20 FAUNA OF MAYFIELD'S CAVE, 



Blatchley (1896, 179) found that the white-footed mice from Marengo 

 Cave differ much in appearence from above-ground specimens, having 

 larger external ears (13 by 11 mm.), longer whiskers (38 mm.), and 

 more protruding eyes. The same differences are noticed in those from 

 Mayfield's Cave, as compared with those from above ground in the 

 same region. The ears are even larger than in those from Marengo 

 Cave, averaging 15 by 12 mm. The whiskers show greater development 

 as compared with above-ground forms, and the eyes are very large and 

 protruding. 



There is no mistaking the fact that in the case of this mouse, life in 

 darkness has accompanied or produced some definite modification. 



Family PROCYONIDAE. 

 Procyon lotor (Linnaeus). Raccoon. 



Tracks of the raccoon are quite abundant at all times, reappearing 

 immediately after a freshet, when all the old tracks have disappeared. 

 These signs are not confined to any special part of the cave. They are 

 particularly abundant along the edges of the stream. There are small, 

 shallow, bowl-shaped "wallows" at several places, which possibly are 

 used by the raccoons. These wallows are 3 to 5 feet in width from edge 

 to edge and are kept worn fairly smooth. I am not sure the raccoon 

 has anything to do with these "wallows." Probably the holes were 

 originally made by bears. No tracks or other signs of raccoons were 

 noticed in dry sand which was thickly sprinkled and left in one of these 

 wallows. 



In the cave, raccoons probably feed upon the blind crayfish, blind 

 fish, and other organic matter which happens to fall in their way. Steel 

 traps were kept set during two months, but no raccoons or other large 

 mammals were caught. A raccoon or fox or ground-hog was heard 

 three different times while I was in the cave. On one occasion the 

 animal was ahead of me in the cave and fled, following me out again to 

 the mouth. A few days later it was heard at the first small passage to 

 the right at " 6," and whined from its burrow at the end of the passage 

 while I was near. When I went farther in it followed me to the mound, 

 and was heard ahead of me as I came back, remaining in the hole while 

 I passed and whining after I reached the mouth. 



At places where the soil is banked up against the roof at one side 

 there are holes which follow natural breaks or arches of the rock above 

 and extend into the wall, often at a considerable angle. These burrows, 

 which were probably made by some other mammal, may be inhabited by 

 raccoons. They may have been made by foxes, but I do not believe 

 foxes inhabit the cave at present. 



