Kouh-Chigui, Alishang (Grotte)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The cave (note 1) on the hill called Chigui (note 2) is situated at one hour's walking distance in an unspecified direction from Alishang (note 3) and several hundred metres from a winter-camp (without known name) used by nomads of an unrecognised tribe. The entrance is found at the foot of a marble cliff and some 60 vertical metres above the left bank of a small torrent (a seasonal white water stream) without specified name. CAVE DESCRIPTION: A small and low cave entrance gives access to an about 20 m long gallery which is more than a metre wide throughout. At two constrictions one has to stoop but otherwise the passage height is of walking size. After the first 3 m a passage to the right is encountered which is several metres long but –due to a very low access– difficult to enter. There are several niches and dead ends off the main gallery. CAVE CONTENTS: There are small stalactites and roundish (literally: granulées) speleothems and –in the first part of the main gallery– suintemnts (moisture originating from oozing / percolation or condensation) but no re-assemblage of water. The cave floor is covered with mud, soil and very little bat guano (keyword: Chiroptera). CAVE CLIMATE: On 30th January 1959 the interior of the cave appeared to be hot in comparison with the temperature (about 15°C) felt at the entrance. The barometric pressure in the far end of the main gallery was 25 mm lower than the one measured at the entrance. CAVE LIFE: LINDBERG (1958: 134) reports to have collected Isopoda, Collembola, Blattida, Gryllida, Diptera (Phlebotoma), Lepidoptera (Noctuelle), Pseudoscorpions, Arachnida (Araneida). JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1747) list from la grotte Kouh-Chiqui [sic!] (Laghman) Insecta: Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Eremogryllodes major CHOPARD.nts (moisture originating from oozing / percolation or condensation) but no re-assemblage of water. The cave floor is covered with mud, soil and very little bat guano (keyword: Chiroptera). CAVE CLIMATE: On 30th January 1959 the interior of the cave appeared to be hot in comparison with the temperature (about 15°C) felt at the entrance. The barometric pressure in the far end of the main gallery was 25 mm lower than the one measured at the entrance. CAVE LIFE: LINDBERG (1958: 134) reports to have collected Isopoda, Collembola, Blattida, Gryllida, Diptera (Phlebotoma), Lepidoptera (Noctuelle), Pseudoscorpions, Arachnida (Araneida). JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1747) list from la grotte Kouh-Chiqui [sic!] (Laghman) Insecta: Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Eremogryllodes major CHOPARD.