124 report— 1878. 



Fourteenth Report of the Committee for Exploring Kent's Cavern, 

 Devonshire — the Committee consisting of John Evans, F.R.S., 

 Sir John Lubbock, Bart., F.R.S., Edward Vivian, M.A., George 

 Busk, F.R.S., William Botd Daavkins, F.R.S., William Ayshford 

 Sanford, F.G.S., John Edward Lee, F.G.S., and William 

 Pengelly, F.R.S. (Reporter). 



The Thirteenth Report of the Committee, read to the Geological Section 

 of the Association, at Plymouth, in August 1877, brought up the history 

 of the Exploration of Kent's Hole to the end of July of that year. (See 

 ' Report Brit. Assoc.,' 1877, pp. 1-8.) In their present Reportthe history 

 is continued to the end of July of the current year. During the twelve 

 months thus defined, the work has been carried on without intermission ; 

 it has been conducted and superintended in all respects as in former years ; 

 the workmen — George Smerdon and William Matthews — named in 1877 

 are still engaged on the investigation ; and the public, who continue to 

 visit the Cavern in large numbex's, have been admitted under the regula- 

 tions described in former Reports. 



On the day following the close of the meeting of the Association in 

 1877, a large number of the Members and Associates were conducted 

 into the Cavern by one of the Superintendents, who, on the spot, described 

 the principal facts which had been discovered ; and on the 25th of the 

 following month the same Superintendent had the pleasure of receiving 

 the members of the Teign Naturalists' Field Club, on the occasion of 

 their holding one of their meetings there. 



The following maybe mentioned amongst the numerous other visitors 

 who have been accompanied by the Superintendents : — The Duke of 

 Somerset; Lord Justice Bramwell ; Sir S. W. Baker; Revs. Prebendary 

 R. R. Wolfe, W. Gregor, R. E. Lomax, and J. F. Mitchell ; Professors 

 J. H. Gladstone, H. D. Garrison (Chicago), and A. Thomson (Pres. 

 Brit. Assoc.) ; Drs. Armstrong, Bell, Boycott, Ogle, and Taylor ; and 

 Messrs. W. Aldam, W. W. Aldam, G. T. Bettany, F. W. Blood, E. 

 Broderip, J. B. Byrom, G. Campbell, A. V. Dobson, A. M. Gibson, G. 

 Gladstone, E. H. Griffiths, H. B. Hederstedt, J. E. Howard, A. R. Hunt, 

 P. Jenkins, A. Jessup, F. P. Latham, F. H. Lloyd, F. J. Lowe, T. Luck- 

 craft, G. Macdonald, O. W. Malet, S. S. Marling, C. Martin, H. C. Moffatt, 

 W. Morrison, E. Oldfield, A. Pengelly (Punjab), J. H. Pollard, R. Pollard, 

 W. Pollard, J. Smith, W. J. Sollas, T. E. Stabb, W. W. Stabb, T. S. 

 Stooke, G. H. Storrs, W. H. Storrs, J. M. Thomson, T. Tozer, F. R. 

 Wolfe, J. E. Wolfe, W. Wolfe, and C. W. Wood ; and a large number of 

 Ladies. 



The Tortuous Gallery. — When their Thirteenth Report was drawn, the 

 Committee were engaged in the exploration of a branch of the Cavern 

 opening out of the southern end of the " Bear's Den," to which, on 

 account of its form, they had given the name of the "Tortuous Gallery." 

 (See ' Report Brit. Assoc.,' 1877, p. 7.) This gallery divides itself into 

 two reaches and a small terminal chamber. The first or outermost reach 

 extends southwards from the Bear's Den about 23 feet, where it is suc- 

 ceeded by the second reach, which, after a course of 11 feet in an easterly 

 direction, reaches the terminal chamber. The reaches vary from 6 to 8 

 feet from the roof to the bottom of the excavation, and from 1'5 to 4'5 



