Pratt Cave

Pratt Cave

TX: CULBERSON CO.

Age.—Supposedly Holocene (Gehlbach and Holman 1974: 191, 195; Lundelius 1979; Stangl and Dalquest 1991); some material likely Pleistocene (Harris).

Comments.—Lundelius (1979): Four ¹⁴C dates (BP): 1420 ± 60 (TX-1021) on wood from cache in back of cave; 1840 ± 60 from basketry (TX-1022); 2560 ± 340 (TX-2191) on apatite carbonate from bone from level 2, blocks 10-15, 2820 ± 180 on collagen; and 2090 ± 420 on bone apatite and 2320 ± 70 on collagen (TX-2192). Dates all from back of cave where deposits relatively thin; correlation with deposits at front tentative. Lithologic correlation indicates that tan silty layer in level 2, blocks 5-7, 13-15 equivalent to similar silt in level 6, blocks 22-24. "In all these areas this silt rests on the bedrock and appears to represent the beginning of the accumulation of sediment in the cave" (p. 242).

Publications.—Gehlbach and Holman 1974; Harris 1990; (Harris and Crews 1983); Lundelius 1979; Rea 1980; Stangl and Dalquest 1991.

Fauna.—

AVES

• Meleagris cf. gallopavo Rea 1980;
• Geococcyx californianus conklingi Rea 1980;
• Columba fasciata Rea 1980;

MAMMALIA

• Notiosorex crawfordi Lundelius 1979;
• Sylvilagus audubonii Lundelius 1979;
• Lepus californicus Lundelius 1979;
• Spermophilus variegatus Lundelius 1979;
• Cynomys ludovicianus Lundelius 1979;
• Tamias canipes Lundelius 1979;
• Marmota flaviventris Lundelius 1979;
• Thomomys bottae Lundelius 1979;
• Geomys bursarius Lundelius 1979;
• Cratogeomys castanops Lundelius 1979;
• Perognathus hispidus Lundelius 1979;
• Perognathus flavus Lundelius 1979;
• Dipodomys ordii Lundelius 1979;
• Dipodomys spectabilis Lundelius 1979;
• Reithrodontomys megalotis Lundelius 1979;
• Peromyscus nasutus (asP. difficilis) Lundelius 1979;
• Onychomys leucogaster Lundelius 1979;
• Onychomys arenicola (as O. torridus; listed as O. arenicola on geographic grounds) Lundelius 1979;
• Sigmodon hispidus Lundelius 1979;
• Neotoma micropus Lundelius 1979;
• Neotoma albigula Lundelius 1979;
• Neotoma mexicana Lundelius 1979;
• Neotoma cinerea Lundelius 1979;
• Microtus mexicanus Lundelius 1979;
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus Lundelius 1979;
• Bassariscus astutus Lundelius 1979;
• Procyon lotor Lundelius 1979;
• Mustela frenata Lundelius 1979;
• Mephitis mephitis Lundelius 1979;
• Equus sp. Lundelius 1979;
• Odocoileus sp. Lundelius 1979;
• Antilocapridae Lundelius 1979;

Last Update: 13 November 1998.