fications, of which 700 were reported at Liverpool*. The remaining 2200, exhumed since the end of August 1870, belonged to different kinds of animals, in the ratios shown in the following list ::

On comparing the foregoing list with those given for the Sally-ports in the Sixth Report (pp. 19 and 24), it will be found to differ from them in containing neither Sheep nor Pig, and in the diminished prevalence of Rabbit and Badger.

Many of the teeth are in fragments of jaws, which have, in most cases, lost their condyles and their inferior borders. They belong to individuals of all ages, from the baby Elephant, whose molar crown was no more than ⚫8 inch long, and the Hyæna, whose second set had made their appearance before the dislodgement of the first, to the wasted remnant of an adult tooth of the Mammoth, and the canine of the Bear worn quite to the fang.

Many of the bones and teeth are discoloured, a large number are gnawed (generally, no doubt, by the Hyæna, but occasionally by some smaller animal), and a considerable proportion of them, at all levels, are more or less covered with films of stalagmitic matter. On some of the specimens are peculiar markings, produced perhaps by fine rootlets of trees having grown round them. Some marked in this way were found with living rootlets surrounding them.

Coprolitic matter was by no means abundant, only one example of it having been met with in the entire Passage.

In various parts of the Passage considerable heaps of small bones, sometimes agglutinated, were found here and there on the surface, or but little below it. In one instance as many as 8400 were picked out of 120 cubic inches of material.

At the junction of the two Reaches of the Passage, a large ledge or curtain of limestone projected downwards from the roof considerably below the usual level. On the inner or northern side of it there was found a wheelbarrow full of bones, fragments of bones, and teeth, of a considerable variety of animals, all huddled together.

It was stated in the First Report (Birmingham, 1865+) that the Caveearth was excavated in "Parallels," the length of which was the same as the width of the Chamber &c., where this was not excessive, breadth invariably 1 foot, and depth 4 feet, where this gave the men sufficient height to work in comfort, or 5 feet where it did not; that each parallel was divided into successive horizontal "Levels," a foot in depth; and that each level was subdivided into lengths or "Yards," each 3 feet long and, from what has been stated, a foot square in the section, thus rendering it easy to define and record the position of every object discovered. Smerdon's Passage and its lateral branches contained 78 "Parallels" of

*See Sixth Report, 1870, p. 27.

See pp. 19, 20.

Cave-earth, and, as it was necessary to excavate to the depth of 5 feet*, a total of 390 separate "foot-levels." The following Table shows the distribution of the teeth of the different kinds of animals in the various "Parallels" and " Levels."

1243

1145 ∞

4621

35442

12

4th 5th

19 16 10

...

188 176 139 49 71 33 15 40 34 18 13 14 10 1 2 3

66

By way of explanation, it may be stated that teeth of Hyæna, for example, were found in 71 of the 78 "parallels," at all levels," and in 188 foot-levels," or very nearly one half of the total number; and so on for the other kinds of animals.

66

A glance at the Table shows that, in the case of the most prevalent animals-Hyæna, Horse, and Rhinoceros-their teeth were most frequently met with (not necessarily met with in greatest numbers) in the second "foot-level," below which they were less and less frequent as the level was lower; that the Badger was most frequently met with in the uppermost "foot-level," and never found below the third; that teeth of Lion were not found in the uppermost "level," and occurred most frequently in the third; that those of Wolf did not present themselves in the lowest or fifth "footlevel; that Bat and Rabbit were restricted to the uppermost "level," the former to one 66 parallel" and the latter to two; and that the Hyæna had the widest distribution, both as regards "parallels" and "levels." Twelve Flint flakes and chips were found in the Second Reach of the Passage-3 in the first or uppermost "foot-level," 3 in the second, 3 in the third, and 4 in the fourth; there were none in the First Reach, or in the lateral branches. Compared with the fine specimens met with in previous years in other parts of the Cavern, they are perhaps of but little value. Some of them are rather chert than flint, and with one exception (No. 3554) -a well-designed but roughly finished lanceolate implement-they are all of the prevalent white colour.

In the Second Reach there was also found a lance-shaped bone tool (No. 3428), 2.7 inches long, 1.1 inch broad at the butt end, flat on one face and uniformly convex on the other, reduced to a thin edge all round the margin except at the butt end, where it was cut off sharply but somewhat obliquely, tapering gradually to a rounded point, and 4 inch in greatest thickness. In short, it closely resembled in form and size many of the lanceolate flint implements of the Cavern series, with the single exception that it was not carinated on the convex face. It was found on October 5th, 1870, in the first "foot-level" of Cave-earth, lying with 6 teeth of Hyæna, 1 of Rhinoceros,

*In two or three "Parallels" it was requisite to go to the depth of 6 feet, in order to pass under the "Curtain" of limestone mentioned above,

1 of Bear, 1 of Horse, 1 of "Irish Elk," 2 jaws of Badger containing four teeth, bones and fragments of bone, some of which were gnawed and some invested with films of stalagmite.

