CAE GWTN CAVE, NQETH WALE8. 575 



outwards into the drift-plateau in front of the hidden entrance. 

 The entrance from the quarry was almost completely blocked up 

 by materials which had evidently been thrown there, when I first 

 crept into it, and at that time it was impossible to penetrate 

 inwards for a distance of more than about 50 feet. Beyond that 

 point the deposits reached to within a few inches from the roof, and 

 as they were comparatively in an unusually dry condition along the 

 whole' length of the main tunnel, it is evident that this space was 

 due to the contraction of the deposits by the loss of moisture. This 

 is proved also by the fact that in the side channel, where the deposits 

 were in a moist condition, they filled it up completely to the roof. 

 As there are abundant evidences in the portion of the cavern next 

 to the quarry, in crevices along the sides up to the roof, that that 

 portion had been completely filled up originally, it may be presumed 

 that when the cavern was exposed in quarrying-operations the 

 workmen probably cleared out that portion sufficiently to enable them 

 to creep in for shelter, and had therefore prepared it to become, as 

 we found it, a resort for burrowing animals. 



SuMMAKr. 



The recent researches at Cae Gwyn have proved most conclusively 

 that there was no foundation for the views of those who contended 

 that the drift which crossed over the entrance and extended into 

 the cavern was remanie^ and had gradually crept down the hill. 

 They have shown beyond the possibility of doubt that the deposits 

 which overlie the bone-earth are in situ, and are identical with the 

 typical glacial deposits of the area. It was found also that these 

 deposits had at one time extended continuously across the valley 

 above this elevation (400 feet above ordnance datum), and that the 

 caverns had consequently been completely buried beneath them. 

 The explorations carried on in 1885, 1886, and 1887, in the Cae 

 Gwyn and Ffynnon Beuno caverns, show that they must have been 

 occupied by the animals before any of the Glacial deposits now 

 found there had accumulated, also that a thick fl.oor of stalagmite 

 had formed over these remains before the caverns wore subjected to 

 water-action. This action broke up the floor and completely re-sorted 

 the materials, evidently washing out some, but also adding sandy and 

 gravelly material to the deposits. Very large blocks of limestone, 

 which were found at many points in the caverns, had evidently been 

 disturbed by the same force, and had in many cases protected the 

 original contents ; they were, however, invariably found in the 

 lowest deposits, and were covered over by laminated clay, sands, 

 and gravels. It is certain that the caverns had been completely 

 filled up with these materials, and in the case of the Cae Gwyn cave 

 it would appear that they must have been conveyed in mainly through 

 the entrance recently discovered under the drift. The stratification 

 at this entrance was so marked and could be traced so continuously 

 inwards over the bone-earth that there can be no doubt that it was 

 the main entrance to the cavern. There was not the slightest evidence 



Q. J. G. S. No. 175. 2 Q, 



