treatment of chronic cutaneous diseases. An analysis of the waters is reported, but as far as can be learned it has not been published. These springs are reached by stage from Calistoga. Time from San Francisco, twelve hours. (22) Witter Springs. These springs are situated in the Coast Range of mountains, five miles from the town of Upper Lake, and fifteen from Lakeport, near the Blue Lakes. There are several springs which are cold. They are alkaline, sulphurous, and have considerable reputation as yielding healing waters. There is a good hotel on the grounds, and a number of commodious cottages for visitors. No analysis has been published. LASSEN COUNTY. (23) Big Hot Springs. This spring lies about three miles north of Honey Lake. The exact locality is section twenty-three, township twenty-nine north, range fifteen east, Mt. Diablo meridian. It is called a boiling spring, which it practically is, its temperature being 200° F. The water rises with considerable force from an orifice equal to a foot square. From observations made by John Pfeninger, from a spout 4x18 inches, forty-five cubic inches flowed in one minute. The chemical character of the water is not known, as no analysis has been made. No medicinal properties are yet claimed for it. LOS ANGELES COUNTY. (24) Fulton's Sulphur Wells. These artificial flowing wells yielding a mineral water claimed to be valuable, lie two miles north of Norwalk Station, on the Los Angeles and Anaheim railroad. An analysis is published in a circular issued by Dr. J. E. Fulton, from whom the wells are named. This shows the water to contain bi-carbonate of soda, lime, magnesia and iron, sulphate of soda, chloride of sodium, silica, traces of iodine and potash, and free carbonic acid, hydrosulphuric and nitrogen gases. The water flows from two wells three hundred to three hundred and fifty feet deep. The water is cold. There is a good hotel on the grounds, and good accommodations for visitors. A daily stage connects with the railroad at Norwalk. MENDOCINO COUNTY. (25) California Seltzer Spring. This valuable spring I visited personally, and the following is the result of my observations. Analysis have been made and published by J. A. Bauer, Louis Falkenau, and by myself: The spring is situated in Mendocino County, about one and one half miles from the Fountain House, which is twelve miles from Cloverdale, on the Ukiah road. The distance from Cloverdale to the spring in a direct line is nine miles, and the direction, north forty-two degrees west. The exact location may be stated as follows: It is on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section five, township twelve north, range eleven west, Mount Diablo base and meridian. The spring lies in a beautiful and picturesque valley, and the mountain scenery surrounding it is charming. A small frame building has been erected over the spring to protect it from the sun and rain. The water flows from a half-inch pipe, and I am informed by those who reside near the spring that the flow is continuous and equal throughout the year. By careful experiment I found the discharge from the pipe to equal 45.89 wine gallons per hour, or 1101.36 gallons in twenty-four hours. There are several points in the cañon where the same water issues from the ground, The water, to the taste, very agreeable. It contains such an excess of carbonic acid that that gas is continually being given off, like champagne. Carbonic acid gas is also continually bubbling up from the pool into which the water falls from the spout. When first drawn the water is perfectly clear, but soon assumes a faint opalescence, and after standing for some time it lets fall an inconsiderable precipitate. At the exit there is a large deposit of a red sediment, which is seen on the sides of cisterns into which the water flows, and also on the stones in the bed of the stream. The water does not act on all persons drinking it alike. To some it is a gentle cathartic, while others are not so affected. When the water is shaken in a vessel there is a sudden evolution of free carbonic acid gas. When first drawn the water gives an acid reaction, owing to the carbonic acid; but after standing for some time, or after boiling, it becomes alkaline. A large proportion of the solid constituents are held in solution by the free carbonic acid; these become insoluble, and precipitate, when the water is boiled. The total solid constituents of the water in a wine gallon, obtained by evaporating that quantity of the water to dryness in a silver dish, was found to be 181.2311 grains. MONO COUNTY. (26) Mono Lake. A wide spreading sheet of mineral water lies in Mono County, and is one among the many natural curiosities of our noble State, which should be more generally visited by tourists, which is now no hardship, as a first class narrow gauge railway runs within a short distance from its shores. This lake, which is more correctly an inland sea, resembles in many of its features the Dead Sea of the Holy Land. The