282 REPORT— 1901. 



obtained in the laboratoiy with the observation made at Stassfurt that 

 the temperature at which the beds were deposited was not far removed 

 from 25°, it was possibly somewhat higher, as the proportion of Kainite, 

 and especially of Kieserite, obtained in the laboratory is somewhat lower 

 than that met with in nature. Moreover, whereas at Stassfurt Calcium 

 sulpliate occurs in the anhydrous form, in the laboratory it has not been 

 obtained in this form below 32°. 



The foregoing account has been compiled from a series of twenty-three 

 papers by van't HofFand his pupils, published since the year 1897 in the 

 * Proceedings of the Berlin Academy of Sciences.' Apart from these and 

 the information given by van't Hoff in his text-books, there are only two 

 other papers bearing on the subject — one by van der Heide (' Zeit. Phys. 

 Chem.' 12, 416), the other by L5wenherz {ibid., 13, 4.")9). 



Keish Caves, co. Sligo. — Interim Meiwrt of the Committee, consisting oj 

 Dr. K. F. ScHARFF (Chairman), Mr. R. Ll. Praeger (Secretary), 

 Mr. G. Coffey, Professor A. G. Cole, Professor D. J. Cunning- 

 ham, Mr. A. McHenry, a^iul Mr. R. J. Ussher, appointed tu Explore 

 Irish Caves. 



The Committee selected for the first operations a series of caves on the 

 slopes of Keishcorran Mountain in the county of Sligo. Owing to the 

 unsettled state of the weather, the excavation of the caves could not be 

 commenced until the middle of May 1901, though a preliminary survey 

 was made early in April by Dr. Scharff and Mr. Praeger. 



After careful measurements were taken a deep trench was dug across 

 the mouth of one of the caves, so as to expose a section of the various 

 deposits, which were as follows from above downwards :— 



1. Black earth, containing bones of domestic animals, charcoal, and 

 human implements (similar to those found in Crannoges), with a depth of 

 from G inches to 1 foot. 



2. Breccia, consibting of limestone blocks fallen from the roof in a 

 tufaceous deposit. This appeared as a natural arch in the section varying 

 from 1 foot in the centre to 3 feet at the sides, and contained numerous 

 remains of land shells and bones of small mammals. 



3. Broivn day, containing large blocks of limestone and numerous 

 bones of small and a few of large mammals. At a depth of 6 feet from 

 the surface a much waterworn block of limestone was found, indicating 

 proximity to the floor of the cave. 



As the excavation in this cave was carried to the interior it became 

 unpromising and unsatisfactory owing to the difficulty of removing the 

 large masses of limestone. It was therefore decided to abandon it. 

 Datum levels having been carefully marked on the sides of the cave, it 

 will be possible to resume work and complete the excavation should the 

 results obtained in the other caves render it desirable. 



A second cave was then opened in a similar manner, proceeding from 

 the mouth inward, with very satisfactory results so far. Dr. ScharfF, 

 Mr. Coffey, and Professor Cole having had to return to town, Mr. CJssher 

 was left in charge of the work, and reports that the upper stratum of this 

 cave conta,ined much charcoal and bones of domestic animals — broken for 



