184 report— 1878. 



attains a length of about fifty yards, and in width varies from three to 

 nine feet. The floor was irregularly formed, some parts of it being quite 

 level, but in some places the floor passed in with a very swift incline. 



The first or top layer was composed of dark mould, and varied in 

 thickness from one to two feet deep. In this layer bones of the sheep, 

 goat, and Bos longifrons were found, also some sea shells and a large iron 

 cloak-pin or skewer, 5^ inches long, which had a ring on the head or larger 

 end of the pin. Underneath this stratum there was a deposit of rock debris 

 and yellow clay, in which were found large angular blocks of limestone 

 which had fallen from the roof. This stratum was very irregular in depth, 

 and varied from two to eight feet deep ; charcoal, rude pottery, and a 

 very large quantity of animal bones — some of them broken — were dug 

 out of this stratum, also flint flakes and one bone pin. Underneath the 

 above deposit there was a layer of calcareous breccia, covered over in 

 some places with sheets of stalagmite ; the latter in some places attained 

 a thickness of two feet. Animal bones were found embedded in the stalag- 

 mite, also charcoal, and in the stratum underneath, on which the sheets 

 of stalagmite rested, bone pins and flint flakes were found associated with 

 broken bones.* 



The next stratum reached during the excavation was composed of 

 brown tenacious clay, which resembled brick earth and rested on gravel, 

 and was no doubt deposited at the period when water traversed the cave. 

 This was excavated to a depth of ten feet, but no animal remains or work 

 of art was found in it. 



B. — " The Ram's Cave " was the second explored, and occurs in the 

 top of a cliff several hundred feet high. It is a small chamber, about 

 four feet high and ten feet long, and was very dry inside. The deposit on 

 the surface of the floor was composed of black mould, which had a depth 

 of two feet, and contained charcoal, burnt bones, and a bronze pin. The 

 next stratum was composed of a gravelly kind of earth, and contained a 

 few angular blocks of limestone. This stratum yielded rude pottery, 

 charcoal, and the bones of the red deer, wild boar, goat, sheep, and fox. 



C. — The third cave examined was about six feet wide, and extended 

 into the rock for a distance of twelve feet. This cave yielded a large 

 quantity of broken pottery, some of it very rude. The first stratum re- 

 moved was composed of carbonate of lime mingled with brown earth, and 

 contained bones of the pig and red deer, and pieces of pottery which bore 

 traces of ornamentation. The next layer removed was" of an average thick- 

 ness of about eighteen inches, and was composed of dark mould, and con- 

 tained a quantity of charcoal and rude pottery devoid of any ornamen- 

 tation, also broken bones belonging to Bos longifrons, horse, deer, dog, 

 and sheep. 



D. — The fourth cave explored opens out on a rocky slope, and the 

 surface of the floor passes in with a gentle incline for a distance of thirty 

 yards, when the passage becomes entirely choked up with a deposit of 

 stalagmite. The surface of the floor was covered over from end to end 

 with rough angular limestones ; while these stones were being removed, 

 bones of the horse and boar were found mingled with them. These stones 

 rested on a deposit of yellow clay and carbonate of lime. During the 

 removal of this stratum a quantity of animal bones were found associated 



* The bones have been submitted to Dr. Macalister for examination, and his 

 report will be presented to the next meeting of the Association. The caves have no 

 local names, so we have indicated them by letters. 



