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1894. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 79 



form, liaviug: turned on itself and grown irregularly upward till its free, 

 growing end, wan within an inch and a half of the starting point, or 

 point of attachment. This stalactite weighs, entire, only some 21 grms 

 Number 5, after growing downward a short distance turned to the left 

 for about the same distance and then threw out three branches, which, 

 when the specimen was collected, had grown upwards until they nearly 

 touched the roof. (Cat. No. C8140.) 



In the caverns of Luray, Virginia, are likewise occasionally found 

 peculiar distorted forms, though of a nature quite different from those 

 of Wyandotte, as may be observed by reference to PI. iii. These lack 

 entirely the vermicular forms characteristic of the last luimed, and may 

 be best compared with the peculiar wart-like excresences and kuurly 

 branches which sometimes appear on trees, as a result of injury from 

 insects. Such have been called helictites (from the Clreek ih^ a spiral.) 



The cause of these singular distortions of form has not, so far as I 

 am aware, been satisfactorily determined. Dr. llovey, in his Celebrated 

 American Caverns (p. 185) ascribes the Luray forms to '' lateral out- 

 growths, having fungi for starting points," or, in other cases to crystals 

 shooting from the side of a growing stalactite thus transforming it into 

 some grotesque shape. In his later writings he has seemed to incline 

 more to the view of considering them as ''tricks of crystallization." 

 Dr. C. S. Dolley* was inclined to regard these horizontal off-shoots as 

 due to spider webs. He says : 



After some time wpciit in a vaiu search for an explanation of this anomalous 

 structure, we hai>pened to notice two specimens, the incipient branches of which 

 were directed toward one another; stretclied tit;ht]y between the branches, and 

 entering the hollow tip of each, was a delicate thi-ead, bearing a string of dew-like 

 drops glistening brightly in the candlelight. Further search revealed numerous 

 specimens in which the lime water trickling down the stalactite met a similar lila- 

 meut, and being partially diverted had formed a droi> at point of juuction ; about 

 this drop beautiful aragouite spicules were forming the hollow horizontal branch, 

 the drop of water in the end being retained in position by the filament piercing it 

 aud upon which it gradually jjushed along as evai>oratii)U deposits the lime behindit." 



Dr. Brezina in his '' Wie Wachsen die Steine" describes distorted 

 forms as due to currents of air, but inasmuch as those of Wyandotte 

 Cave radiate in every direction, it is obvious that they can not be thus 

 accounted for. Prof. CoUett in describing these last, in 1878, S|)eaksof 

 their growing from the bottom outward, t an error which can, I think, 

 be accounted for only on the supposition that at the time of writing 

 his thoughts were fixed upon the peculiar gypsum efdorescences (to be 

 described hiter) and which are thus formed. 



* Proc. Acad, of Nat. Sciences, 1886, p. 351. 



f'The Pillared Palace is entered by a broad doorway, Hanked by stalacto-stalag- 

 mites, while within, ceiling, cornices, and shelves are fringed with stalagmites and 

 frosted with a never ending medley of strange, crooked, writhing, twisting unsym- 

 metrical sprigs of white limestone, pushed out of the solid rock, and still growing 

 by propulsion from the bottom ; one cluster is a realization in stone of the horrible, 

 snaky tresses of Medusa." .John Collett, iu Kep. Geol. Sur. of lud., 1878, p. 475-76. 



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