FEB. 1901. OBSERVATIONS ON INDIANA CAVES—FARRINGTON. 249 
according to Blatchley’s measurements, is one and one-sixth miles 
from the entrance to the cave. I may also remark that I noticed a 
similar wideness of distribution of the bats in Coan’s Cave, though 
that is only one-eighth of a milein length. These observations 
seem to contradict‘the statement of Mr. William H. Hess,* that ‘‘ bats 
as a rule go buta short distance from the entrance,” and throw 
doubt on any theory of the origin of nitrates in cave earths which 
rests on the assumption that bats do not inhabit the more remote 
portions of caves. 
VERMIFORM STALACTITES.—The vermiform stalactites which are to 
be seen in many places in this cave have attracted the attention of 
_many observers and brought forth many theories as to their origin. 
These theories are admirably summed up and the subject ably 
_treated in the paper by Merrill ‘‘On the formation of stalactites and 
_ gypsum incrustations in caves.” My observations lead me substan- 
tially to agree with Merrill’s conclusion that the vermiform character 
of stalactites of this cave is due to the fact that the drops of water 
making them have been guided to other positions than those dictated 
by gravity by the directions assumed by spicules of calcite in crystal- 
lizing: It appears to me, however, that the carbonate of lime pro- 
ducing this effect must be in a condition differing somewhat from the 
ordinary pulverulent form in which it appears at the end of the 
usual stalactite tube, or in other words, that some additional condi- 
tions must be appealed to in order to lead to the formation of stalac- 
tites of this sort. 
The resemblance of the stalactites to the well-known forms of 
aragonite denominated /flos ferrz is quite striking, and perhaps of some 
significance. Senft{ reached the conclusion that the fos ferr7 forms 
of aragonite were produced from very dilute solutions of carbonate of 
lime, which, owing to protection from changes of air and tempera- 
ture, evaporated very slowly. Calling attention to the form of 
the spicules of aragonite he deduced much the same theory for the 
origin of the flos ferri forms as that suggested by Merrill for the 
Wyandotte Cave vermiform stalactites. It is characteristic of ara- 
gonite, however, to crystallize in slender needles, but not so of cal- 
cite. Tests which I have made of the specific gravity of the sub- 
stance of the Wyandotte vermiform stalactites indicates that it is, as 
*Journal of Geology, Vol. 8, No. 2. 
+Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XVII, pp. 77-81. 
tDie Wanderungen und Wandelungen des kohlensaures Kalkes, Zeitschrift der Deutsche 
Geologische Gesellschaft, Vol. XIII, p. 269. 
