54 FAUNA OF MAYFIELD'S CAVE. 



Cave by Cope (1872, 171) and Packard (1888, 67) and by Packard from 

 Mayfield's Cave (1888, 16). Packard (1888, 67) also mentions a white 

 species (Machilis cavernicola) from Mammoth Cave, where Hubbard 

 (1880, 37) found a Machilis, probably the same species. Tellkampf 

 (18446, 383) described and figured a Machilis from Mammoth Cave as 

 a crustacean ( Triura cavernicola) . An eyeless, brownish-yellow species 

 (Machilis bruneoflavea Joseph) is known from European caves, where 

 other species of this family also occur in caves (Hamann, 1896) . 



Suborder COLLEMBOLA. 



Family ENTOMOBRYIDAE. 



Sinella cavernarum (Packard). 



Degeeria cavernarum PACKARD, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., iv, 1888, 66, pi. xvi (Little 

 Wyandotte and Bradford caves in Indiana, Carter and Diamond caves in Ken- 

 tucky). BLATCHLEY, Rep. Ind. Geol. Surv., xxi, 1896, 200 (Mayfield's, Truett's, 

 Eller's, Shiloh, Clifty, Marengo, Little Wyandotte, and Wyandotte caves). 

 EIGENMANN, Science, n. s., xn, 1900, 302. ULRICH, Trans. Am. Mic. Soc., xxm, 

 1902, 97 (Ezell's Cave, Texas). 



One of the most abundant forms of life in the cave. Found in all 

 moist situations and especially under pieces of stone or other rubbish, 

 or where there is organic matter. It is sure to be found wherever there 

 is sufficient moisture. Often seen in numbers about the edge of a small 

 puddle or at a wet place where the water drips from above. At these 

 places it is often seen upon the surface of the water, upon which it 

 is able to hop about with the same ease as when upon a more solid 

 footing. It has been seen in the loose earth at "4," but I have not 

 found it nearer the mouth than this, and beyond ' '4' ' it is about equally 

 abundant in favorable situations throughout the cave. Sinella caverna- 

 rum is attracted to any organic matter, having been found at decaying 

 wood, moldy paper, molding candle-drip, feces of mice, the remains 

 of a myriapod, and abundantly at bait, whether fresh or in any stage 

 of putrefaction. Probably it feeds upon fungus as well as upon decay- 

 ing organic matter, as it is nearly always present where mold exists. 



This thysanuran is perfectly white in color and without traces of 

 eyes, as far as I can determine. It crawls very slowly, but is able to 

 spring for considerable distances v/hen disturbed. Young and adult 

 are seen at all seasons, but the species becomes scarce in winter in the 

 part of the cave subject to lower winter temperature. It is uneasy in 

 the presence of a light, but seems as likely to move toward the light as 

 from it. 



Sinella cavernarum serves as food for Phanetta subterranea and 

 other spiders and mites and for the predaceous beetles of the cave. 



