350 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



half -tide island, and we required to enter while the tide was out, and 

 leave before it returned. We found towards the north side of the 

 island a small freshwater lake which was almost suiTounded by hut 

 sites. Owing to the sand which had originally covered the sites and 

 surface generally having been greatly blown away, many well- 

 marked hut sites were visible. In one of these was a heap of shells 

 composed of limpet, cockle, and razor shell. The layer was fully a 

 foot in thickness, and there were abundant signs of fire. There was a 

 profusion of similar slightly elevated places, and from the black colour 

 and charred remains these were no doubt Jthe centres of hut sites. 

 These places were largely composed of edible shells variously mixed. 

 On the face of the hill between the fresh water lake and the sea the 

 sites of huts were particularly numerous. Many rounded quartz and 

 quartzite pebbles were found split mostly into halves. If the pebbles 

 were thin and circular they were split lengthwise, not across, so as to 

 give two thin portions which would be useful for scrapers or knives 

 without any dressing at all, and there is every reason to believe that 

 the pebbles were split for purposes of this kind, as we saw no flint. 

 Several well-marked hammerstones were found and brought away. 

 The usual teeth and bones of mammals, such as cow, deer, &c., were 

 found, but time did not permit our completing the examination of the 

 island, nor were we able to see, as we hoped to do, a large shell 

 mound which had been cut through by Mr. G. H. Kinahan, m.r.i.a., 

 as described in Geological Magmine for 1868. 



Ctjshtthkough, County Galway. 



This place was also examined by my wife and myself. It is on 

 the mainland nearly opposite Omey Island, and there are many well- 

 marked sites which have been laid bare by the^sandy covering having 

 been blown away. These sites are visible fi'om Omey Island, and a 

 native of the island called them Fountain Hill. They were, however, 

 described to us as Cushythroiigh, or Cushythraugh by the people on 

 the mainland. We examined several hut sites and found the usual 

 edible shells, sometimes one kind, and sometimes another being in 

 greater abundance. We found dog whelk on one or two sites in the 

 broken condition. In some of the sites hammerstones and split 

 pebbles were scarce, while in other sites a few paces off they were 

 plentiful, and many good examples of sharp edged pieces suitable for 

 knives were found. We found no traces ofjflint or pottery. A piece 

 of rock fi-om these sites with sloping edge, which may have been used 

 as a rude axe or chopper, is shown in No. VII.,i^fig. 32. 



