MAMMOTH CAVE. The largest known cavern in the world, situated in EtImonson Coun ty. Ky., near (:reen River, 125 miles south west of 'Lexington. The :Mammoth Cave—dis in ISIM by it hunter named Hutchins— consists really of a series of caverns that have been explored for a distance of many miles. Its month is about GOO feet above sea-level. Sev eral streams oecur in the cave, the principal one being the Echo River, which has a length of nearly three-quarters of a mile and continual eates through an underground passage with green !liver. The Styx. about 450 long, is remarkable for a natural bridge of great beauty. Passages and avenues connect chambers or halls situated at diiri.rcut levels, thus showing the slow progress of the underground stream in its course through the earth. The largest (handier —nannal the Chief City—is 450 feet hung and 130 feet wide. Several other large chambers or domes extend through the entire height of the levels. The most notable of these domes are the Stella. Mammoth, and I lorin's, each about 250 feet high, and Lucy's Dmne, over 300 feet high and 110 feet in diameter. Cleveland Avenue extends for more than two miles, and presents a most wonderful variety of crystals and incrustation:. All of the halls Mier to view numbers of stalagmites and stalaetites, whose varied and contrasting shapes or grotesque resemblances to mitni-al or architeetu•al objects, in conjunetion with the streams. lakes, and fountains, form the
Nromlerfully picturesque scenery of the cavern. Startling iafeets are produced by the use of lights and fireworks. the Star Chamber showing on it-; ceiling myriads of glistening points, from which it takes its name.
The Mammoth Cave is hut one of an extensive system of eaves occurring over an area of not less than S000 square miles in Kentucky and 'Tennes see. The process of formation seems to have been as fellows: Rainwater and melted snow more or less charged with carbonic acid gas, and having the power of dissolving limestone. makes its way downward by means of joints and bedding planes, in the rocks. and finally to the surface again as springs lit levels determined by the larger drainage systems of the country. From the surface downward this flowing water dis solves out sink-holes and pipes: in its horizontal progress toward an outlet it carves out the cav erns. The gradual lowering of the beds of larger river systems permits lower outlets for these subterranean waters, thus leaving the older gal leries dry. atmosphere of Mammoth Cave varies little from 54° F. the year around. The animal life of the cave consists of a species of fish and crayfish and several species of insects and bats. See CAVE ANIMALS. Consult Ilovey, Ole/water! American Carerns (Cincinnati. 1SS2).