ON EXPLORATION OF THE CALF HOLE CA\ E. 273 



entrance chamber. In one cutting on the east side of the pillar, at a depth 

 of 18 inches, a remarkable and unique implement was found resting on a 

 bed of clay. The tool consists of a haft 6 inches long of reindeer antler 

 with a socket at the upper end. A well-rounded hole half an inch in 

 diameter has been made through the haft. The circumference of the haft 

 is 4| inches at the socket and 5| inclies at the other end. Into the socket 

 has been well inserted a large tooth, forming a powerful chisel, which 

 would be of great value to its possessor. The hole in the middle of the 

 haft might be for the insertion of a thong to be fastened round the 

 waist. The character of the tooth, whether boar or hippopotamus, has 

 not yet been ascertained. Another trench was cut towards the little 

 cave, and here, near the surface, were found a neat flint saw and a flint 

 flake. 



Since the last meeting of the Association, and with the aid of the small 

 grant given to us, much preliminary work has been done to render possible 

 a thorough and orderly exploration. The material that had been taken 

 out of the little cave by the previous explorers and placed in the entrance 

 chamber was first cleared away. Thin ' spits ' of about 6-inch layers were 

 taken successively from the surface of the entrance chamber, carefully 

 examined, and then tipped outside the cave. The top layer of 2 or 3 

 inches was of loamy clay, crowded with bones of small animals, frogs, rats, 

 voles, (fee. Beneath this was a layer, varying from a foot to 18 inches thick, 

 of darkened earth containing angular fragments of limestone, some burnt 

 sandstones, bones of sheep, horse, fox, badger, rabbit, hare and otter, bits 

 of charcoal and charred bird-bones. In this layer a few flints were 

 found, and at the bottom, resting on the clay, was the hafted tool. This 

 implement is thus most likely of Neolithic age, though it was found 

 on the top of the more ancient layer which contained the bones of 

 bison, &c. 



The lower layers consist so far of irregular beds of washed-in stuff", 

 stifi" clay, then sandy clay over patches of gravel and sand. In this 

 material are rounded boulders of both grit and limestone, together with 

 pieces of stalagmite. On none of the boulders have we noticed any ice- 

 scratches. Fragments of bones are interspersed throughout the mass, 

 sometimes embedded in the patches of stiff clay as well as in the gravel 

 and sands. These bones are of very different character from those found 

 in the upper layers. They are mostly dark in colour, much mineralised, 

 and thus heavy. The bones so far identified belong to the bison, reindeer, 

 roebuck, horse, and grizzly bear. Some show evidence of having been 

 gnawed. Most of them are very fragmentary, often only sharp splinters. 

 From the current bedding it seems that the bones must have been washed 

 into the cave by the same means as the gi-its and limestone boulders. The 

 finds are not abundant ; yet from the variety obtained the excavationi 

 promises to be interesting in confirming the lists of Pleistocene fauna that 

 have been found in other parts of North-east Yorkshire. 



The Committee are indebted to Sir Matthew Wilson for permission tO' 

 explore on his estate, and for his kindly co-operation in their work. 



1894. 



