Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-09-20
SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION NEAR HAIR

on Tuesday last, from harper rerIy'
where he went to explore cave IN
which he heard that some blind insects
had recently been found. A gentleman
informed him that he had visited the
cave and secured an anopthalmus cato
DO and curoulio, all of which are species
of the beetle genius. The blind curon-
Ito is something not known in this
country, the European troglarhynchus
anopthalmus being found only in the
great Kalenberger cave, and second
species in the Villa France cave, and
MIR. Lugger at once started to try and
obtain a speciman. The cave in ques-
ton is about one and a-quarter miles
west of Harper's Ferry, on the line OF
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and on
the Virginia side. The entrance to it
is 6 by I feet and, about 62 feet above
the level of the river. Mr.. Lngger says,
however, that it is not cave, but an
immense crack or assure, extending
through the mountain from the Potomac
to the Shenandoah 1t is from four TO
eish, feet in width, the walls being COM
posed of limestone, mixed with slate, and
dipping at an angle of eighty-two de-
grees. Mr.. Logger explored it FOR a
distance of four miles, being provided
with two dozen candles, lantern and
calcium light, and he is of opinion that
it extends four miles further. 1t is
of immense height, in fact SO high that
even with the aid of the calcium light
the roof could not be seen. The floor,
the surface of which is very irregular,
has been formed by large rocks that
have detached themselves from the
walls or sunk down. Underneath the
floor is another cave or chasm,the depth
of which could not be determined. Mr..
Lugger climbed up the rocks which
form its side, and after attaching Ian
ter to rope 81 feet in length lowered
il. but no bottom was reached nor could
he see anything beneath the lantern but
darkness. The sides, however made an
inclined plane and the limestone seemed
to be covered with gelatinous and clay
ey substance. a stone was then dropp-
ed, which after rebounding three times
from the walls, dropped with splash
into water. In nine observations which
were taken, the average time of the
stone reaching the bottom was twenty
two and one-tenth seconds, which had
the:stone fallen perpendieularly, would
indicate depth of eight hundred feet.
No stalactites were met with. except
that occasionally there was noticed on
the walls wavy line about an inch
wide. 1t is evident that the tissure is
the result of some upheavel-probably
an earthquake.
At Harper's Ferry the same stratum
of limestone is horizontal, the angle in
creasing until it becomes almost perpen-
dicular. Next there comes formation
of black marble, capable of taking on
very fine polish, and akin TO that found
in Frederick county, Md. land in Egypt.
After that another formation OF slaty
limestone, also nearly perpendicular and
with the angle DETECTING to the west.
Numbers of bats were found in the
great assure, but no insects, except those
which had entered it for the purpose OF
Information. Mr.. Lugger does not think
blind insects will be found in it, there
being neither stagnant nor running wa
ter there, either of which are necessary
for their existence. In Europe there
are 400 species of blind ms ects, while
in the United States there only 20, and
the finding of curculio here would en-
able the student to trace the relation be-
tween the geographical aud geological
history of the two countries. 1t needs
thousands of years to perfectly develop
a blind insect so that others may be re-
produced. In American caves there
have often been found blind crawfish,
and sometimes blind crickets. In most
of these cases there has been simply a
skin over the retina, while in others the
nerve has been found to be entirely
gone. BY the law Of compensation,
however, which prevails in nature, the
fish when it becomes blind has its barbs,
and the cricket and beetle its antenn@
or LEGS heightened, so that in each case
some sense has been made more acute.
The cave in question, which is on the
farm of Mr.. John Rau, is called John
Browns cave, and was used as beer
saloon during the late war. About a
mile and a-quarter further west, and on
the line of the railroad, is another cave,
which Mr.. Lugger was anxious to ex-
plore, but on reaching it he found that
the entrance had "caved" in, and to
open it again would have required more
time and money than he had at his dis
posal. He talked, however, with sever
al old people who visited it years ago.
From their statements it is extensive
and lofty, and is divided into large
rooms, in which there are many stalac-
tites and stalagmites. The geological
formation is the marble limestone. MIR.
Lugger says he will positively explore
it next spring, and is in hopes that it
will equal the now famous Luray cave.
A singular fact, and one of interest to
naturalists, may be mentioned: In the
year 1864 two domesticated goats left
the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry
and ran away to Maryland Heights.
Since then they have gradually increas-
ed until the flock numbers about 800.
They are in every respect wild goats,
without the least trace of domestic hab-
its. AT night they shelter under pro-
iectlng cliff which faces Harper's Ferry,
and Mr.. Lugger says that on the day he
was there he counted about so of them
browsing together. Some of the sports
men of the vicinity shoot them occa-
Observation-Disclosures Sun.
A V1cr1u Of GAMRIING-On Thurs