8 



sounds and tlie thickness of the chalk partition walls. In some 

 instances the partition between the adjacent chambers of different 

 pits had been broken, enabling the explorers to get from one 

 pit to another without tunnelling. But it was always found 

 that on each side of the broken partition the chambers were 

 rounded off, showing a recognition of the danger of inter- 

 communication, and a desire to avoid it. Indeed, it usually 

 seemed probable that the fracture had been made many years 

 after the pits had fallen into disuse. 



The bones of animals of various kinds, and the pottery of 

 different ages foimd in the mounds and in the two chambers 

 examined, though of very considerable interest and importance, 

 are not sufficient to settle conclusively the age of the deneholes. 

 Hitherto, indeed, the tunnelling has been much in excess of 

 the sifting, partly because it was felt that to obtain the ground 

 plan of a compact group of pits was a matter of the highest 

 importance in itself, and partly because the deneholes hitherto 

 •entered have been so choked with debris that it seemed desirable 

 to enter, if possible, a pit less blocked up than usual before the 

 •explorers devoted themselves mainly or wholly to sifting. It 

 is obvious that articles throwing light on the probable antiquity of 

 the Deneholes can only be expected to lie on or close to the floor. 



It had been hoped to continue the exploration this year (1885), 

 Tjut various circumstances have obliged the explorers to postpone 

 operations until next Spring, when they trust to be able to bring 

 the investigations at Hangman's TVood to a satisfactory conclusion. 



