14 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
the roof having been broken in by the former quarrymen, 
and whatever vacant space existed rilled with portions of the 
spoil -heap. There was nothing to suggest, but at the same 
time there was nothing absolutely to disprove the suggestion, 
if made, that the remains, whether ancient or recent, had been 
thrown into the fissure during the former working. True, they 
were found at the lowest point of the excavation, and were 
not associated with the distinctive spoil ; but as they might 
have slipped downward during the digging, all that could be done 
was to keep a careful watch for more definite indications. 
An examination of the cavern, for such it proved to have been 
— an irregular tunnel with a chamber at each end — showed that 
there was no difficulty, when the face of the contents was once 
fairly cleared, in distinguishing between the recent filling and the 
older deposits. The exploration of the northern end — the eastern 
wall having been removed for some thirty feet — was first under- 
taken. The section here showed the upper part of the fissure to 
be filled with portions of the spoil-bank, which was a mixture of 
earth and small stones, the former predominating. Beneath this 
was the upper section of the bone-bearing deposit, which consisted 
almost wholly of large stones with a little earth and clay ; the 
stones being such as quarrymen would have utilised had they come 
in their way, and the division between the two deposits being 
perfectly distinct. 
As excavation proceeded the bone-bearing deposit became more 
productive. Moreover, it increased in thickness by rising towards 
the end of the fissure, and became infiltrated by stalagmite until 
it assumed the character of an open stalagmitic-breccia of large 
eroded stones, between which there were frequent cavities contain- 
ing quantities of bones. There was no reasonable doubt that the 
bulk of these stones had fallen from the roof. 
When the greater portion of this filling had been removed down 
to the modern quarry level, it was found that the fissure narrowed 
upwards at its termination into a mere flue ; that the stalagmitic- 
breccia remaining in the end was too compact to be dealt with by 
ordinary methods ; and that upon it were the remains of a stalag- 
mitic floor, partially broken, apparently by the fall of heavy 
blocks. The breccia had increased in thickness by the gradual 
northward rise, from the first appearance of a stalagmitic character, 
from two to four feet. 
