68 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



List of Species of Birds identified. 



Missel Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), 

 Blackbird (Turdus merula). 



Magpie (Pica rust tea) 



Rook (?) (or Crow) (Core us frugilegus), 



Skylark {Alauda arvensis), 



Goose (Anser cinerew (?) and a smaller species), 



Swan (Cygwux olor (?)), 



Duck {Anas boscas (?)), 



Widgeon (?) (Marcru penelope (')), 



Scaup (? (Fuligula marUa (?)), . 



Grouse (Lagopus seoHctut), 



Common Fowl, 



Turkey 



Quail ? (fiotwrmx communis { 

 Landrail [Crex pratensis), 

 Moorhen (Gallinulu chloropus), 

 Golden Plover (Charardrws pluvialis), 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuseus .. 



Fragments not yet determined, 



1 

 1 

 1 



198 



1 



66 



2 



104 

 1 

 1 

 1 



295 

 8 

 1 

 3 

 3 

 1 

 2 

 60 



750 



5._ SUMMABY OF RESULTS. 



The results obtained from the laborious and costly work of excavating the 

 tlepook Cave are of considerable importance in elucidating a phase of the 

 past history of Ireland. There are no unusual features connected with the 

 mode of formation of the cave ami its complicated galleries and tunnels. The 

 existence of the cave is due to the solvent action of water on limestone rock, 

 and to the same cause we must assign the occurrence of the layer of stalag- 

 mite. The sand which largely tills the passages was brought in mostly by 

 running water. 



To fix the geological period when the cave was formed was one of the 

 problems whicb the promoters of the exploration set themselves to solve. 

 Professor Seyinoui is inclined to believe that the cave is of pre-glacial age, 

 but he admits thai the geological evidence is inconclusive. The palaeon to- 

 logical testimony appears to him of more value. Ami he inters from this that 



