaudry 's 

 or Dr. Ungers time. 



(11) Channels to carry off Surplus Water. 



In order that the maximum of salt may be deposited, it is 

 necessary that the minimum of fresh water should be admitted. 

 The existence of ' channels to carry off surplus water' from the lake 

 itself, as mentioned by Prof. Gaudry, is superfluous, since, before 

 they could operate, it would be necessary for the surface of the 

 lake to rise at least 7 feet above its present level, thus submerging 

 a wide area of country and probably obliterating all trace of the 

 present lake. 



In the embankment which carries the public road from Larnaca 

 towards Kiti, culverts are found which have been doubtless con- 

 structed to serve the purpose alluded to, but their operation is the 

 reverse of that designed for them : they admit water, which, not 

 being of the same degree of saltuess (if salt at all) as the contents 

 of the lake, has a detrimental effect upon the latter, though to so 

 small an extent that its influence cannot be observed. 



(12) Influence of Rain upon the Lake. 



An important point, namely the influence of rainfall upon the 

 contents of the lake, has so far not been thoroughly discussed, and 

 in dealing with this subject a reference should be made to the 

 accompanying drawings. Plate XXXIX is a diagram on a large 

 scale of the lake and its immediate neighbourhood. In this plan, 

 as in the case of fig. 2 (p. 748), the salt-lake proper is shown with 

 slightly darker shading, to distinguish it from other sheets of water 

 in the vicinity, and more especially from the backwaters to the 

 southward. These latter, though in a sense salt-lakes also, are not 

 exploited for revenue purposes, no salt being ever collected from 

 them. 



Q. J. G. S. No. 224. 3 e 



