No. 173.] 
173 
and statements, tending to establish the probability of its existence 
in our district, which, however, no observations of ours have con- 
firmed. 
The general occurence of gypsum and rock salt in association 
in various parts of Europe, would naturally induce us to look for 
the occurrence of the latter mineral in the salt region of this State, 
which abounds with gypsum, especially in the vicinity of the salt 
springs of Onondaga county. In the various borings made for 
brine and rock salt, near Onondaga lake, no gypsum of any amount 
appears to have been met with in passing through the muriatife- 
rous strata, although the brine contains this mineral as one of its 
impurities. On the west side of Cayuga lake, gypsum occurs in a 
hill in close proximity to a saline spring, the former being distant 
about 50 yards from the latter, which is situated in a swamp. The 
gypsum in our district occurs at a higher level than the strata 
which contain the salt springs, the former occupying hills, whilst 
the latter appear in low swampy grounds. We are not of opi- 
nion that the two deposites are independent of each other, as in 
boring for salt water at Montezuma, the well penetrated beds of 
red and blue shale, similar to that which occurs at Salina, and also 
passed through several layers of gypsum, one of which was in im- 
mediate contact with the brine. 
Those rocks which hold the gypsum, **the calciferous" and 
liasoid" of Eaton, having been found to contain cavities, which, 
from their form, we infer to have contained crystals of muriate of 
soda, may possibly have contributed their share to the saline im- 
pregnation of the springs, and are well worthy of minute atten- 
tion, as they will probably solve the problem regarding the occur- 
rence of rock salt in mass. 
We are indebted to Dr. James Eights of Albany, for the follow- 
ing section of the different strata passed through in boring at Mon- 
tezuma. Dr. Eights was present at the time the well was sunk, 
examined and recorded the character of each stratum as it was 
penetrated, and preserved specimens of each, particularly of the 
gypsum. Some of these specimens we have examined. 
Section of the Well at Montezuma. 
Feet. 
1. A layer of vegetable decomposition having a thick- 
ness of « • 8 
