1876-77.] 26s 



by the very earliest inhabitants of Ireland as well as of England 

 and Scotland. The evidence of this early occupation is afforded 

 by the quantity and variety of ancient stone implements; pottery, 

 &c, so frequently found in the sheltered hollows of sand-dunes. 

 The principal stations yielding implements in quantity are the 

 following, commencing at the north and going southwards : — 



Bannmouth. — At both sides of the mouth of the River Bann 

 there are extensive sand-dunes, indeed, the probability is, that the 

 river at one time ran into the sea more to the east than at present, 

 and that at that time both the groups of sand dunes were con- 

 tinuous ; now the river turns to the east at its mouth, and cuts the 

 sand-dunes into two groups. In both these divisions the number 

 and character of the flints, &c, are the same. 



Portrush.— The sand-dunes at Portrush have yielded a large 

 number offtakes, scrapers, &c, but owing to the great number of 

 visitors to this station, the variety of implements, &c, found here 

 is not so great as at Bannmouth. 



Bushfoot. — The sand-dunes at Bushfoot, at the mouth of the 

 River Bush, have yielded a fair number of implements. 



Ballintoy. — The sand-dunes at Whitepark Bay, near Ballin- 

 toy, have yielded a very large number of implements. 



Torr Head. — Quantities of flakes have been found in the 

 flats along the shore here. Those places are now under cultiva- 

 tion. 



At such stations as Carnlough, Ballygally, Larne, Kilroot, 

 Carrickfergus, Holywood, Ballyholme, and Leistone, where worked 

 flints are very abundant, the beds in which they are found close to 

 the sea are more like raised beaches than sand-dunes ; but the 

 sand-dunes at both sides of Dundrum Bay are in every respect 

 similar to the dunes at Bannmouth, and yield similar implements. 

 Mr. Gray also explained that, like the ancient camping grounds of 

 North America, the kitchen middens of Denmark, and the lake 

 dwellings of Switzerland, there are usually a number of sepulchral 