It has been already stated that at its eastern extremity the Second Reach of Smerdon's Passage terminated in a "low-level" External Entrance, filled with true Cave-earth below, above which lay an accumulation of small angular stones with but little earth. In the lower deposit the ordinary mammalian remains were found, including teeth and bones of Hyæna, Horse, Rhinoceros," Irish Elk," Ox, Elephant, Bear, and Reindeer; but the only thing met with in the materials above was an amber bead, ellipsoidal in form, but somewhat thicker on one side than the other, 9 inch in greatest diameter and 5 inch in least, and having at its centre a cylindrical perforation about 2 inch in diameter.

The excavation of Smerdon's Passage was completed on December 31st, 1870, after very nearly five months having been expended on it. From its prevalent narrowness, the labour in it had been attended with much discomfort; but probably no branch of the Cavern had, on the whole, yielded a larger number of mammalian remains.

Minor Ramifications of the North Sally-port.-It was stated in the Sixth Report (1870)*, that there were one or two ramifications of the North Sallyport which had not been excavated, having been passed intentionally in the progress of the work. To these attention was given on the completion of Smerdon's Passage, and they were taken in the order of their proximity to the "Third External Entrance," the first discovered of the low-level series. The first was a small opening in the east wall of the last Reach of the North Sally-port, having its limestone floor very slightly above the top of the deposit in that Reach. It proved to be a tunnel in the limestone, having a rudely triangular transverse section, from 25 to 3 feet in height and breadth, and extending eastwards or outwards towards the hill-side for about 8 feet, where it terminated in material of the same character as that found above the Cave-earth in the first and second low-level External Entrances, from the first of which it was about 12 feet distant. There is no doubt that it is a third of these low-level Entrances, and, to use the timehonoured phraseology in descriptions of Kent's Hole, it may be termed the "Oven" Entrance. It contained but little deposit, and the only noteworthy objects found in it were one tooth of Horse, a few bones and bone fragments, and a grit pebble.

The second of these small lateral branches was in the south wall of the immediately preceding or penultimate Reach of the Sally-port, and was too narrow to admit of being excavated in "Parallels" and "Levels." In it were found 7 teeth of Hyæna, 10 of Horse, 3 of Rhinoceros, 1 of Bear, 1 of Lion, 1 of " Irish Elk," 1 of Ox, 16 of Badger in parts of 4 jaws, 10 of Rabbit in parts of 2 jaws, portion of an antler, a right femur of Beaver, bones and fragments of bone, a bit of charcoal, and a grit pebble. It is noteworthy, perhaps, that the fine specimen of Beaver's jaw mentioned last yeart was found about 4 or 5 feet from the femur just named, and in the fourth foot-level."

The third and last of these lateral ramifications was near that part of the Sally-port termed the "Isiands "+. It yielded 2 teeth of Hyæna, 1 of Horse, 3 of Rhinoceros, 1 of Bear, 3 of " Irish Elk," 4 of Deer, 2 of Badger, 4 of Rabbit, an astragalus of Ox, bones and bone fragments, and, in the uppermost "foot-level," 2 land-shells.

* See p. 25.

+ See Sixth Report, 1870, p. 24.

+ Ibid. p. 21.

On January 17th, 1871, the workmen finally and gladly emerged from the labyrinth of low narrow passages in which they had been engaged from day to day from November 13th, 1869, or upwards of 14 months. In this time they had not only excavated and taken to the day the deposits, to the depth of 5 feet, in all the extensive and ramifying branches known as the North Sally-port and Smerdon's Passage, and exhumed cartloads of the remains of various animals, including 5900 of their teeth, as well as 20 flint implements and flakes, but, beyond the first Reach of the Sally-port (27 feet long), they had actually discovered the whole of these branches, including three new entrances to the Cavern itself, and had thus added greatly, not only to the extent of Kent's Hole, but to a knowledge of its structure.

The completion of these branches concluded the excavation, to the depth of 4 feet generally, and 5 feet in some instances, below the Stalagmitic Floor, of the whole of the Eastern Division of the Cavern.

The Cavern Entrances.-Before proceeding to a description of the branch which next engaged attention, it may be of service to devote a few words to the Entrances of the Cavern, of which there are now known to be five (two at a high and three at a low level), all in the eastern side of the hill, and within a horizontal distance of 53 feet. Those at the high-level (known from time immemorial) are about 53 feet apart, almost exactly on the same level, and about 189 feet above mean tide. The most northerly of them is that invariably spoken of in all early descriptions of the Cavern as "The Entrance." Those of the lower series are also at very nearly the same level with one another, but from 18 to 20 feet below the former two. Being lower in the sloping hill-side, they are about 24 feet outside or east of the vertical plane passing through the higher entrances. The most southerly ones in the two series are nearly in the same east and west vertical plane. In order to distinguish them, they are respectively termed :

1. "The Entrance," the more northerly of the upper series, and, from its form, sometimes termed the " Triangular Entrance." It opens into the "Vestibule."

