470 EEPOET — 1886. 



the Committee and printed in the Annual Report for 1883. The 

 fissure descended in a slightly diagonal direction in the form of a 

 pothole from the surface to a depth of about 120 feet, and of this depth 

 the lower 90 feet has been dug out and thoroughly examined, resulting in 

 the discovery of numerous bones of animals, particulars of which are re- 

 corded in the report referred to above. The specimens are deposited in 

 the Museum of the Philosophical and Literary Society at Leeds. Towai'ds 

 the close of 1883 it was found that the fissure assumed a more or less 

 horizontal direction, and the work of excavation was rendered very diffi- 

 cult and laborious by the position of a large mass of limestone in front of 

 the fissure, constituting at that time the face of the quarry. This obstruc- 

 tion the proprietor of the quarry very kindly engaged to remove, and 

 operations were suspended to enable this to be done. 



Since 1883 the face of the limestone has been quarried and the ob- 

 structing mass of limestone removed, and during the present summer 

 operations have been renewed on the fissure. Its course has been traced to 

 a distance of 114 feet, with a gradual declination in a south-easterly direc- 

 tion. The present entrance to the fissure is 4 feet wide : it diminishes to 

 2 feet 6 inches, but at a distance of 60 feet expands and forms a lofty cave, 

 thence forwards the diameter again diminishes. The termination of the 

 fissure so far as it has been explored appears to receive a tributary extend- 

 ing almost vertically in a north-westerly direction. The general direction 

 of the fissure tends towards the hillside, forming the channel of a water- 

 course at present running at no great distance ; and it is probable that it 

 formerly opened into it, although no direct evidence at present exists of 

 the exit. Borings have shown the bottom of the fissure to be filled in 

 with clay varying from 6 inches to several feet in thickness, with slight 

 alternating layers of sand and gravel, and occasionally fragments of grit 

 and limestone at the bottom. A few remains of mammals have been 

 found near the entrance to the horizontal portion of the fissure similar to 

 those already recorded. 



At the meeting at Montreal in 1884 a grant of 15L was made for the 

 further exploration of the cave. This sum has been expended in the 

 operations described above. A very much larger grant would be required 

 to investigate the remaining length of the fissure, because the work will 

 be increasingly laborious, and the consequent expense proportionately 

 heavy; and as there is no probability indicated in the work so far that the 

 already large series of animal remains will be greatly, if at all, increased, 

 it is not thought advisable to ask for a renewal of the Committee or 

 grant. 



In conclusion, it is desirable to render thanks to Mr. Spencer, and 

 latterly to his son, the proprietors of the Ray gill Quarries, for their permis- 

 sion to carry on the work, and for the uniformly kind and courteous 

 manner in which they have always placed themselves at the disposal of 

 the Committee ; and to Mr. J. Todd, the manager of the works, for the 

 trustworthy and careful manner, combined with much skill, in which he 

 has superintended the operations of the workmen employed. 