same may be said of Owens' Lake, a description of which will be found in its proper place. Mono Lake lies in a depression, in an extensive desert basin, which was probably in ancient times an extensive volcanic crater, and from which can be traced streams of ancient lava, which flowed in several directions. The lake is fourteen miles, more or less, from east to west, and nine from north to south, but it varies in size, owing to temperature and the quantity of snow that falls during any year on the summits of the adjacent Sierras. When an unusually large quantity of snow falls the waters expand, and for the same reason they become more dilute. When the conditions are different the waters of the lake evaporate, and it shrinks. The waters becoming in proportion more dense and highly charged with salts, this fluctuation is marked on the shore by an amphitheater of low terraces. At one time the lake was much larger than at present, as shown by magnificent terraces at a greater distance from the shores. The water derives its salts from rivers or creeks that flow into it. These collect from the volcanic soils the soluble parts, which they deposit in the lake. Having no outlet, the basin retains it, and by evaporation it becomes condensed. During a period of probably many centuries this lake has stored up vast quantities of valuable salts, which await the hand of man to gather and utilize. These waters are intensely saline, but their exact constituents are not yet known; a careful and exhaustive analysis has been commenced by the Mining Bureau, the results of which will, no doubt, be duly published. There are several islands in the lake, on one of which there are hot and mineral springs, a feeble remnant of the volcanic activity of former days. A few miles from the margin of the lake, may be seen several volcanic cones, expired years ago, but which have left lava and obsidian as a memento of past volcanic energy. Great quantities of gulls and other aquatic birds flock to the shores of the lake to feast on the larvæ which abound in its waters. The presence of worms and minute and curious living forms in the highly alkaline waters of the lake, is a striking example of nature's care for animal life. How these creatures can live in a solution so alkaline that it will attack the flesh of a human being, is one of the mysteries of the universe. The water sent down to the Mining Bureau has been placed in a large vessel of crystal glass, and is now on exhibition in the Museum. When first received, on looking through it, one could see a number of strange animals swimming about in full possession of life and happiness; although preferring to swim on their backs, their motion resembled that of the oars of a Venetian gondola, or of the argo, as described in mythological fable. Yet, when the bottle is gently shaken, the water strikes against the sides of the vessel containing it like oil, or concentrated sulphuric acid. When evaporated this extraordinary water leaves behind a white saline mass equal to 2926 grains in an imperial gallon. There is in my mind no finer view in the State than of the valley or desert in which Mono Lake lies, with the White Mountains for a background, as seen from the summit of Mono Pass. It is only a short distance from the Yosemite, which is visited by thousands of tourists annually. The route is by Lake Tenaya, Cathedral Peak, Tuolumne Valley, the Soda Springs, and the most romantic and highly interesting Mono Pass and Bloody Cañon. It is strange that more tourists do not avail themselves of the opportunity to visit these interesting localities. The larvæ in the lake are thrown up by the sluggish waves, and accumulate in enormous quantities. They are gathered by the Indians and dried for food. To them they are as delightful a refection as locusts and wild honey of Bible fame. The mineral salts contained in this vast depository should and will be utilized at no distant day. The reaction for boracic acid is so decided that it is almost safe to predict that crystals of borax will eventually be found in the mud at the bottom of the lake, as at Borax Lake, in Lake County, and it is to the interest of the State that an exhaustive analysis should be made of the waters. The following analysis of Mono Lake water, by J. R. Murphy, was copied into the Mining and Scientific Press, vol. 12, fol. 59, from the Reese River Reveille: Nameless Mineral Spring. Near Bridgeport. This spring, represented in State Museum by No. 1,576, has deposited a very large quantity of aragonite or calcite. MONTEREY COUNTY. (27) Paraiso Hot and Cold Mineral Springs. These springs are situated six miles from Soledad, one hundred and forty-three miles from San Francisco, on the Southern Pacific Railroad; a stage connects daily with the station. There is a good hotel on the grounds and twenty-five two-story cottages. The altitude is said to be 1,200 feet above the valley. The waters flow from a number of springs which have the same general character, as shown in the following analysis made by a well known and reliable chemist: Mr. PEDRO ZAVALA: Your sample of water having been duly analyzed in our chemical laboratory, gave the following result: In one gallon of water were found P. S.