NOTES ON IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. 121 



that the continued dripping from the roof, instead of causing 

 a stalagmitic deposition, had worn small circular holes in the 

 limestone, as in the " House of Commons." 



Leaving this splendid chamber Gorman led me into what 

 he called the " Long Cave : " the footing here was very bad ; 

 little was obtained to pay for the trouble, for whichever way 

 we turned we soon came to a part which Gorman told me was 

 unexplored, and into which he did not choose to take me. 

 I think there were seven or eight branches of this " Long 

 Cave," which he said had never been visited, but the parts 

 through which I wandered must have measured nearly an 

 English mile. The floor sometimes consisted of the naked 

 limestone, sometimes of clay, and sometimes spar, the latter 

 being rugose and angular, and not possessing a smooth sur- 

 face like that of the stalagmitic deposition to which I have 

 before alluded. The roof occasionally exhibited festoons of 

 spar, resembling wreaths of flowers, and struck me as very 

 beautiful; but still I was disappointed with this " Long Cave," 

 because I fancied that I left so much unseen : and when Gor- 

 man repeatedly told me that that was as far as we could go, 

 although I saw a very obvious opening still farther, I could 

 not help repeating the indignant and emphatic enquiry of the 

 renowned Miss Squeers, — " Is this the Aend ? " 



There is a second opening from the " House of Lords " 

 leading, as Gorman assured me, to a river, but this river 

 I could not find : there was, indeed, a puddle, and nothing 

 more : I have since turned with some interest to see what 

 Dr. Apjohn makes of the river, but I find he received it on 

 trust, "such phenomenon was not at the time to be observed." 

 I thence returned to the " House of Lords," entering that 

 wondrous place for the third and last time, and thence to the 

 " House of Commons" for the second time. Three passages 

 emanate from this chamber, besides that by which I entered 

 it, and the one leading to the " House of Lords." One of 

 these possesses little interest, except that its extent is unas- 

 certained : the two others are but different ways into another 

 chamber, which is divided into two compartments by a rock 

 running along the middle : this chamber has some enormous 

 stalactitic pillars, and one little recess called the " Queen's 

 Bedchamber," which is exquisitely beautiful, every part of it 

 being covered with an incrustation of the most sparkling spar, 

 in great variety of form. 



From the "Bedchamber Cave" (I believe this is the right 

 name) I was led towards another passage, near the entrance 

 of which stand some enormous masses of stalagmite, and one 



Vol. IV.— No. 39. n. s. o 



