298 Proceedings of the Boyal Irish Academy. 



not been described by Harkness. Thus, there are three rings of stone, viz. 

 two outer, distant 4 feet from one another, and a small central ring. All 

 these stones, with the single exception of the gallaun about to be -tlescribed, 

 are formed of limestone. The gallaun itself, which though small, is quite a 

 remarkable object, is placed in the iutei'ior of the circle. It is not in its centre, 

 but in the south-west quadrant. Unlike all the other stones, it is of 

 conglomerate, 3 feet 2 inches in height, and 1 foot 7 inches by 11 inches. It 

 is 15 feet 6 inches from the edge of the circle ; and a line from the centre of 

 the circle to the top of the gallaun has a bearing of 140°. Looking to the 

 horizon, there are very distinctly visible, as wiU be seen from the accompanying 

 sketch (fig. 15), first, the hill upon which the two gallauns I (c) are situated ; to 

 the north of these stones, and on the summit of this hill (which is not named 

 on the 6-ineh map), is an outcrop of rock (a), a prominent object from the circle 

 under description. Immediately behind this is a conical hill belonging to the 

 Galtees, and, as I take it, that which is called Baurnagurrahy (6j. The bearhig 

 from the top of the gallaun to the outcrop just mentioned is 157'. The bearing 

 to the point of the conical hill is 154'. 



Professor Harkness excavated in this circle with very interesting results, 

 detailed in his paper. He states that he opened the. ground immediately 

 west of the gallaun, "and at the depth of little more than a foot from the 

 surface discovered human bones. These consisted of fragments of ribs, 

 fragments of bones of the arms, a nearly perfect lower jaw, a portion of the 

 upper jaw, the frontal and parietal bones of the skull, very nearly entire, 

 with the temporal and occipital bones in a less perfect state. These bones 

 had all belonged to one individual — a young person of from six to eight 

 years of age." I do not quote his remarks as to the supposed characters, 

 racial and otherwise, of these bones, because I cannot think that any such 

 conclusions can safely be drawn from such very young bones interi'ed for so 

 gi-eat a length of time, and apparently not even in a cist. But some other oi 

 his observations are of great interest. " With these human bones, a small 

 fragment of the antler of a stag, about 1| inch long and | of an inch in 

 breadth, was found. Surrounding the monolith which marked this burial-, 

 place was a rude circle of small stones, about 8 feet in diameter." As far as 

 I can judge all these stones have disappeared; for I take it that the small 

 central circle, of which I have made mention above, is that described in the 

 following passage :— " A few yards west of the monolith " (i.e. gallaun) 

 •' in this circle is a small patch enclosed also by a rude ring of small stones. 

 This has an elevation of about 9 inches above the ordinary level of the surface, 

 continued within this earth and stone circle. On opening this patch, and at 

 the distance of about IS inches beneath the surface, a stone-cist was discovered. 



