214} 

and the bottom showed irregularities indicating 
the pressure upon it of an irregular base of a stone. 
‘““On the north side, forming part of the hole, 
was an incline in the solid chalk for introducing 
the stone somewhat similar to those met with in 
the Stonehenge circle. 
“The hole was about 4 feet deep.” 
It appears probable that most of the material of 
these so-called mounds is merely the spoil thrown 
out by Colt Hoare in making his excavations. Before 
Colt Hoare’s time we find these two sites are always 
referred to as cavities or depressions (not as mounds), 
and we may infer that these cavities were the hollows 
left after the removal of the stones. The following 
extracts are quoted from well-known authorities : 
William Stukeley, 1740.—'‘ The two cavities in 
the circuit of our area, very probably were the 
places where two great stone 
vases were set’’ (‘‘ Stonehenge,” 
p- 14). 
John Wood, 1747. — “ Two 
stone Pillars appear at the foot 
of the inner Bank next the Area 
in which the Building stands ; 
and these are answered by two 
Spherical Pits at the foot of the 
same Bank’ (‘‘ Choir Gaure,”’ . 
PP. 43-44)- 
Dr. John . Smith, 1771. = 
“ Directly north and south of the 
temple, just within the vallum 
of the ditch, is the appearance 
of two circular holes, encom- 
passed with the earth that was 
thrown out of them. But they 
are now almost effaced by time”’ 
(“ Choir Gaur,”’ p. 52). 
Waltive, 1792. —‘‘ There are 
two clayed pits, and two stones 
near the ditch’’ (Quoted in 
Britton’s ‘‘ Wilts,” ii. p. 122.) 
Rev. Richard Warner, 1801.— 
“Two other smaller stones are 
found on the inner bank of the 
surrounding ditch, exactly oppo- 
site to each other, in a direction 
east and west; as well as two 
circular depressions, about sixteen 
feet diameter, in the same bank, 
one lying S.S.E. and the other 
W.N.W.?”’ (‘ Excursions from 
Bath,” p. 177). 
We may conclude therefore : 
(a) That the sites Nos. 92 and 94 were once 
occupied by stones corresponding with the now 
existing stones Nos. 91 and 93. 
(b) That in the Bronze Age period the stone had 
already been removed from site No. 94, as a cremated 
interment was found by Colt Hoare in the foundation 
pit. 
This latter conclusion (b) may prove of further 
interest in connexion with the history of Stonehenge. 
If supported by other evidence, it may be taken to 
indicate that in the Bronze Age the dilapidation of 
Stonehenge had already begun. 
E. HERBERT STONE. 
The Retreat, Devizes, 
January 15. 
NO. 2781, VOL. III] 
NATURE 



[FEBRUARY 17, 1923 

A Double-Vertical-Reflection Mirage at Cape Wrath. 
On the morning of December 5, 1922, about 
10.30 A.M. G.M.T., Mr. John Anderson, lightkeeper 
at the Cape Wrath Lighthouse, Durness, observed 
a mirage of an unusual character. Mr. Anderson 
focussed his telescope on a sheep which was grazing 
on top of a conical hill se about 200 feet) 
about a quarter of a mile away, and immediately 
noticed an unusual appearance in the atmosphere 
around. Onswinging the telescope slightly upward, he 
observed that a belt of the atmosphere appeared to 
be land and sea, giving a perfect representation of 
the whole of the coast line from Cape Wrath to 
Dunnet Head. 
The appearance in the mirage was an exact replica 
of what would have been seen from a distance 
of about 10 miles out at sea. In a direction south 
——> TODUNHET HEAD 
STRATHY POINT 
PENTLAND FIRTH 
Fic. 1. 

Fic. 2. 
of the lighthouse there were three repetitions of the 
mirage one above the other, with sea separating each 
pair. The entrance to Loch Eriboll and the other 
bays could be seen and easily recognised in the main 
mirage, though Cape Wrath itself was rather in- 
distinct. 
The accompanying map (Fig. 1) shows the apparent 
position of the mirage and the outline of the coast, 
while the sketch (Fig. 2) gives a rough idea of how 
the country appeared to the observer. The mirage 
was hidden at one point by a hill. 
The mirage was practically invisible to the naked 
eye, and was only visible from a very restricted area. 
Mr. Anderson states that it was not visible at a 
distance of 20 yards either way from his original 
position, but was still visible 4 or 5 yards from that 
point. Mr. Anderson estimates the apparent height 
of the image above the ground as about rooo feet, 
in a southerly direction, while the distance from 
Cape Wrath of the triple image shown on the map 
is about 12 miles, 
= — 
ee TE 
