Mr. Fowler's ox sled bore our canoe and baggage in safety to Millinocket stream, and after a paddle of two miles, we came into Shad pond, the last widening of the west branch. The land in this region is poor, and scattered over with granite boulders, some of which are of great size. Along Millinocket stream, however, there are meadows of some fertility, and a few settlers have been attracted thither, who have farms near the mouth of the stream.

The shores of Shad pond are low, and the water is shallow for a considerable distance into the lake, thus affording good situation for pickerel-weed, Pontederia cordata, Linn., and buck-bean, Menyanthes trifoliata, Linn., which grow there in great profusion. On the shore were numerous asters, among which I noticed the following species:-A. cordifolius, Linn.; A. simplex, Will'd.; A. Tradescanti, Linn; A. longifolius, Lam., and A. macrocarpus.

The river below this pond is very swift, and flows much of the distance to Nicatou, over ledges of slate, which, when the water is low, render navigation very difficult and hazardous to any thing so frail as a birch canoe. The direction of these slates is north 60 degrees east. Just below Shad pond they dip 87 degrees south, but two miles below, the dip is 88 degrees north, and they keep nearly this position all the distance to Nicatou, which is twelve miles from the pond. I saw none that could be worked for roofing slate, all being very hard and brittle. There are farms here and there all along this distance on the banks of the river, which yield moderate returns for cultivation, but I should advise one to see Aroostook county before settling on them or any where else on the west branch.

Concerning the geology of the portions south-west from Moosehead Lake, we can add a word from Dr. Jackson's Third Report. He went up Moose river. About three miles from Moosehead Lake upon this stream, are ledges of siliceous slate, like the Oriskany slates on Moosehead. At Brassua Lake the Oriskany fossils are found, the strata dipping 50 degrees south-east. Boulders of trap are found here in great abundance. Granite is found in places on the east shore of the lake. The Oriskany slates are found also on the west shore of the lake. The Oriskany rocks also appear upon Long pond, consisting of flinty slate, quartz rock and trap. Clay slate dipping 60 degrees north-west also appears.

Between the north-west corner of Jackman and the Canada line, the rocks are calciferous slate. For the first part of the way they

dip 60 degrees north-west, and then south-east at about the same angle. Bald Mountain is probably composed of granite.

Returning below Jackman, in Parlin pond, the Oriskany sandstone is well developed, containing a great many fossils. The rocks at the Forks of the Kennebec are calciferous slates.

According to Dr. Stephenson's Report, the rocks on the head waters of the Megalloway river are clay slate, extending as far south as Wilson's mills, in the townships north of Umbagog Lake. South of the mills the rock is granite.

CHEMICAL REPORT.

To C. H. HITCHCOCK, A. M.

SIR::-In this communication I present the results of various chemical investigations, conducted during the present season, at your request.

Mineral Waters of Maine.

Many persons have expressed a desire to see an extended account of the mineral waters of our State, and therefore this paper, though quite imperfect, has been prepared. I trust that the following prefatory remarks will not be thought out of place. Pure water is, chemically, the protoxide of hydrogen; one atom of hydrogen uniting with one atom of oxygen to form a substance differing, in all its physical properties, from either of its components. Water obtained by careful distillation is perfectly pure, since in this process its impurities are left in the boiler or retort, and the vapor alone passes over, condensing and forming water in its liquid state. Pure water is never found in wells or springs or in rivers; rain-water alone approximating to that degree of purity attained by distillation. And, in this connection, it will be remembered that rain-water is really a distilled water. Vapor, arising from our rivers or lakes, forms the clouds which yield rain. We may, for most practical purposes, consider the water falling from the clouds to be free from impurities or any foreign substance, and yet rain is, chemically, far from being pure, having absorbed more or less from the atmosphere. After rain has fallen on the earth, it percolates through the soil, and, dissolving various earthy salts, finds its way to our wells or springs. Owing to the great abundance of these salts in the vicinity of some wells, the solution is much stronger than that in other localities; and when the presence of these salts is hardly appreciable by the taste, and yet forbids the free use of soap or other detergents employed in washing, we call the water "hard." When the solution becomes so strong that

the taste readily perceives it, the water is called "mineral." This use of the word has become very general, although by its acceptation we seem to entirely overlook the fact that all water is a mineral-a mineral as truly as common lime. From the earliest times, springs, from which flows water charged with earthy salts, have attracted much attention, and have attained different degrees of celebrity as remedial agents. The use of such water has produced, in many cases, considerable relief in some diseases, and cures have been thought to be attributable alone to the medicinal spring. In many instances, however, the relief experienced was due more to the change of scenery, air and occupation than to the employment of the water either as a beverage or for baths. In Maine, a few springs have been brought to the notice of the public, and have met with a share of patronage, but so far as I am aware, no account of all these waters has ever been published; in fact, until lately, some had never been analyzed. Thus it will be seen that the work of describing them is, in reality, a new one, and therefore deserves more time than I have been able to devote to it.

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Mineral waters may be conveniently classed into Cold and Thermal Springs. We have no thermal or warm" springs in our State; the popular name of "Boiling Springs" having been given to such as have a small current of air passing through them, causing a peculiar bubbling resembling ebullition. The mineral springs of Maine are all "cold," and, though they vary slightly in temperature, never become so warm as to be considered thermal. In order to present a convenient classification, the mineral waters of Maine will be arranged, according to the prevailing ingredient, into these classes:

1. Sulphureous.

2. Chalybeate.

3. Saline.

1. SULPHUREOUS SPRINGS.

These are at once recognized by the peculiar odor of one of their constituents, sulphydric acid, or, as it is sometimes called, sulphuretted hydrogen. The odor is that attending the decomposition of certain organic substances-eggs, for instance. The water commonly holds in solution certain salts of iron and alumina, but the medicinal efficacy depends entirely upon the sulphydric acid. The use of such waters is indicated where a direct influence upon the cutaneous system is desired. In many chronic skin diseases,

the water used externally and internally often produces marked effects; and good results have been noticed by Dr. Armstrong in the treatment of chronic rheumatism and gout.* This is not the place to notice, at length, the medicinal properties of mineral springs, but it has been thought best to allude to those affections in which their use is indicated.

The celebrated "Togus Springs" near Augusta may be assigned to this class. I sincerely regret that no facts concerning this water have been placed in my hands, but I hope that a full analysis will soon be made, or, at least, that previous analyses may be published. This, at least, is known-that Mr. Beals has, by his enterprise, rendered Togus a most favorite resort for invalids and summer visitors.

Bethel Spring.

This came to my notice during the present season while examining the plants of this highly interesting locality, It is situated near the hill called "Sparrowhawk," and derives its sulphuretted hydrogen from a bed of decomposing pyrites in the vicinity. The odor is quite marked and noticeable at some distance from the spring. The temperature of the water on the 13th of June was 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Its taste indicates the presence of sulphate of iron. It was impossible for me to transport a sufficient quantity of this water for a prolonged and careful examination. From the small amount I procured at the spring, and retained in a sealed bottle until this autumn, it was ascertained that there was present nearly nine cubic inches of sulphuretted hydrogen in one hundred inches of water. The percentage of sulphate of iron was very small, but gave to the water a distinctly astringent taste.

New Limerick Spring.

I have lately received information concerning a sulphureous spring found in New Limerick, Aroostook County. No specimen of the water has yet been received by me, but I have no hesitation in considering it to be a strong solution of sulphuretted hydrogen.

* Dr. J. Armstrong, as quoted by Pereira. Mat. Med., Vol. 1, pp. 308-9.

+ It is my impression that the lamented Professor Cleaveland analyzed the water of this spring.