Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-11-14
Entombed Live Erous,

Fayette A. Jones in Mining World:
In delving into the bowels Of the
earth the mining engineer often en-
counters the unexpected, and occa-
sionally runs up against perplexing
realities stranger than fiction
An astounding discovery was made
recently in the Nellie BLY, mine, nine
miles south of Lordsburg. New Mex
leo. when at the depth of 1870 feet be.
low the surface, imprisoned in appar.
entity solid rock. three living frogs
were disentombed, two of which were
found in the same small cavity, less
in size than persons head, while the
third was resurrected from a similar
cavity about three feet distant from
the first. A critical inspection failed
to reveal any communication whatev-
er existing between these two living
prisons, or with the outside world.
On examination, these specimens
OF the genus rama were found to be
quite small, their bellies and under
parts of their legs were white, and
their backs were malachite green,
apparently to certain extent incrust-
ed with carbonate of copper, which
mineral is constituent in this oxid.
lied portion of the vein. Their eyes
were sealed and from all appearances
devoid of sight. When liberated from
their living tomb, to the great sur
prise of those present, they possessed
remarkable agility, then taking into
consideration the probable indefinite
| period of their confinement
The perpleXing question Is, how did
they get there? A critical examina-
ton was made by the writer, who is
| ACTING in thn nooif1y ~
engineer of the mine, in order to as
certain, if possible, the existence of
some crack or crevice that might com,
municate with the surface; no open
ing was found large enough to admit
the blade of penknife.
1t was observed, however, that the
frogs were found in what is an oxid-
lied portion of the vein or ore body,
that at some former time was a chan
mel for circulating descending waters,
the agent to which may partly be
ascribed the metalliferous deposit.
One strange feature of the case is
that the point of discovery Of the frogs
is fifty feet below the present perm
anent water level; the water level
has not varied since the district was
first opened up nearly Is years ago.
The Oxidized zone in which the frogs
We're found goes to prove that the
former water level was at least sixty
feet below what 1t is now. How frogs
could survive at this submerged level,
since air is as essential as water to
the existence of amphibians, it is diff
ficult to explain.
From the solid nature and compact
ness of the vein filling, but two theo.
ries can we'll be offered for their uni
que presence at so great a depth:
The first is that the eggs of frogs
may have found their way downward
through minute crevices in the anci-
ent water course, by descending mete-
ORIG waters, subsequently Matching by
the natural heat of the earth at this
depth. The second supposition is that
the frogs were entombed by some
comparatively recent local seismic dis
turbance that partly reopened the or
lg'nal assure of the vein sufficiently
great for their ingress, by either
crawling or falling into the opening;
the fissure afterward closing, thus
rendering escape impossible. A third
query arises, that we dare not VEN
ture to entertain for fear of ridicule
may not these creatures be living
representatives of the geological pas?
1t is certain that the elevation of
this mining region did not take place
later than the close of the Tertiary:
could it be possible that these ami
mails were entombed during the tur-
bulent times of that period, and
through some unexplainable cause
have lain in a comatose condition ever
since. patiently waiting the day of
resurrection?