By the Rev. W. C. Lukis. 87 
this we have only to remark the following passages from that 
costly work: “the first of these is a long barrow, situated between 
the angle of the cross roads, which we did not open, being so well 
satisfied with the history of this species of tumuli.” (Ancient 
Wilts, p. 121.) Again, “I have often been asked if the largest 
barrows were not found, on opening, to be the most productive in 
their contents. The question is very natural, and I have rather 
wished to second that supposition; but as yet I have not a sufficient 
basis for that hypothesis.” (Ibid, p. 128.) 
Sir Richard was well satisfied with his own mode of investigation, 
for on one occasion, coming to a barrow which had been unsuccess- 
fully opened by Dr. Stukely, he remarks: “ our experience having 
given us repeated proofs that the system of opening barrows was 
but imperfectly understood in former days, we determined to try 
our luck.” (Ibid, p. 200.) It was his own system, however, 
which brought him to acknowledge: ‘I cannot help remarking 
the singularity of having found so many empty cists :— a singu- 
larity which has scarcely ever occurred during our researches in 

other parts of the County.” (Ibid, p. 186.) This admission of 
want of success was induced by the failure he experienced in the 
parishes of Collingbourne Ducis and Everleigh. He describes his 
own mode of exploration thus: ‘‘on adopting our usual maxim of 
in medio tutissimus, we attacked its centre, but did not succeed, for 
the interment of buried bones was deposited at some distance from 
the middle of the barrow.” (Ibid, p. 195.) Again, “the next 
barrow we attempted was one little inferior in size and beauty to 
the former,—but though our section was very large from the sum. 
mit to the floor, yet our researches were not crowned with the 
wished for success.” (Ibid, p. 194.) 
Having pointed out what I conceive to be the insufficient results 
of the labours of this patriarch of barrow-diggers, I will now 
proceed to give an account of the examination of this group. One 
of them was opened in the year 1805 by Sir R. C. Hoare, ten in 
the year 1855 by myself, and two by the Rev. James Turner, 
Rector of North Tidworth and myself in 1861. 
The small barrow No. 7 in the annexed plan, opened in 1805, of 
