LAKE

(Lat. Lacus.) In Geography, a collection of water surrounded by land. Lakes are divided into four distinct cla es: 1. Those which have no outlet, and receive no running water. 2. those which have an outlet, but receive no superficial running water, and are consequently fed by springs. 3. Those (by far the most numerous cla ) which both receive and discharge streams of water. 4. Those which receive streams of water, and which have no visible outlet or communication with the sea. The Caspian Sea, which receives the Wolga and several other large rivers, and Lake Aral, which receives the Amoo, belong to this cla . It is a remarkable fact, that all lakes of this cla are salt Some lakes present the curious phenomena of disappearing and reappearing periodically, without regard to the rainy season. Lake Chirtunitz in Illyria is of this description. Some of them, as Loch Lomond in Scotland, and Lake Wetter in Sweden, experience violent agita tlons during severe weather. This may be supposed Io pro ceed from an escape of subterraneous ga es, or winds blown into some cavern with which they communicate; though a coincidence of dates leaves ground to suppose that the phenomenon was connected with earthquakes in distant countries. Lake. A compound of nluminous earth with the red colouring matter of certain animal and vegetable substances; thus we have cochineal and lac lakes, madder lake, . Sometimes the term lake is indiscriminately applied to al' compounds of alumina and colouring matter. [s. 651]