2. The "Arched Entrance," the more southerly of the upper series. It opens into the "Great Chamber."

3. The "First Low-level Entrance," the middle one of the lower series-the first discovered. It opens into the "North Sally-port" and the "First Reach of Smerdon's Passage."

4. The "Second Low-level Entrance," the most northerly of the lower series-the second discovered. It opens into the "Second Reach of Smerdon's Passage."

5. The "Oven Entrance," the most southerly of the lower series-the last discovered. It opens into the "North Sally-port."

The Sloping Chamber.-That branch of the Cavern termed the "Sloping Chamber" by Mr. M'Enery was, prior to the Committee's exploration of the "Great Chamber," the largest apartment in it, and is still, perhaps, more calculated than any other to impress visitors. It is the only connexion of the two great divisions of the Cavern, and measures 80 feet from east to west, 25 in greatest breadth, and, since the excavation of its deposits to the depth of 4 feet below the base of the Stalagmitic Floor, 25 in greatest height. Its name was derived from its floor, which, from 20 feet from its eastern side, sloped rapidly towards its western side, falling as much as 14 feet in 60, or at an average angle of 13°.5. Its ceiling sloped more rapidly still, being, as already stated, 25 feet high near the eastern wall, but not more than 6 feet at the western. This ceiling, though representing the

dip of the limestone strata in a general way, is extremely rugged,-here retreating into deep cavities whence huge masses of limestone have fallen, and there ornamented with numerous and heavy masses of Stalactite. Indeed the finest Stalactites in the Cavern occur in it; and one known as the "Chandelier" has always been much admired. A very strong light is required, however, to bring out all the features of the ceiling.

During the autumn of 1866, the upper, or eastern, or level portion of this Chamber was explored, and the results were described in the Third Report (Dundee, 1867). Mr. M'Enery, too, had made extensive, no doubt his most extensive, diggings near the foot of the incline, where he "succeeded in sinking a shaft to the depth of 30 feet at the bottom of the slope, with the view of reaching the original floor "*, which, however, was not realized. Having broken the floor for his shaft, and finding the work very laborious, he availed himself of the opening thus made to extend his diggings eastward, keeping just beneath the floor, which he left spanning his broken ground like an arch.

As it was obvious that a very considerable amount of deposit still remained intact, it was decided, on the completion of Smerdon's Passage, to resume the excavation, not only in the hope of obtaining some of the paleontological treasures with which, according to Mr. M'Enery, the Chamber abounded, but also as a pre-requisite to the exploration of the "Wolf's Den" and the "Long Arcade," into which it opened on the north and south respectively.

The uppermost deposit, as in the adjacent parts of the Cavern, was the Black Mould so frequently mentioned in all previous Reports; and as the Chamber was the only capacious apartment near the Entrance, and the only road to the Western Division of the Cavern, which, from some cause, seems to have been more attractive than the Eastern to visitors in, at least, all recent times†, it might have been expected that many comparatively modern objects of interest would have been found in the Mould. In reality, however, such objects were by no means abundant-a fact which may be explicable, perhaps, on the hypothesis that they had been collected by Mr. M'Enery and other early explorers. The only things found in this deposit (which, it may be stated, was of inconsiderable depth) were shells of cockle, limpet, and pecten; two potsherds-one black and of coarse clay, the other brown, in which the clay was finer; a flint chip and a core of the same material; a spindle-whorl of fine-grained micaceous grit, 1.5 inch in diameter, 5 inch in thickness, and having its external edges rounded off; and a bone awl, 3.7 inches long, 7 inch broad at the butt end, and partially covered with a film of stalagmite.

Beneath the Black Mould came the ordinary floor of granular and laminated stalagmite, in which, as well as in the deposit beneath, the rugged character of the ceiling suggested that a considerable number of large masses of limestone would be found. Their presence in the floor, moreover, was indicated by the nature of its upper surface, which, though a continuous sheet, with one exception to be noticed hereafter, was so very uneven as to induce an early guide to the Cavern to confer on it the appellation of the "Frozen Billows." Accordingly, the Floor proved to be, with an excep

* See Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol. iii. p. 248 (1869).

The following fact seems to be confirmatory on this point:-There are in the various branches of the Western Division (sometimes in places of difficult access) numerous initials and dates on the limestone walls and on bosses of stalagmite-some engraved, some smoked, and some merely chalked-while there are extremely few in the Eastern Division.