42 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



worms are occasionally met with in the summer and around the 

 bridge, railings and ladders, where the mycelia of various species 

 of fungi grow, beetles, myriapods and isopods may be discovered 

 but all seem to be surface species which have undergone no altera- 

 tion in the new environment. 



The cave beyond the point where it is drowned is undoubtedly 

 several miles long. " Rock holes '' were found north of the 

 western turnpike between Little York and Carlisle village and 

 three surface streams south of the turnpike between these places 

 disappear in the rock. Every effort was made to penetrate to 

 the cavern below but these attempts were not crowned with con- 

 spicuous success. Running water near the base of the Manlius 

 was found in Sellick's cave, a deep fissure traversing both Coey- 

 mans and Manlius on the farm of Chester Ottman i mile 

 southwest of Carlisle village, but the passage through which it 

 flows is blocked off from the fissure by the rubbish which has 

 fallen through and almost closed the entrance. Just ' north 

 of Carlisle Center several small streams fall into rock holes and 

 reach the Manlius limestone. One of these shafts was opened 

 with some difficulty and a small cave was found below it. This, 

 however, was perfectly dry and no outlet could be discovered. 

 It was named Cave Disappointment. Another of these shafts 

 is known as McFail's cave. It received its name from an un- 

 fortunate man who lost his life while exploring it more than half 

 a century ago. We were unable to penetrate to the cavern below 

 but Dr R. J. Ro'Scoe who was a member of the original exploring 

 party has informed me that this runs northeast and southwest 

 through the " waterlime " (Manlius) carrying a stream running 

 southwest. 



Beneath the entrance to Howe's cave was found an independent 

 cavern in the upper Rondoiit beds wliich was explored for a 

 distance of 1126 feet. It is excavated mostly along joint planes, 

 is very narrow and contains several bodies of ponded water. 

 Connection between this and Howe's cave has been established 

 through the passage known as the '' Barytes mine "^ and clay 

 washed in from the larger cavern has filled its lower end. It 

 possibly originates in Wolfert's cave, a deep double shaft Yz mile 

 due north of Howe's cave on the farm of Alonzo Wolfert, and a 

 few rods east of the highway. 



^Hovey, H. C. Celebrated American Caverns. 