-The water contains 35.50 grains to the gallon of sulphate of soda. This sulphate of soda (written otherwise Glauber's Salt) is used universally as a cathartic. NAPA COUNTY. (28) Calistoga Thermal Springs. These springs are in the town of Calistoga within a few minutes walk of the terminus of the Napa Valley Railroad. There are a number of them, all of which are warm; some very hot. Over the principal spring now stands a small, dilapidated, wooden building with no doors or windows. The spring from which steam escapes continually, is boxed up with boards; the box is about two feet square. The temperature of a bucket of this spring freshly dipped up when I visited it, was 196° F. by two observations, carefully taken. The temperature of the air was 86°. The water that overflows heats the surface water outside the building to 120°. The water in a small creek near by was 92°. The temperature of the old mud-bath was found to be 104°, and the spring that feeds it 148°. The plunge-bath spring was 132, and the spring that supplies the bath house 173°. The chicken-soup spring had a temperature of 154°, and the water pumped up for baths at the Magnolia Hotel at Calistoga was 102°. The waters are used both for bathing and for drinking, but an analysis was made by J. T. Rudolph of Sacramento, and published in Dr. Hatch's report, showing that, with the exception of the rather large quantity of free hydrosulphuric acid, they contain no elements likely to give them much reputation for medicinal virtues. But there is no locality that I know of in California where such facilities are found to make a delightful place of resort. The heat of the water, now going to waste, could be employed in manufacturing, specially for fruit drying, or conducted in pipes, would impart vitality to tropical plants. Conservatories so heated could be made to vie with the celebrated palm houses of Kew Gardens in London. Calistoga is a beautiful place, situated in a most delightful locality. With a judicious outlay of capital and labor, directed by men of taste, judgment, and ability, the grounds upon which these springs lie could be made an earthly paradise. The springs seem to originate at the base of a conical mound or butte which rises on the grounds to an altitude of from seventy-five to eighty feet, which tends to give a landscape garden aspect to the grounds. There are good hotels in Calistoga, and on the grounds there are a number of roomy cottages for the use of visitors; in front of each is a large palmetto tree which gives a tropical appearance to the grounds. At the time of my visit, all were deserted. The chicken soup spring is in no way entitled to the name. It is a trick of those interested, to take up a dipper of the water and to add pepper and salt, which, to a person of active imagination, does have somewhat the taste of soup. My experiments show that any warm water so treated has the same taste, and that it is to the pepper and salt and not to the water that the taste is due. (29) Etna Springs. I visited these springs in September, 1881, having been at the same locality when it was being worked as a quicksilver mine, a number of years before. These springs lie in a small depression at the northern end of Pope Valley. The exact locality is sections one and two, township nine north, and range six west, Mount Diablo meridian. The altitude is said to be one thousand feet, but by barometer it seemed to be only seven hundred and sixty feet. It is fifteen miles east of St. Helena. There are two springs which discharge a large quantity of water; one is from the old mining shaft of the Valley Quicksilver Mine. The shaft is one hundred and twenty-five feet deep. The Valley Mine was incorporated in 1867, certificate filed May sixteenth. The company made the serious mistake of sinking the working shaft in the bed of the creek, which necessitated costly pumping apparatus, and in the winter the mine was flooded by the waters of the creek. There was also much trouble caused from emanations of carbonic acid gas in the workings. At one time considerable ore was extracted, but owing to the difficulties the yield was but small. The springs have gained quite a reputation. The number of visitors is given below for four years: A full analysis of the water was made by Edward Booth, chemist of the State Mining Bureau, which is published in the second annual report of this office, folios 10 and 11. An analysis made by A. J. Bauer was published in Dr. Hatch's report. The water is perfectly clear; at the time of my visit, the temperature was 98°, that of the air being 78°. The first taste is pleasant but peculiar, and sparkling as if containing much carbonic acid gas. Both springs deposit ferruginous matter and in the dry bed of the |