Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Lee Arnold near Smith Creek Cave, Mt. Moriah, White Pine Co., N.Y.
1937
Itinerary
June 4 estimated by knowing the number of the trap in which the mammal was caught. All this is given in the species account for this day. Yesterday while climbing to the cave we noted a Prairie Falcon circling over our heads. It would call at intervals of every few seconds. Finally it perched on a ledge some 60 feet above the cave and a little to the east. I was not able to see any signs of nest or young from the distance at which I was located. While we were in the cave a White-throated Swift flew in the entrance and disappeared in a fissure in the roof. In a moment it reappeared and flew out again. I could see no nest. Several (4) of these birds were seen flying about the entrance of the cave. This cave is about 75 feet across at its mouth and 30 feet high. It goes back into the mountain about 75 feet forming sort of a tea cup (on its side) depression. There was much sign of digging in the earth on the floor of the cave. At several places in the roof were large openings (from a few inches to three feet across). These seemed to lead back into the rock surrounding the cavern. We attempted to climb up one of the larger openings but