8MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

ReviewsLas Cavernas de la Sierra GordaCarlos Lazcano SahagUn. UniversidadAutonoma de Queretaro; 1986.Vols. I & II, 385 pages. Available fromAMCS. Write for price.Carlos Lazcano, who edited the twobulletins of the Sociedad Mexicana de ExploracionesSUbterraneas (SMES) has producedanother high-quality, professionalpublication. Las Cavernas de la SierraGorda covers virtually all the known cavesin the northern portion of the state ofQueretero. The boundaries of his studyarea extend north across the state lineinto San Luis Potosf up to the Rfo SantaMaria and west to include the eastern tipof Guanajuato. The southern boundary isthe Rfo Moctezuma and the eastern boundaryis the San Luis Potosi state line. Numerousdetailed area maps are well done andeasy to read.The first three sections of the bookgive the reader a general overview of thearea, and its geology, archeology, andcave fauna. It also includes a history ofexploration.The fourth, and largest, section ofthe book is cave descriptions. Lazcanohas divided the Sierra Gorda into elevenareas. Within these areas he has listedover 550 known caves. Maps are includedfor approximately 230 of them. Each descriptionincludes the following information:Location, including the coordinates,elevation, and municipio and state; thelength and depth of the cave and a oneparagraph description; the history of exploration;the geology and hydrology; alist of the cave fauna; and a bibliography.Volume I includes the first threesections and four of the eleven areas. Theremaining seven areas comprise Volume II.The back of each book contains a bibliography,an alphabetical list of all thecaves, and an index to the maps with thecorresponding page numbers.The covers of both volumes have thesame color photograph, an aerial view of EIS6tano del Barro. Inside the reader istreated to an additional 29 color photos,as well as many black and whites. ThetyPeset format and the well organized layoutmake this book aesthetically pleasingand easy to read. I was a bit perplexed atfirst because there was no table of contents,but then I found it at the back ofeach volume. Although it is not printed onthe best of paper and the photos and mapsare not always sharp, this book comparesin quality to an AMCS Bulletin.Las Cavernas de la Sierra Gorda is anexcellent reference for the Mexico caver.Don't let the Spanish scare you off.Terri SprouseLas Formas Karsticas del Area de LaFlorida en la Sierra Gorda de Queretaro.Carlos Lazcano. Instituto de Geografla,liNAM, 1984. 123 pages. Available fromAMCS . Write for price.This volume contains much of the informationpresented in the book reviewedabove, although it is more limited in geographicalscope. Following summaries of thearea geography and geology, the bulk of thetext consists of cave descriptions andmaps. A large fold-out geology map is includedin a pocket in the back.Peter SprouseMexico 85/86. Expedition Report;122 pagesA large British expedition visited theXilitla plateau area of san Luis potosi inthe winter of 1985-86. We have receivedone copy of their report here in Austin,but have no idea how more may be obtained.It lists no date or place of publication,or even an editor. Anyway, the group reportsa reasonably successful stay, locatingand mapping a number of medium-sizedcaves. The report includes maps of Cuevadel Cinco Abril (2632 meters long, 286meters deep), Cueva de los Hornos (2960,341), Arriba Suyo Sotano (1126, 563), CuevaTang-go-jo (530, 405), Cueva del ReeferMadness (1006, 411)--are you getting theimpression they didn't inquire carefullyabout local names?--Sotano de las VlborasMuertas (670, 250), Cueva de Ixtacapa(1234, 293), S6tano de Puerto de Belen(380, 204), and S6tano de Rock a Jumar100