200 [Proc. B. N. F. C, 



by three workmen stationed above, where it was spread out 

 and carefully examined, and then cast back by three other men 

 posted at the foot of the bank, the flints and shells from each 

 zone being labelled and put away in numbered bags. In the 

 ground at the foot of the cleared face a trench 6 feet long by 

 3 feet wide was sunk to a depth of 6 feet, in order to prove the 

 underlying strata and correlate the beds ; all the material from 

 this excavation was also closely scrutinized. At a convenient spot 

 30 feet north of the cleared face a trial pit 6 feet square was 

 sunk through the beds underlying the gravels as far as the 

 funds at the disposal of the committee would permit, and 

 samples of the clays and sands here found, as well as of the 

 different beds of gravel above, were secured and brought away 

 for microscopic examination. Altogether some 32 cubic yards, 

 or 41 tons, of the gravels were subjected to a rigid scrutiny, as 

 well as some 5 cubic yards of the underlying clays, &c, so the 

 committee can claim that their examination of the beds over 

 the area selected has been tolerably complete ; and, altogether 

 140 worked flints from the various zones were labelled and 

 brought away to illustrate this report, and for the present may 

 be seen in the Museum of the Belfast Natural History and 

 Philosophical Society, whence they will be transferred to the 

 Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, in Dublin. 



The investigation was begun on May 27th. Mr. Gray, Rev. 

 Canon Grainger, D.D., M.R.I.A. ; Mr. Stewart, and Mr. 

 Praeger superintended the commencement of operations, 

 and the latter two remained in Larue during the period 

 occupied by the work, which was seven days. The services ot 

 three workmen had been kindly granted by Mr. B. D. Wise, 

 Chief Engineer of the Northern Counties Railway, and three 

 more were obtained from a local contractor, and with this staff 

 the work proceeded rapidly and satisfactorily. The day was 

 spent in the examination of the upper bed of gravel, and in the 

 evening a depth of 8 / -9 // (the surface of the bed of fine sand 

 subsequently mentioned) had been attained, and work was 

 suspended. 



