TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTrONS. 659 



The second cave is in a chalk cliff terminating a small bay 

 called Pait-Dhu, whose sides are so steep in all parts as to 

 prevent the descent of most quadrupeds. At the entrance the 

 cave is about 12 feet high and 9 wide, the floor being on the 

 level of the water. The tide has thrown up a shingle bank, 

 which nearly blocks up the mouth, and prevents the entrance of 

 the sea at present, though there are indications that it has not 

 been long excluded : there was no termination found to the cave, 

 but after 120 feet it is low and narrow. The bones met with 

 belonged to the horse, ox, sheep and goat, deer, dog, badger, 

 pigeon, cormorant, and gull ; they were dispersed, as in the 

 former cave, over the floor, which was of similar composition. 

 A very interesting conglomerate, of recent origin,was found here 

 in loose masses ; it consisted of rolled pieces of chalk, flint, 

 trap, and bits of opal, and sometimes included bones. 



The cave that remains to be noticed occurs on the north- 

 west side of Carrickarede Island, which consists entirely of 

 amygdaloid and greenstone. The high cliffs which form the 

 shore near the cave being constantly washed by the sea, the 

 cave is quite inaccessible from the land : from the sea it is only 

 to be entered at low water in calm weather. At other times 

 a heavy surf breaks into it, so that a visit to it is attended with 

 some danger, and the risk of being detained several days. 

 The floor ascends a little from the entrance, so that in ordinary 

 tides the water does not rise far into it. For nearly fifty yards 

 from the mouth it preserves a width of 70 feet, and a height of 

 40 or 50 : beyond this its dimensions are very much con- 

 tracted. It probably goes nearly quite through the island. The 

 floor is of the same structure as before, except that chalk, 

 flint, and stalagmitic incrustations are less frequent than in the 

 other caves. A black mould, apparently of vegetable origin, 

 is in some places interstratified with the sand. Bones of the 

 following animals were found : horse, ox, deer, sheep, dog, 

 cod-fish, skate, wolf-fish. A white greasy substance, like de- 

 composed bone, was found in some places among the sand. 



It is difl&cult to account for the formation of these bone de- 

 posits : few of the bones bear the mai'ks of attrition, and none of 

 them marks of gnawing. All the caves are inaccessible to most 

 of the animals named ; it is therefore most probable that the 

 bones of the tame animals were introduced by man, who may 

 have made these caverns a place of refuge, while some of the 

 wild animals may have lived and died where we now find their 

 remains : in confirmation of which it will be recollected that 

 Carrickarede cave afforded no bones of wild animals. Some of 

 the bones may doubtless have been washed in by the waves'. 



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