Transportation of Floating Sand. — Simonds, 
31 
with far better results, for, when their sides caved in, the 
dry grains forming the outer coat of the deposit, were gently 
launched and floated oif much more abundantly. Fu therm ore,, 
as each mass of sand slipped into the water and, exclusive of 
the floating grains, sunk, the air contained in the interstices 
between the particles rose to the surface forming a patch of 
foam or froth. The observations here made afforded strong 
proof of the probable explanation of the phenomenon of float¬ 
ing sand from a geological standpoint, the physical explan¬ 
ation being quite a different matter. 
The bed of the river aboye Bessemer contains much sand' 
and as the water rose, at the time mentioned, not from the 
occurrence of local rains, but from those at a distance, the 
edges of the sandy stretches bordering the flowing water 
must have slowly caved in, thus launching the dry sand which 
floated away forming patches through the mutual attraction 
of the grains, while the damper masses, sinking to the bottom, 
contributed foam from the entangled air. 
The only mention of floating sand at present known to me 
is that by Mr. James C. Graham in a brief article “On a 
peculiar method of sand-transportation by rivers,” published 
in the American Journal of Science, III, vol. xl, p. 476, Dec., 
1890. The phenomenon was observed on the Connecticut 
river and is described as “ a case of the transportation of 
siliceous sand upon the surface of the water, due to capillary 
floating.” The sand in question was removed from a bar jut¬ 
ting out from an island. “ The erosion was being carried on 
from the side of the bar against which the current did not 
strike. It took place by gentle ripple waves splashing up 
against the sand bar (which was at an angle of about 150° 
to the surface of the water) and upon the retiring of each 
wave a little float of sand would be on the water. At first 
these were about the size of a silver quarter of a dollar, but by 
the union of a number, some floats would be formed of about 
six inches square.” The floating patches thus described by 
Mr. Graham are quite like those observed by me on the Llano 
river. 
After I had read the above account I again (September 
7th) visited the river near Bessemer and was more than ever 
convinced that the explanation I have offered as to the man- 
