10 Transactions. 



when the stone was erect. One can hardly credit man, 

 whether of the 19th Century, the Middle Ages, or of Pre- 

 Historic times, with such an abnegation of all sense and 

 economy as to deliberately carA^e hollows on the under side of an 

 earth-fast monolith ! Further, as I hinted, there is another stone 

 on the opposite arc of the circle, which measures 10 feet 3 inches. 

 It also lies prostrate, but is a much flatter stone tlian the one 

 just discussed. Its present upper surface bears maiiy hollows, some 

 of them quite as nearly circular, though not so deep as the first 

 noticed. Why were these not claimed by Sir James as also 

 artificial 1 I do not pretend to answer that query. Again, in the 

 same monograph, the author refers to a group of three or four 

 stones lying within the circumference, wliich, he thinks, may be tlie 

 fallen remains of a " cromlech." In the attempt to elucidate the 

 facts regarding the position of the stones, I have been at some 

 pains, in conjunction with my friend Mr Rutherford, to draw an 

 accurate plan, which, when finished, I compared with the plan 

 made by the Ordnance Survey to the 25" scale many years ago. 

 The only significant difference is that the O. map shows twelve 

 stones, while, as every one knows, there have been but a eleven for 

 a very long period. In the time of Captain Grose, a plan was 

 made in 1789. It shows twelve stones. I have marked the 

 position of this stone by a X at a point between stones D and E 

 in my plan. This space, however, is blank in the O. map, and 

 its " twelfth stone " is shown at a point some 40 feet N.-W. of 

 stone F. It is almost incredible but perfectly true that 

 this mark on the map, indicating the site K)f the stone, is an 

 entire blunder, owing to a fault in the zincography ! This rather 

 startling information was the result of enquiries I made through 

 a friend, an officer of the Survey Department. 



Now, Simpson's supposed " fallen cromlech " is represented in 

 Grose's plan by three separate stones, and in my plan by two — 

 those at K. There is a third, and apparently a very large stone, 

 slightly to the east nf these stones, nearly covered by earth. 

 Whether the middle stone of the group ever rested as a capstone 

 upon the other two, and so formed what some are pleased to call 

 a " cromlech," we cannot now affirm. A little digging below 

 these stones might be productive of good results. 



One point, however, is quite certain — the so-called " Cup 

 Marks " on the two protruding stones of this group (at K) no 



