18 REPORT — 1870. 



there was no trace of any tiling of the kind until reaching 27 feet, where small 

 patches presented themselves at considerable intervals. At length they be- 

 came more numerous and decided ; and at 50 feet there was a continuous 

 floor from wall to wall, varying from 1 inch to upwards of 2 feet in 

 thickness, and extending, without interruption, to the end. It is perhaps 

 worthy of remark that, from its entrance to upwards of 40 feet within it, the 

 South Sally-port is remarkably diy at all seasons, but that beyond this area 

 it is greatly exposed to drip. There is no doubt that the stalagmitic floor 

 at its entrance was formed of calcareous matter which had not been fur- 

 nished by or through the surrounding roof or walls, but had flowed in from 

 the adjacent Lecture Hall. In short, here, as everywhere else in the cavern, 

 the presence or absence of a deposit of stalagmite is a trustworthy indication 

 that the locality is at present wet or dry respectively. 



On the stalagmite at the entrance there was a layer of black mould, differ- 

 ing from that found in the same position in other branches of the cavern in 

 containing an admixture of the typical red cave-earth, which became more 

 and more abundant further and further in, until, at about 30 feet from the en- 

 trance, the deposit was exclusively cave-earth from top to bottom of each 

 section. At 50 feet from the entrance, where the inner stalagmitic floor 

 began, the following was the succession of deposits in descending order : — 



First. Red cave-earth, from 12 to 21 inches thick. 



Second. Granular stalagmitic floor, from 1 to 24 inches. 



Third, or lowest kno-mi. Cave-earth of unknown depth, but exceeding 

 5 feet. 



The cave-earth was commonly of the ordinary character — a mixture of 

 red loam and angular pieces of limestone in about equal quantities. Occa- 

 sionally subangular and well-rounded pieces of red grit were found in it ; and 

 it everywhere contained blocks of stalagmite, sometimes of considerable 

 size, which cannot but be regarded as remnants of a floor older than that 

 overlying the deposit in which they were incorporated, and which had been 

 destroyed by some natural agency. From the entrance to 45 feet from it, 

 there were also in the cave-earth numerous large masses of limestone, 

 several of which required to be blasted in order to their removal. In some 

 instances they projected upwards through the deposit and the overljang sta- 

 lagmite ; and in one case a block so interrupted the continuity of the latter 

 as to leave a passage, under the block itself, into the deposit beneath, of 

 which it was obvious that some burrowing animal had availed itself. No 

 such masses were found beyond the 45 feet just mentioned. 



From the entrance to 60 feet within it, the cave-earth was traversed by a 

 tunnel or tunnels, running, on the whole, longitudinally and horizontally, 

 with an occasional bifurcation. In most cases they were adjacent to one of 

 the walls of the cavern or to one of the large fallen masses of limestone just 

 mentioned ; but occasionally they passed entirely thi-ough the earthy deposit, 

 when their vertical transverse sections were either circular or elliptical, and 

 varied from 6 inches to 2 feet in diameter. Their sides and roof were tole- 

 rably smooth, but less so than their floors, which were firmly compacted and 

 somewhat blackened, as if by frequent passing. Careful attention was given 

 to the subject ; but very few objects were found in them, the most important, 

 besides those mentioned in the Fifth Eeport, being a canine of Felis speJcea, 

 and an accumulation of dry moss, probably the nest of some animal. There 

 were no tunnels in the innermost 20 feet of this Sally-port. 



At 34 feet from the entrance and for some distance beyond, the deposit, 

 below the third foot-level, adjacent to the south wall of the cavern consisted 



