256 The Irish Naturalist. December, 1901. 



GEOLOGY. 



Exploration of the Keish Caves. 



On behalf of the Committee appointed to explore Irish Cave-deposits, 

 Dr. Scharff communicated to the recent meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion at Glasgow an interim report. He stated that the Committee 

 selected for the first operations a series of caves on the slopes of Keish- 

 corran Mountain, Co. Sligo. Owing to the unsettled state of the 

 weather, the excavation of the caves could uot be commenced until the 

 middle of May, 1901, though a preliminary survey was made early in 

 April by Dr. Scharff and Mr. Praeger. 



After careful measurements were taken a deep trench was dug across 

 the mouth of one of the caves, so as to expose a section of the various 

 deposits, which were as follows from above downwards: — 



1. Black earth, containing bones of domestic animals, charcoal, 

 and human implements (similar to those found in crannoges), with 

 a depth of from 6 inches to 1 foot. 



2. Breccia, consisting of limestone blocks fallen from the roof 

 in a tufaceous deposit. This appeared as a natural arch in the 

 section varying from 1 foot in the centre to 3 feet at the sides, and 

 contained numerous remains of land shells and bones of small 

 mammals. 



3. Brown clay, containing large blocks of limestone and numerous 

 bones of small and a few of large mammals. At a depth of 6 feet 

 from the surface a much waterworn block of limestone was found, 

 indicating proximity to the floor of the cave. 



As the excavation in this cave was carried to the interior it became 

 unpromising and unsatisfactory owing to the difficulty of removing the 

 large masses of limestone. It was, therefore, decided to abandon it. 

 Datum levels having been carefully marked on the sides of the cave, it 

 will be possible to resume work and complete the excavation should the 

 results obtained in the other caves render it desirable. 



A second cave was then opened in a similar manner, proceeding from 

 the mouth inward, with very satisfactory results so far. Mr. Ussher, 

 who was left in charge of the work, reports that the upper stratum of this 

 cave contained much charcoal and bones of domestic animals — broken for 

 the marrow — and a Red Deer's antler. With these were associated a stone 

 celt, bronze pins, and portion of an iron saw of ancient pattern. Beneath 

 the above another stratum, consisting of cave-earth, was found, in which 

 were various remains of Bear and Deer, besides human teeth and charcoal. 

 The collections have been deposited in the Dublin Museum, and are at 

 present being worked out by the staff. 



The Committee has been re- appointed by the British Association, 

 with a renewed grant for the presentation of their researches. 



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