1S96.] 93 



ON THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAVES OF ENNIS- 



KILLEN AND MiTCHEIvSTOWN FOR THE 



R.LA. FI,ORA AND FAUNA COMMITTEE. 



BY H. I^YSTKR JAMESON. 

 (Read before the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, Feb. loth, 1896.) 



Early in 1895 Dr. Scharff informed me that Mr. E- A. Martel, 

 the celebrated French explorer of caves, had determined to 

 visit Ireland in July, with a view to investigating some of the 

 numerous caverns with which our Carboniferous limestone 

 is in places riddled. 



I at once expressed myself anxious to join him in his ex- 

 plorations, and in due time was informed that the Fauna and 

 Flora Committee of the Royal Irish Academy had done me 

 the honour of making a grant to me for the purpose of further 

 investigating the cave-fauna, already discovered at Mitchels- 

 town by Dr. Wright and Mr. Haliday, and so ably described 

 by Mr. Carpenter in his most interesting paper on the "Animals 

 found in the Mitchelstown Cave " {Irish Naturalist, February, 



1895). 



On July loth I left Dundalk for Enniskillen, where I hoped 

 to meet Mr. Martel, whose investigations were to commence 

 in that district. At Enniskillen I was met by Mr. Thomas 

 Plunkett, M.R.I. A., who kindly made me his guest while I 

 was there, and whose intimate knowledge of the geology and 

 physical features of the district was of very great assistance 

 to me in my work. 



On July nth I set off for Bohoe, where I was met by the 

 Rev. A. Knight, who acted as my guide. 



We first proceeded to investigate the underground river- 

 bed at Bohoe, a winding subterranean watercourse. Beside 

 the outlet was a dry cavern which presumably was once con- 

 nected with the present river-bed, and has for some reason be- 

 come cut off. It was only accessible for a short distance, large 

 angular blocks, falling from the roof and walls, having 

 formed an impassable barrier. This grotto must have been 

 inhabited by numerous bats, as the floor was strewn with their 



