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The ice seemed to be formed from a stream which ran through the cave and was frozen in the summer only. In 1712, M. Billerez, Professor of Anatomy and Botany in the University of Besançon, communicated to the Academy an account of a visit made by him to this cave in September 1711.
But my own observation of the shape of the columns suggested that the largest of all was probably an amalgamation of several others; so that it is not unreasonable to suppose that after the Duc de Lévi removed the large columns seen by M. Billerez, a number of smaller columns were formed on the old site, and that these had not become large enough to amalgamate in 1743.
When M. de Cossigny visited the cave, there were thirteen or fourteen columns of ice, from 6 to 8 feet high, and he was in consequence inclined to doubt the accuracy of the statement of M. Billerez, that in his time there were three columns only, from 15 to 20 feet high.
Oudot, and higher than those which M. Billerez saw, formed upon the trunk and branches of a fir-tree.
The thermometer stood at 60° outside the cave, and fell to 10° when placed inside; but thermometrical observations of that date were so vague as to be useless for present purposes. The ice appeared to be harder than the ordinary ice of rivers, less full of air-bubbles, and more difficult to melt. M. Billerez enunciated a new theory to account for the phenomena presented by the cave.
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