196 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1915. 



must have remained open to the winds of heaven for a long period after 

 one Mousterian occupation, so that much dust was able to accumulate 

 here before the cave was gradually sealed up by the stony shower from 

 above. 



At the present stage of operations, before the determinable bones 

 have been identified, and the flint implements sorted into types, there 

 can be nothing more to report. Enough, however, has been said to 

 show that results have so far fully come up to expectation. Approxi- 

 mately 1,000 square feet of floor have now in all been cleared. Mean- 

 while, the sheer mass of the finds, not to speak of their excellent quality, 

 wellnigh beggars description. This has turned out to be one of the 

 richest paleolithic sites in Europe. It only remains to add that the 

 Chairman and the Secretary, who have throughout been in charge of 

 the work, could have effected little of themselves seeing how every 

 trowel-full of cave-earth must be minutely searched through, without 

 the intelligent co-operation of many volunteer assistants. Noteworthy 

 among these are Mr. R. de J. Fleming-Struthers, M.A., B.Sc, of 

 Exeter College, Oxford, who has all along sojourned by himself in the 

 little cabin overlooking the site which the Committee has hired as a 

 storehouse of its treasures — a storehouse that needs a faithful warden ; 

 and the Eev. E. O. James, Cert. Phys. Anthrop., of Exeter College, 

 who laboured indefatigably during the fortnight he was able to spare 

 for the work. Among local helpers Mr. G. le Bas, B.Sc, Mr. H. J. 

 Baal, President of the Archaeological Section of the Soci6t6 Jersiaise, 

 Mr. E. F. Guiton, to whose skill in photography the explorers of this 

 cave owe so much, and Mrs. Symons have perhaps taken the most 

 active part in the work so far, but many others have lent a hand as 

 their other duties permitted. Some of the older workers, it is to 

 be feared, have been kept away from the cave itself by the nature of 

 the approach thereto which has of late assumed a somewhat Alpine 

 character; though not even the present system of break-neck ladders 

 could deter Dr. Dunlop from visiting us, while the rest have rendered 

 manifold aid from a distance. Finally, the quarrymen have toiled with 

 a will and have, with the rest of the party, braved danger freely ; for 

 in these trenches too there are risks to be faced, the d6bris having 

 already scored one direct hit (resulting in a slashed wrist) and brought 

 home several ricochets. Considering the conditions, however, all has 

 gone very well, and the experience of several years' siege of this 

 Mousterian stronghold ought to enable us to carry through our present 

 instalment of work without any serious accident such as might mar an 

 otherwise complete triumph. 



The Committee is aware that this is not the most favourable moment 

 at which to apply for a further grant. Moreover, it may prove at the 

 end of the present excavation that the most profitable portions of the 

 cave have been worked out. Nevertheless, if the funds be forthcoming, 

 there remains plenty of useful work on which they may be spent, 

 since the inmost depths of the cave are quite untouched. For the rest, it 

 would be in any case well for the British Association to maintain the 

 Committee in being, so that it may carry the work to a finish whenever 

 opportunity serves. 



