374 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



The highest stone remaining standing, No. XIII, is 6*9 feet above the 

 surrounding depression, and about 5'9 feet above its tussock. Standing- 

 stone No. X is the next highest, being, on its N. face, 6'1 feet above its 

 depression, and about 5-1 feet above its tussock. Both lean consider- 

 ably, No. XIII towards the E., No. X towards the S. No. VII is the 

 only stone fairly erect ; it stands 5*9 feet above its depression, aud 

 4*75 feet above its tussock. Standing-stone IV leans towards the S., its 

 height being 4'8 feet above depression and about 3'8 feet above its tussock. 



The largest remaining prostrate stones of the circle are Nos. Ill, IX, 

 and XV, each being about 10 feet in length ; No. IX is the broadest. 

 The longest remaining prostrate stone of the whole group is the central 

 monolith, the maximum length (E.N.E. edge) being 12-2 feet. The 

 largest prostrate stone in the middle of Arbor Low is exactly 2 feet 

 longer. 



No isolated standing monoliths wei-e noticed near the Stripple Stones. 



III. The Excavations, 1905. 



The excavations and surveying continued from June 22 to July 4 

 inclusive.^ Much wet weather was experienced during the second week, 

 and it was with great difficulty that the plan was finished. From five to 

 seven men were employed. 



Twenty-five distinct excavations or cuttings were made in various 

 parts of the area included within the outer margin of the vallum, viz., 

 eleven in connection with the position of the stones, ten for the purpose 

 of tracing the fosse, two cuttings through the vallum, and two other 

 cuttings in the interior space. In addition, the cist in the cornfield was 

 re-excavated, but no relics were found. With regard to ' finds,' the 

 results have been far more unsatisfactory than in the case of the Arbor 

 Low excavations, and the only relics found at the Stripple Stones consist 

 of three flint flakes, a burnt flint, portion of a radius (probably of ox), 

 and several pieces of wood in the silting of the ditch on the north. 



It is quite probable, as Mr. A. L. Lewis has suggested to me, that the 

 few flint flakes found were brought from the banks of the Dozmare, 

 Dozmary, or Dosmar, Pool, the largest piece of water in Cornwall, at 

 a distance of 3 miles from the Stripple Stones in a direction a little 

 S. of E. Mr. Lewis has several flint flakes from Dozmare, and there is 

 a large quantity of them in Plymouth Museum ; also in the British 

 Museum. Nos. 1 and 4 (the latter in particular ^) from the Stripple 

 Stones bear a strong resemblance to those from Dozmare. 



Excavations ruund the Stones. 



Central Stone No. I. — A rectangular area, covering 53§ square yards, 

 was excavated round this stone, the sides of the cutting measuring 23 feet 

 from N.W. to S.E. by 21 feet from N.E. to S.W. To an average depth 

 of 0"7 foot from the surface brown peat, very tough and fibrous, was 

 found to extend. This corresponds with the peat of Dartmoor, locally 

 known as 'ven' or 'fen.' Below this a black peaty mould was dug 

 through, thickness from 0-8 foot to 1'6 foot ; in places it was mixed with 

 large and small blocks of granite. Below this, at depths varying from 



' Mr. Henry Balfour (Secretary) visited the excavations on June 28. Mr. C. H. 

 Read (Chairman) made two attempts to go down from London, but was prevented. 



^ The colour of this specimen, like others of a long narrow form from Dozmare, 

 is a milky-greyish-brown. 



