236 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



afforded an opportunity of describing to the people of Ireland some of the 

 wonders of these caves, so far as was then known, together with their history. 

 (See B. A. Eeports, Dublin, 1908.) 



Directly the meeting was concluded, the party travelled down to 

 Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, where a week was spent in the survey and 

 exploration of the two caves. 



The names of the four members who carried out the survey of the 

 caves are: — Charles A. Hill, m.a., m.d., d.p.h. ; Harold Brodrick, m.a., f.g.s. ; 

 Alexander Eule, m.sc, ph.d. (all of Liverpool, and members of the Yorkshire 

 Eamblers' Club) ; K. Lloyd Praeger, b.a., b.e., m.e.i.a., of Dublin. 



The first three of these are jointly responsible for this Monograph. 

 "Valuable assistance was also rendered by several residents in the neighbour- 

 hood of Mitchelstown, which the explorers would gratefully acknowledge, 

 viz. : — Canon Courtenay Moore, of Mitchelstown ; Abel Buckley, of Galtee 

 Castle, on whose property the ISTew Cave is situate ; Francis E. Draper, c.e., of 

 Mitchelstown: B. P. Hill, of Cork, and several others. 



The ofiicial guide to the Xew Cave, P. Mulcahy, with his son, also gave 

 all assistance and advice in his power. 



Method of Exploeatiox axd Survey. 



The preliminary steps consisted in laying out through the main passages 

 a stout white string to act as a base-line for the survey. For the measure- 

 ment of side passages, &c., a finer string coloured pink was used. This base 

 line proved most useful as a guide-string ; for in many places where the 

 passages were complicated by fallen rocks, &c., it was invaluable as a means 

 of finding the way out — a matter often of considerable difficulty. 



After the survey was completed all the strings were left in situ ; and it 

 is hoped they will remain in position for some years to come. In addition, 

 arrows to indicate the direction towards the entrance (or exit) were chalked 

 up on the rocks in various favourable positions. 



These preliminary proceedings occupied two days. The remainder of the 

 time (four days) was employed in the actual measurement and survey of the 

 various passages and chambers. 



The instruments used for this consisted of an ordinary surveyor's 

 measuring-tape, 66 feet long ; a compass with a scale graduated from 

 0-360 degrees ; and a clinometer for estimating the angle of the slopes. 



The method of procedure during the survey was as follows : — Four 

 persons were of necessity employed. The first man, bearing a lighted candle, 

 went ahead for so long a distance as the light was visible. On being warned 

 that he had advanced far enough, he halted, and marked his halting-place 



