974. REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 
quaries, and by members of the Wilts Archeological Society, and Marl- 
borough College Natural History Society. 
Most of the excavations have now been filled in, but Cutting IT Grouch 
the fosse has been left open for the inspection of visitors during the 
summer, 
Il. Geological Note. 
Avebury is on the Middle Chalk, but Mr. A. J. Jukes-Browne, 
F.G.§8., informs us that the area has not yet been accurately mapped, 
and it is uncertain whether the site stands on the Terebratulina gracilis 
zone or that of Rhynchonella Cuvieri. Of the fossils from the Avebury 
fosse, 1909, all are Inoceramus mytiloides except two, which are Rhyn. 
Cuvieri. Mr. Browne also reports that ‘ the evident abundance of Inoc. 
mytiloides is greatly in favour of the zone of Rhyn. Cuvieri; they are 
seldom abundant in that of Terebratulina, which always consists of 
fairly soft white chalk, while that of Rhyn. Cuvieri is harder, more 
nodular, and often yellowish.’ 
Iron pyrites were commonly found in the fosse cuttings. 
III. Excavations into the Fosse. 
(a) Cutting I.—Rather more than three-quarters of the silting from 
this cutting was re-excavated last year. It was 24 feet long, all the 
upper deposits down to the top of the Roman stratum being removed 
in 1908, and a length of 17 feet cleared at the bottom (B.A. Report, 
1908, pp. 408-410. It remained, therefore, to uncover 7 feet on the 
FE. margin this year. Roman pottery was found at depths of 5-7 and 
G feet respectively, and a human clavicle, depth 8°5 feet). The mixed 
silting was reached at a depth along the E. margin of 9°1 feet (the 
depth on the W. margin being 8°7 feet).. After having penetrated the 
chalk rubble to a depth of 12 feet from the surface a large fall 
of several tons of material from the E. face had to be contended with, 
and, although the labour entailed thereby was considerable, the 
final results were satisfactory. Eventually the bottom along this 
margin was reached at a depth of 17°8 feet from the surface of the 
sitting, and we were rewarded by finding, in all cases on the floor, four 
antler picks (Nos. 131, 133, 185 and 136), which are described below. 
Cutting I produced in all (1908-09) parts of ten picks of red-deer antler 
and a shovel of shoulder-blade bone—implements which had been used 
in the original excavation of this huge fosse. 
But the most interesting discovery on the floor was the chipped: 
flint knife, a piece of flint full of sponge-spicules which appears to have - 
been slightly scorched but never burnt red-hot, and a piece of charcoal. 
The knife, described below, is not only of characteristic Neolithic type, 
but most probably of Neolithic date. It is of a kind frequently found 
on the site of an ancient factory of flint implements on Windmill Hill, 
about a mile to the N.W. of Avebury. 
The following objects were found in Cutting I in 1909 :— 
109. Fragment of thin grey Roman pottery. Depth, 6 feet. 
116. Handle of a vessel of grey pottery, painted brick-red; Roman. 
Depth, 5°7 feet. 
113. Greater part of a inte clavicle. Depth, 8°5 feet at the bottom of 
the fine mixed silting, 
