WiNDLE — Megalithic Remains surrounding Lough Gur. 299 



The sides of the cist were composed of limestone flags, and the ends were also 

 formed of the same materials. A flag of the same kind also covered the cist. 

 This covering did not, however, extend over the whole of the chamber formed 

 by the flags ; the portion in which the lower extremities had reposed was 

 uncovered. This, however, may have resulted from stones breaking the lid, 

 as above the cist several pieces of rock were found. The lower portion of the 

 cist was formed of small portions of flaggy limestones, which had been arranged 

 with considerable care in the form of a pavement when the cist was being 

 made. Several fragments of human bones were met with in this cist. These 

 consisted of fragments of ribs, a portion of a femur, two os calces, a portion of 

 a lower jaw, and other fragments. The portion of the lower jaw had appertained 

 to a young person from six to eight years of age ; and one of the os calces 

 seems referable to the same individual. The other os calces appears to have 

 belonged to a nearly, if not quite, full-grown person ; and the fragment of the 

 femur, which had the epiphysis fully united, seems also to have formed part 

 of the skeleton of an adult. The length and thickness of the thigh-bone, 

 when compared with the skeleton of a modern full-grown individual, indicates 

 a person of small stature. The length of the cist also points out the small size 

 of the body which had occupied it. This was not more than 4 feet 2 inches 

 long; and as its depth did not exceed 18 inches, it is not probable that the 

 body was buried in a crouching position. The remains in this cist had been 

 to some extent disturbed; but this had resulted from the burrowing of 

 rabbits, the bones of which were found along with the human remains. 

 Associated with these there occurred also fragments of the bones of swine. A 

 portion of the right side of the upper jaw of this animal contained in the cist 

 exhibited the last molar tooth, which was of lai'ge size. The condition of this 

 fragment indicated that it had long been buried, its state being similar to that 

 of the human bones, and altogether different from the rabbits' bones, which 

 have a very recent aspect. Among the bony fragments of this cist were two 

 upper incisor human teeth of rather a large size, and having the cutting- 

 surfaces considerably worn. The two bodies in this stone-and-earth circle 

 seem to have been originally placed in a north and south direction, the heads 

 being towards the latter." The various bones described by Professor Hai'kness 

 are still in the Ethnological Museum of University College, Cork, and can 

 quite easily be recognized from his description and figures. 



The child's skull, and the fragments of an adult, probably — a small-sized 

 female — are quite as he described them. There are two other pieces of 

 inferior maxillae, labelled Lough Gur, which do not appear to correspond 

 with anything described in this paper, but are in the box with the other 

 specimens. 



K.I. A. PROC, VOL. XXX., SECT. O. [41] 



