C 33 ] 



III. 



THE EXPLOEATION OF CASTLEPOOK CAVE, COUNTY CORK, 



Being the Third Report from the Committee appointed to Explore 



Irish Caves. 



By I!. F. SCHARFF, B.Sc, Ph.D.; Professor H. J. SEYMOUR, 

 P.. A., B.Sc, F.G.S.; and E. T. NEWTON, F.RS. 



Plates V.-VII. 



[Read Ji'NK 25, 1917. Published January 9, 191S.] 



CONTENTS. 

 Sect. page 



1. Introduction. By R. P. Scharff, .... 33 



2. Geology. By H. J. Seymour, 46 



3. Ajjimal Remains (except Birds). By R. F. Scharff, . 49 



4. Bird Remains. By E. T. Newton, . . 67 



5. Summary of Results. By R. F. Scharff, ... 68 



1.— INTRODUCTION. 



In our second report' some of the eaves of Co. Clare, and their contents, were 

 described. The present report deals with a cave considerably further south, 

 namely, in Co. Cork. Situated about two and a-half miles north of Doneraile, 

 in the townland of Castlepook South, it is easily accessible from an old 

 quarry by a low tunnel. Mr. Ussher's attention was first drawn to it by 

 Lord Castletown, on whose estate the cave is situated, and who afforded 

 Mr. Ussher every facility for its exploration. Mr. Ussher at once recognized 

 that this investigation was likely to yield valuable results ; and having had 

 full charge of similar operations in previous years, he commenced the 

 excavation of Castlepook cave on the 1st September, 190-4.- Unfortunately, 



1 "The Exploration of the Caves of County Clare." Trans. K. I. Acid , vol. xxxiii, 

 Sect. B, pt. 1. 1906. 



2 A short description was read before the British Association meeting in Dunlin, and 

 published in the Report of the Association of 1908. 



R.I.A. I'ROC, VOL. XXXIV, SECT. K. [JR] 



