198 [Proc. B. N.^VC, 



The President then called on Mr. R. Lloyd Praeger to read 

 the report of the Lame Gravels Committee, which was the 

 next item in the business of the evening. It is here published 

 in extenso. 



REPORT OF A COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION 

 ON THE GRAVELS AND ASSOCIATED BEDS 

 OF THE CURRAN, AT LARNE, CO. ANTRIM. 



{Compiled by R. Lloyd Praeger, B.E.) 



<► 



I.— ORIGIN AND OBJECTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 



In the Proceedings of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, for 

 1886-7 (Series II., Vol. II., p. 519), there appears the report of 

 a committee " appointed to investigate the Larne Gravels, and 

 determine the position in them of the Flint Flakes and Cores 

 for which they are noted." In this report the general features 

 of the Curran and of the beds in question, and also the different 

 views held by local archaeologists, regarding the distribution in 

 the gravels of the worked flints, are fully and accurately set 

 forth, and need not be further dwelt on here. The Gravels 

 were at that time carefully scrutinised down to a depth of about 

 twelve feet by a number of competent observers, and this 

 scrutiny showed that flakes and cores were in abundance on the 

 surface and for a few feet downwards, and became fewer as the 

 depth increased. Lower than seven feet no flakes were found, 

 with the exception of one well-formed example, which suggested 

 the idea that it might have accidentally fallen from a higher 

 zone. The conclusions of the committee referred to are that 

 the Gravels form a stratified deposit resting on the Estuarine 

 Clay, and that man manufactured the flint flakes subsequent to 

 the accumulation of the gravel beds in their present position. 

 It was, however, generally felt that a more extended examina- 

 tion of the lower bed of coarse gravel, where the single flake 

 above-mentioned was obtained, was desirable, and might yield 

 interesting results. 



