652 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Portsalon wliich is further down the lough on the western side. I 

 found numerous hut-sites having the same kind of blackish layer or 

 old surface, containing shells and some bones, the remains of the food 

 used by the early dwellers on the sands. Also the same kind of rnde 

 implements of hard crystalline rocks as were found at Horn Head, 

 Eallyness, and some other sites. I obtained one well-marked flake of 

 flint, a small piece of the usual kind of coarse pottery, and a few 

 hammer-stones. Some of the rude flakes or splinters which were 

 imbedded in the old surface and lying around the hearths showed 

 sharp cutting edges, whilst others had the edges more or less blunted 

 in such a way as would lead one to infer that the implements had been 

 employed in cutting or hacking. Some pieces were axe-like and 

 had bevelled edges. I show front and side views of an implement of 

 this kind in PI. xviii., figs. 3 and 3«. 



DUGORT, ACHILL IsLAND. 



In November, 1893, Mr. R. D. Sheridan wrote to me about 

 shell-mounds which he had found on Achill and other neighbouring 

 islands, from which he had obtained several objects of antiquarian 

 interest. I therefore visited Achill in the summer of 1894, and 

 examined some of the places he referred to. I excavated portions of old 

 surface along the shore near Dugort, and found hammer-stones, rude 

 crystalline flakes, bones and shells similar to those obtained from the 

 old hut-sites of Horn Head, Ballyness, and Bunbeg. Several small 

 quartzite flakes seemed to have had a slight dressing so as to fit them 

 for scrapers, and one large spall was undoubtedly dressed for an axe 

 with an edge at each end. The edges were formed by the junction of 

 the fractured side with the rounded or rolled outside of the pebble, 

 and presented the bevelled appearance we see on flint axes of the 

 kitchen-midden type. I show front and side views of the specimen 

 in PI. XVIII., figs. 1 and 2. 



Keel Steand, Achill Island. 



Mr. Sheridan accompanied me to this place, and showed me the 

 shell heaps, which were small mounds two or three feet high. They 

 were formerly much higher, he said, but had been reduced in size 

 owing to the present inhabitants collecting the shells and burning 

 them for lime. We found the usual old blackish surface, with bones, 

 shells, and other remains corresponding with those found in the 



