658 FOURTH REPORT— 1834. 



On some Caverns containing Bones, near the Gianfs Causeivay, 

 By James Bryce, Jan., M.A., F.G.S. Sfc. 



The author was made acquainted with the existence of these 

 caves by Dr. M'Donnell of Belfast, in the beginning of August 

 last. As he was ignorant of comparative anatomy, he requested 

 Dr. Scouler, Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in the Royal 

 Dublin Society, to join him in an examination of the caves. 

 The following facts are the result of the joint observation of 

 Dr. Scouler and the author. 



Only three caves on the north-east of Ireland have been yet 

 found to contain bones ; they are situated in the immediate vi- 

 cinity of Ballintoy, about 5 miles from the Giant's Causeway ; 

 one of them a few perches west of a small bay or creek called 

 the Port of Ballintoy, another about 50 perches further east, 

 and the third in Carrickarede Island. At the first-mentioned 

 place a trap dyke traverses a chalk cliff of about 40 feet in 

 height ; the entrance to the cave is in this dyke at the base of 

 the cliff : the direction of the dyke is soon crossed by the cave, 

 which is afterwards entirely in the chalk. The mouth of the 

 cave is about 10 feet above high water, and 4 perches distant 

 from the line to which it generally advances. A ridge of co- 

 lumnar basalt which runs along the coast protects this bay from 

 the fury of the waves, and it seems impossible in the present 

 state of the surface that the highest tides could flow into it. 

 Persons living in the neighbourhood assert that the tide has 

 not risen so high within their memory. The cave consists of 

 two chambers, separated from one another and from the entrance 

 by low and narrow passages, which admit the body of a man 

 with difficulty. Beyond the inner and larger chamber, which 

 is 7 feet high and 6 wide, one of these passages extends to an 

 unknown distance. The floor of the cave, particularly in the 

 two chambers, is covered with loose masses of chalk, chalk flints, 

 and trap, of various sizes, intermixed with sand and white gravel, 

 the latter consisting of chalk and flint. The sides and roof and 

 many parts of the floor are covered with incrustations of sta- 

 lactite and stalagmite, which in some cases meet and form co- 

 lumns. The bones occur loosely among these stones, or im- 

 bedded in the sand and gravel at the depth of 3 or 4 feet ; they 

 are often cemented together by stalagmite, or along with other 

 substances form a conglomerate with a stalagmitic base. There 

 were found bones of the horse, ox, deer, sheep, and perhaps 

 goat; otter, water-rat, cod-fish, and of several birds. The 

 bones were always detached, and never lying together so as to 

 form an entire skeleton of an individual. 



