60 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
four inches; the skull was in good preservation, but the skeleton fell 
to pieces on being moved. 
This and two others of slightly smaller dimensions differed from 
the rest: the sides of the graves were composed of fine, well-fitting 
slabs, and the top better closed than any of the others; the skeletons, 
quite free from any extraneous debris, lay on a bed of fine, sharp 
black limestone chippings ; altogether, these three showed much more 
care in their construction than the others, and this superiority in 
finish was generally noticed whenever a skeleton of larger size than 
usual was exposed. 
The skeletons seemed to me to be of great age, many being very 
porous, and resembling a dry clay pipe when touched with the tongue. 
I have preserved two fair specimens of skulls and other bones, the 
former being the only ones out of seventy having the lower jaw pre- 
served. 
I have made careful inquiries amongst the inhabitants of the 
neighbourhood, and not one among the oldest has ever heard any 
rumour of the existence of a burying ground in the locality. 
Careful search has been made for any weapons, inscriptions, &c., 
but as yet without success; but they may yet be found, as the graves 
are being opened out during the course of the excavation at the rate 
of about ten a-day. 
