226 BULLETIN OF THE 



it connects with the surface by means of a sink-hole. The statement is 

 made that Conner's Cave, in Uoone County, has been explored for a dis- 

 tance of eight miles. Friede's Cave, in Phelps County, according to 

 report, has been traced for a number of miles. There are several large 

 caves in Ozark County, in the third Magnesian limestone. The sink- 

 holes, \fith. which so many of the caverns are connected, prove the 

 manner of forming to have been the same as that giving rise to the 

 Mammoth and other caves of Kentucky ; the I'ock, dissolved and disin- 

 tegrated, has been gradually removed by the water from the sink-holes. 

 There seems to be no I'eason to suppose the history of the majority of 

 these caves goes further back than tiiat of the later Tertiary deposits, 

 if so far. Such a small amount of divergence as exists between the 

 species peculiar to the caves and their allies outside is proof that the 

 former have entered their subterranean dwellings at a comparatively 

 recent period. 



In one of his Reports, State Geologist Broadhead remarks that in 

 Christian County there is a stream that disappears in a sink to come 

 out again three quarters of a mile away by an opening ninety-eight feet 

 wide by sixty feet high, from which "a very clear, cool stream passes 

 out, in which by careful search crawfish without eyes can be found." 

 This is the only notice our search has revealed of the animals inhabiting 

 these caves. 



An opportunity of adding something to our knowledge was recently 

 afforded by the kindness of Miss Ruth Hoppin, of Jasper County. My 

 attention was first directed to the matter by a note from her, accom- 

 panied by a specimen of 7''yphl.ichthys subterraneus, Gir., that had been 

 taken from a well. She said that similar fishes had been taken from 

 other wells in the neighborhood, and that the owners of the wells spoke 

 of subterranean streams flowing through. Experience elsewhere satisfied 

 me that there should be caves in the vicinity from which these streams 

 escaped, and at once my correspondent was asked if she would kindly 

 engage some one to explore any caves there might be near by, and also, 

 if possible, to get more specimens from the wells. She took up the 

 matter, engaged help, and, at great personal risk and inconvenience, 

 herself made explorations of a number of the caves, which, as was sus- 

 pected, were not at all rare in the district, the southern part of Jasper 

 County. Numerous specimens of Batrachians, Fishes, Crustaceans, 

 Moliusks, and Insects were collected and forwarded from time to time, 

 among them several new to science. Abstracts from the letters accom- 

 panying them give a very fair idea of their surroundings. 



