THE MUSEUM. 



6i 



ell's Cave are recorded, nothiiif:; but 

 rude {guesses which are all, I think, in 

 excess of the truth. Carson supposed 

 the Rotunda about on a level witli the 

 Mohawk and two or three hundred 

 feet below the surface, .\nother ex- 

 plorer (Fletcher, 1853, ) thought he 

 had attained the river level, and that 

 he had descended several hundred feet. 

 Others have asserted the same. One 

 visitor whose account was printed in 

 1824 wildly places the Rotunda at a 

 depth of 500 feet. This would make 

 it lie one hundred feet below the level 

 of the river. .\s indicated on the new 

 topofjraphic majis of the National Ge- 

 ological Survey the- height of the river 

 at this point above mean sea level is 

 ::8o feet. The mouth of the cave is 

 on the 680 foot level, so, to descend 

 to the river's level the cavern must be 

 400 feet deep. My opinion based on 

 observations made on one visit only, 

 and from no actual measurements, is 

 that it is little more than half that 

 depth. Say 250 feet, and I think if 

 actual measurement be made it will 

 be found to not greatly exceed this 

 estimate. 



It is very doubtful if Mitchell's Cave 

 was ever visited or resorted to by the 

 Indians. Indeed it is not likely that 

 its entrance was ever noticed by them 

 unless some dusky hunter should have 

 accidentally plunged down its narrow 

 mouth. 



The entrance being very narrow and 

 on nearly level ground, still thinly 

 wooded, might easily have been en- 

 tirely concealed in former times while 

 the primitive forest with its tangled 

 mass of fallen trunks occupied the re- 

 gion. In passing through several 

 heavy forests now existing on the Hel- 

 derberg plateau in Albany Co., N. Y. , 

 one has to take great heed to his foot- 

 steps by reason of the numerous verti- 

 cal joints which traverse the limestone 

 of the region. These crevices, often a 

 oot or more in width, and very deep, 

 are frequently masked and hidden by a 

 thin covering of fallen limbs and leaf- 

 mold through which it is very easy to 

 crush with the foot. 



What ;i tumble would one take 

 were he to come crashing into the 

 Grand Rotunda of Mitchell's from 

 some point in the woodland above. 

 For it seems evident that its ceiling 

 must be near the surface. This nar- 

 row but exceedingly high vault may 

 have but a thin and treacherous roof- 

 ing. 



In concluding these random notes 

 on Mitchell's Cave I will say that I 

 know of but one other cave whose en- 

 trance is effected with so much diffi- 

 culty. It is a small, dry, and roman- 

 tic grotto in the Indian Ladder region 

 of the Helderbergs, where to enter in 

 the only true and respectful way one 

 has to turn a complete summersault. 

 The coming-out is worse than the go- 

 ing-in. To this I am sure Mr. Van 

 Home will readily bear witness. 



The Ornithologists' and Oologists' Mannal. 



Sl'ANUAKlJ LIST FOR COl.LKUTORS. 

 Kkduied to 1.5i', 2 for 2)C. 

 Some of itx Vontcnls: 



A complcto list of all North American 

 Birds, giving prices of their eggs and skins. 

 The arrangement is according >.o the A. O U. 

 list, and after each name is Kidgewaj's num- 

 ber. Both Common and Scientilic Names 

 are given, in different si/o typo. 



A list of Mammal and Reptile skins, with 

 prices A table giving ihc appro-ximato num- 

 ber of eggs considered a full set of every 

 family of Ijirds in the U. S. 



Coniplet'! and exhaustive directions for 

 making .Scientilic Bird and Mammal Skins, 

 and preparing specimens for the cabinet. In- 

 structions for collecting, preparing and pre- 

 serving birds egg^ and nests, tools needed, 

 various recipes recommended and valuable 

 information about making cabinels for speci- 

 mens 



Complete list of Taxidermists" Instruments, 

 Supplies and Requisites, also Oologists' In- 

 struments and Supplies, etc., etc. 

 ' Size 4U0t, just right to carry in the pocket. 



Order now, as our stock is very limited and 

 it will not be reprinted. 



MUSKUM PUB CO , ALBION, N. Y. 



SHELL (COLLECTORS —We intend to 

 greatly enlarge our stock the coming winter 

 and make many excdianges with collectors. 

 Please send us a list of any Land. Freshwater 

 or Marine Shells you have to olTer. Wo want 

 Helix as ever and wish all collectors who have 

 any duplicate Helix to send us complcto 

 lisis An one knowing of any large shell 

 collections for sale will confer n favor by ad- 

 vising us of same. W. K. WEBB, Mgr.. Al- 

 bi^n, N. Y. 



