446 



NATURE 



{April i\, 1872 



such, with certain exceptions, through the Mesozoic and 

 Casnozoic ages, and to the present. In Mesozoic times, 

 fissures existed in the formation, and surface waters found 



Fig- 1. — Anthom}-ia. 



their way through them, dissolving the limestone and con- 

 tinually enlarging the spaces. A cave of considerable 

 dimensions probably existed during the prevalence of the 



F,c. 3.— -Nnopl.'l.i 



Tellkamptii. 



continental glaciers ever the northern hemisphere. On 

 the dissolution of the glaciers, the flood of water which 

 ^wept over the entire country, transporting the materials 



Fig. 5. — Hadenacus subterraneus. 



which constituted the modified drift, swept through the 

 passages of the cave, enlarging them, and leaving deposited 

 in the cave some of the same quartzose pebbles which 



characterise the surface deposits from Lake Superior to 

 the Gulf of Mexico. Since the subsidence of the waters 

 of the Champlain epoch, the cave has probably undergone 

 comparatively few changes. The well, 19S ft. deep, at the 

 farther end of the cave, shows where a considerable 



Fig. 6. — Campodi 



volume of the e.xcavatory waters found exit. The Mam- 

 moth Dome indicates probably both a place of exit and a 

 place of entrance from above. So of the vertical passages 

 in various other portions of the cave." 



We believe that the views of Prof Winchell are in har- 



FlG. 7— Anthrobi 



mony with those of the other eminent geologists of the 

 party ; and when it is considered that the geologists of 

 this excursion stand in the front rank of the most eminent 

 scientific men of the world, their \'iews upon this interest- 

 ing subject are well worthy of attention. 



With these general remarks on the cave, we give a brief 

 account of its interesting fauna, comprising representa- 

 tives of the insects and crustaceans. No molluscs or 

 radiates have as yet been discovered ; but the lower 

 forms of life have been detected by Tellkampf, who col- 



