OF EEMAIIS^S or THE GEEAT AUK. 483 



marks of having been used for striking, along with some stone- 

 heaters cracked by the action of fire, and, in addition, a few pieces 

 of flint of small size. Of bone-implements we got several, but 

 all in a fragmentary state. They consisted of two harpoon-heads 

 (the one opposite, and the other alternately barbed), one bone- 

 awl in a perfect state, and the point of another ; also a number of 

 bones rubbed at one end, some on both sides, so as to give an 

 edge, and others only on one side ; but most likely they were 

 used for difierent purposes, as those rubbed flat only on one side 

 are larger, and made of selected pieces of the bones of E-ed Deer, 

 while some of those with the rubbing on both sides, so as to form 

 an edge, are made of the same material ; portions of smaller bones 

 have been used. In digging we came across some large flat stones, 

 which had evidently been used as hearths ; for they had charcoal 

 and burnt material around them, but not in sufficient quantity to 

 give the impression that they had been used for any great length 

 of time ; and it was generally in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 those ancient fireplaces that we got the implements. The char- 

 coal is very soft, and has the appearance of having resulted from 

 the burning of a soft wood. In the bed of Loch Fada, in Colon- 

 say, are stumps of immense trees that may at one time have 

 furnished the inhabitants with fuel. Being desirous to ascertain 

 whether the charcoal and the wood from these tree-stumps agreed 

 in structure, we placed specimens of each in the hands of Mr. J. 

 M. Macfarlane, B.Sc, Assistant to the Professor of Botany in the 

 University of Edinburgh. He has identified the wood as that 

 of the Groat Willow* {Salix caprea, L.), though it is difficult to 

 say categorically whether this and the charcoal are identical. 



The remains in the lowest dejDosits near the summit differed in 

 some respects from those found nearer the surface. All are of 

 a very rough description, indicating that the mound was used by 

 a primitive and probably ancient peoj)le. In fact the question 

 naturally arises, What can there be underneath that would account 

 for this sand-hill ? The latest excavations, carried on during the 

 month of March this year (1882) by Mr. G-alloway, show that the 

 sand below the strata in which we have found the remains is not 

 one vast homogeneous mass that has been accumulated at one 

 time, but is all blown or drift sand laid in regular layers, the 

 upper part of each defined by a thin line of dark mould, with a 



* In the Hebrides the willow was used for making bridles, ropes, and tackle 

 of every variety. 



