334 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
(a) The nature of the raw constituents which go to make up the soil. 
(b) The ‘ structure ’ of the soil, or the way in which the soil particles are 
arranged in the soil skeleton. 
(c) ‘The water content. 
As a means of preliminary soil classification, a method of characterising 
a soil by identifying its raw constituents has been followed. ‘This method, 
which was developed by American workers, is based essentially on physical 
tests of an empirical nature. Although it is both rapid and useful, it is by 
no means wholly acceptable as a final method of soil classification. Work 
is now in progress with the object of developing a classification system 
based upon the experimental measurement of mechanical properties. For 
this purpose tests such as those developed by Prof. Jenkin for the measure- 
ment of compressive strength, consolidation and shear strength are being 
employed. 
In parallel with this work investigations are being made into the influence 
on the mechanical characteristics of the structure of the soil as it occurs 
in its natural condition. For this research an apparatus has been devised 
and developed by means of which it is possible to obtain undisturbed soil 
cores of 4 in. diameter down to depths of approximately 12 ft. ‘The tests 
mentioned above are being employed to investigate the mechanical properties, 
and interesting results have been obtained. 
The second important object of the investigation is to correlate the 
results obtained in the laboratory with observations of actual structures. 
With this object in view, observations are being taken of : 
(a) The settlement of a building both during and after construction. 
(6) Seasonal fluctuations in the level of road slabs. 
(c) Examination of failures in building structures which have occurred as 
the result of settlements. 
(d) Examination of a failure in a retaining wall due to an embankment 
slide. 
Experiments are being performed on samples of soil collected from these 
sites and with the accumulation of data it is hoped that correlation may be 
possible. 
KENT’S CAVERN. 
Report of Committee appointed to co-operate with the Torquay Natural 
History Society in investigating Kent’s Cavern (Sir A. Keitu, F.R.S., 
Chairman; Prof. J. L. Myrss, O.B.E., F.B.A., Secretary; Mr. 
M. C. Burkitt, Dr. R. V. FaveELL, Miss D. A. E. Garrop, Mr. 
LACAILLE). 
THE following report has been received from the excavators : 
‘ Excavations were resumed on October 22, 1934, and have been con- 
tinued to the end of May 1935. For the past three seasons this work 
has been carried on in the “‘ Vestibule” of the North Entrance, and the 
present excavated area occupies the centre of this chamber. 
“This season’s digging has proved very remunerative in the quantity 
and large size of the animal relics. Several of the bones are remarkably 
free from injury and gnawing by carnivores. One would naturally expect 
that large portions of the beasts slain outside would be dragged into the 
entrance and partially devoured, before taking smaller morsels into the 
