CUTTRISS : NOTES ON THE CAVES OF YORKSHIRE. 323 
walls, together with the rocks forming the steps, are completely 
covered with a thick ice-like coating of travertine, giving the steps 
the appearance of a frozen cascade when viewed from the bottom. 
The passage continues for about another 150 ft., being much 
encumbered with fallen rocks, all cemented fast ; then again it 
apparently terminates abruptly, but by climbing down a small hole 
on the west side, another small passage can be followed for about 
40 ft., when it gets too contracted to permit of further progress. 
The total length of the cave from the entrance is 460 ft. At one 
time it has been well decorated with stalactites, but now not a single 
one within reach has escaped the hands of the vandal. The air 
temperature at the furthest point reached was 48' F., and at the 
entrance 58' F. At the bottom of the staircase a current of air, 
-sufficient to deflect the flame of a candle quite 45', was observed 
flowing outwards towards the entrance. At the Neck, our attention 
was so fully occupied with other matters, we omitted to observe if 
the air current was apparent there also. At the south end of the 
Attermire Scar is a high fissure-like cave, partially filled with clay, 
the longitudinal axis of which is a continuation of that of the main 
passage in Attermire Cave, with which, I was on one occasion able 
to ascertain, it (lirectly communicates, although the connection 
l)etween the two is now blocked with clay. At one time, therefore, 
the cave had two outlets, the latter, probably, being the main one. 
Assuming the majority of the caves in this section were either 
formed by water, or acted as drainage channels, they must be of 
greater age than those to the north of the Upper Craven Fault, as, 
although the latter are generally more extensive in their ramifica- 
tions and of greater sectional area, they mostly have running water 
in one or other of their passages. This absence of running water is 
also to be accounted for by the present configuration of the ground. 
During their formation the Carboniferous Limestone would in all 
probabilit}^ be overlaid by the Yoredale strata, which might have 
shed their drainage towards the south, the caves forming the drainage 
channels. At the present day none of this higher ground remains, 
the limestone being entirely exposed. The rock drainage above 
Attermire is now actually reversed, following the dip of the strata. 
