AND GEOLOGICAL RELATIONS OF CERTAIN HOT SPRINGS. 
607 
1835, August 30. — Gros Escaldadou 
Petit Escaldadou 
Fontaine de Manjolet . . . . 
Gourg-Negre (Source de Villes&que) 
139*0 139*0 
145-2 145-3 
109-4 109-3 
1400 1400 
§ 3. Hot Springs in some other parts of Europe. 
I. Baths of Mont Dor. 
A. Geological Position. — We feel no surprise at the appearance of hot springs oc- 
curring amidst distinct traces of volcanic energy, after contemplating the much more 
unaccountable relations of those of the Pyrenees. On the subject of the baths of 
Mont Dor it is sufficient to say that they are situated almost at the geographical 
centre of that group of hills, and also at the position of greatest dislocation, two of 
the centres of elevation which MM. Elie de Beaumont and Dufrenoy have pointed 
out being found on one side and one on the other. The springs immediately issue 
from trachyte, which is most remarkably and beautifully columnar just at the baths. 
These columns have an extremely slaty cleavage perpendicular to their axes. 
B. Specialties of the Springs. — These springs are all saline, and charged with car- 
bonic acid in immense quantity, strikingly in contrast with the sulphureous azotic 
-springs, which for the most part characterize the Pyrenees. The springs of Mont 
Dor were well known to the Romans, and several of their structures are still pre- 
served. The present thermal establishment is extremely solid and commodious. It 
was finished in 1825, and offers all reasonable security for a permanent condition of 
the springs, which also very fortunately are all accessible at their sources. Of these 
I made a very careful examination ; the volume of the springs is stated on the au- 
thority of the keeper of the baths*. — 1. The Bain de Cesar rises in the bottom of a 
cistern of Roman construction, and with an immense disengagement of carbonic acid 
gas. I was at pains to ascertain whether this gas had a peculiar temperature ; but I 
did not find it to differ sensibly from that of the water. It discharges 84 litres per 
minute. The Bain de Cesar is in a detached apartment behind the great building. 
A little above it are cold saline springs. — 2. The Grand Bain consists of five distinct 
excavations, which are directly supplied by numberless small springs rising through 
the soil and disengaging carbonic acid. These baths are simply allowed to overflow ; 
but since they are occasionally emptied, the cooling of their walls during that opera- 
tion must render the temperature somewhat variable. But there is a more serious 
difficulty. From the number of springs flowing into each, the temperature varies 
from one point to another. This seems unavoidable. I have numbered these springs 
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, proceeding from north to south. The discharge of the whole together 
* These are probably also stated in Dr. Bertrand's very interesting work on these springs. I am sorry not 
to be able at present to consult it in order to verify these measures. 
