NO. V29-. ( <R u^TA ( 'J'JANS OF NICKAJA CK CA VE—HA Y. 419 



the limit of exploration; but that the cave, probably as a large and 

 easily traveled passage, goes much farther there can be but little doubt. 



There is evidence on every hand that the cave is very old, and is 

 now in its period of decline. There are no stalactitic formations of 

 importance except at a point a))out 100 yards from the entrance where 

 there is a large mound-like stalagmitic growth 6 or 8 feet high and 

 l)erhaps 20 feet in diameter. In a series of pockets or basins on this 

 stalagmite were found large (juantities of "cave pearls,'' rounded con- 

 cretionar}' masses of lime which had formed in the disturbed water 

 without becoming attached to the sides or bottom. In several places 

 in the cave there are inmiense heaps of loose rock piled from the 

 floor to the ceiling, and in some cases large blocks seem to have fallen 

 quite recently. 



The cave stream, wliicli has been already mentioned. Hows through 

 the entire length of th(», cave, so far as it is known, and is of practi- 

 cally uniform size and depth throughout. It receives no tributaries, 

 but makes its appearance in the large pool at the end of the cave, 

 apparently boiling up from T)eneath the rock wall, and flows toward 

 the mouth of the cave with a good c-urrent. It is bordered flrst on 

 one side and then on the other by nmd Ixmks, the side next to the ))ank 

 being shallow, while the side next to the rock wall will average B or 4 

 feet in depth. The large pool just mentioned seems to be quite deep, 

 but as it was not possible to launch a ])oat upon it it was also impossil)le 

 to sound it. 



Two visits were paid to the cave, each extending o\er several days. 

 At the time of the flrst visit, heav}" rains having recently fallen, the 

 water in the cave was so high as to preclude the possibility of collect- 

 ing. The net result of six days work was a single pair of 1)11 nd cray- 

 flsh. The second visit, some ten days later, was more successful, as, 

 the water having subsided, it was possible to get from one part of the 

 cave t(j another and to work in the stream itself.' 



Less famous than Kickajack Cave, but at the same time widely 

 known, is a rather small cavern known as Lookout Cave, which runs 

 for some distance back under Lookout Mountain. The entrance is 

 reached from the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad tracks 

 not over a mile from Chattanooga. The passage a short distance from 

 the entrance becomes quite narrow, but a little farther on widens and 

 becomes higher so that it is quite connnodious. The route gradually 

 descends to the le^•el of the river outside and fit last meets a small 

 subterranean stream along which oik^ can wade for some distance in 

 either direction. 1 was able to visit this place but once and then found 

 the water too nuiddy for successful collecting. In one deep hole, how- 

 ever, I saw a very pale-colored salamander about 15cm in length. It 

 may have been a larval form of some out-of-door species. ])ut it looked 



' ( (111.' anil l'iu;kard. The Famui of tlie Nickajaek Cave, American Naturalist, XV, 

 1881, p. 88U. 



