Notes from the Ardennes. 



87 



over two hours. The cavern consists of a series of galleries here 

 and there expanding into large and lofty chambers. Ihe tirst 

 part is dry ; then a series of galleries is traversed through which 

 water runs in winter, the footpath being carried on a raised 

 causeway. Finally, after many ups and downs, the subterranean 

 river is reached, and the exit is made in boats at the lower 

 opening. The roof and walls of the cavern are hung in many 

 places with stalactites, unfortunately a good deal blackened by 

 the smoke of the torches used for illuminating, and which has no 

 means of escape. It is proposed to use electricity for lighting 

 the larger halls. Many of the stalactites have the form ot 

 drapery-like folds, like the vallence of a bed ; these are formed 

 apparently where thin films of water percolate through long 

 narrow cracks in the roof, or trickle over straight edges of rock. 

 Some of these emit a bell-hke note when struck. The floor ot 

 the cavern is covered with alluvial earth and stones, apparently 

 brought by the river ; this agam above the river level is covered 

 by a layer of stalagmite, with projecting bosses where the drip 

 from the roof falls. These projecting stalagmites are truncated 

 cones, or nearly cylindrical in shape, the summit being always 

 marked by a shallow depression worn by the falling drop. 

 Sometimes a stalactite and its corresponding stalagimte meet, 

 forming a continuous column from floor to roof. Here and 

 there the alluvial bed has apparently been washed out, and the 

 undermined stalagmitic layer has broken across and faiien out 

 of place, as shown by the oblique position of the stalagmites, the 

 water trickling over the fractured edge forming a festoon ot 

 drapery-hke folds. I could not learn that any human remains 

 or implements were found in the Grotte de Han or that it con- 

 tained any pecuhar fauna like the blind animals found m the 

 caves of Austria and Kentucky, though beetles are said to be 

 found in the first chamber from the entrance. 



The fauna of the Ardennes until recently included such Jerm 

 naturm as the wild boar and the wolf, but these I was informed 

 were now extinct in the part which I visited. The roebuck and 

 the eagle were said to be still met with, but I did not myself see 

 any vertebrata not familiar at home, except a large green frog. 

 A ring snake was discovered basking on the edge of a pond; 

 when alarmed it plunged into the water, and swam with a wavy 

 eel-like motion. Among insects,— of butterflies, the pale 

 clouded yellow," the "marbled white," and the grayling, or an 

 allied species, were noticed; grasshoppers were abundant and 

 very noisy ; and several species of ants, including the great wood 

 ant were plentiful. An avenue of old lime trees at Eochefort 

 was covered with thousands of a bright red species of bug, 

 quaintly figured with black. Although so brightly coloured, 

 these appeared to trust for safety to some protective resemblance, 



