746 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [DeC, 



parvipcs Rehn, and Brachyphylla nana, whose guaao was once 

 exported, buL is now unloiiched. It is stated that aboriginal 

 remains have been found in them, but sevei'al days of excavation 

 with five assistants yielded no return. It may be that further 

 excavation Avould be more productive. 



In these caves, in the Cuevas de Guano particularly, occur Ihe 

 most beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. They are not of the 

 yellowish tinge so common in our limestone caverns, but of a snowy 

 whiteness. When seen by the light of torches, wet, and covered 

 with little shimmering crystals, they present a very beautiful appear- 

 ance as they stand out from the black gloom of the cave. One 

 huge growth, fancifully called the "Elephant's Head" by his 

 companions, was successfully photographed by Capt. Jos. Priest. 

 A stalagmite known as the " Grandificencia Casa Blanca " (the 

 glorious white house) was removed with partial success and is now 

 in the American Museum of Natural History. Their manner of 

 growth was somewhat peculiar. Numerous little cups are formed 

 from a quarter to a half -inch in size, arranged Avith the bowl 

 upward, and lined with small crystals. As the water-carrying 

 calcium bicarbonate slowly Irickled from the roof, it was caught by 

 the cups on the stalagmites and stalactites and gradually changed 

 to the normal carbonate. This is an adaptation of inorganic econ- 

 omy he had not seen previously recorded. Several hundreds of 

 pounds of these cave-growths were transported with danger and 

 difficulty to Santiago and brought north. ^ 



On an extension of the Ferro-Carril y Almacenes de Santiago that 

 goes from Santiago de Cuba to Alto de Songo are the manganese mines 

 of Ponupo owned by the Ponupo Mining and Transportation Com- 

 pany. The ore is a loose amorphous pyrolusite mined in oj^en cuts and 

 washed before shipping. The deposits seem to be enormous, but he 

 had not explored much more than in the immediate vicinity of the 

 works. The mineral is said never to have been found crystallized, 

 but usually occurs in the amorphous condition in nodules, and some- 

 times in beautiful stalactitic masses called " Flor de Manganese. 

 He was permitted to bring away the best examples of this interest- 

 ing mineral, which had been conserv^ed in the company's offices. 

 Associated with the manganese are remains of a limestone forma- 

 tion containing oxide of manganese and a fossil which Mr, 

 Vaughan has referred to the Eocene as Obitoides forbesii. It is 

 possible that the manganese oxide may have been precipitated in 



^ Since the above was written it has been noticed that some of the 

 stalactites brought back have gradually assumed a darker shade. This 

 is doubtless to be accounted for by the oxidation of salts of the heavy 

 metals, which while in the subterranean chambers had but a deficient 

 supply of oxygen. CaH, (€03)2 = CaCOg + H^O -f CO,. Being now 

 removed from the cave atmosphere, oxidation of the trace of iron has 

 occurred. 



