The walls of the cavern, in some of its branches, display traces of the long-con t inued action of water running in a sensibly horizontal direction. These, however, may be regarded as indications of the agency by which the cave was formed, but not neces sarily by which the deposits were introduced.
In descending order the deposits were: (1) Huge blocks of limestone, which from time to time had fallen from the roof. In some instances, two or more blocks lay one on another. Sheets of stalagmite sometimes lay between them, or invested the whole, so as to form a dome-shaped mass; whilst others were without any trace of this mate. rial. (2) Black mold, from 3 to 12• in. deep. (3) Stalagmitic floor, from a mere film to upwards of 5 ft. thick; but commonly ranging from 16 to 20 inches. From its. prevalent texture, it was termed the granular stalagmite, to distinguish it from another and older floor of the same material. It contained numerous fragments and blocks of limestone, and graduated downwards into an extremely hard concrete or breccia. (4) A black band, of irregular outline, from 2 to 6 in. thick, and mainly composed of bits of charcoal. This band was exceptional, being found only in one spot, from 30 to 40 ft. from one of the cavern entrances, where it covered about 100 sq.ft. only. Throughout about half this area it was in immediate contact with the nether surface of the stalagmitic floor, from which, elsewhere, it was separated by a layer of red loam, which never exceeded 6 in. in thickness. (5) Red cave-earth, with angular fragments of limestone, from mere splinters to blocks almost as large as those lying on the surface. Typically, this deposit consists of about equal parts of red earth and of stones; but in some places, the former greatly preponderates, whilst in others the latter is most preva lent. Comparatively small well-rounded fragments of •ocks, not derivable from the cavern hill, occasionally present themselves. The materials of the cave-earth have no approach to stratification or symmetrical arrangement, and the stones lie at all angles. Small thin films of stalagmite occur at all depths, sometimes encrusting bones or stones, or cementing them into a firm breccia. The depth of this deposit is unknown; it in most places exceeds 4 ft.—the depth to which the excavation is restricted at present.
—but in others it does not attain to this, and occasionally there is none. (6) Where the bottom of the cave-earth has been reached, a second floor of stalagmite occurs beneath it. It is generally of greater thickness than the granular floor, and in one instance is. little short of 12 On account of its structure it is known as the crystalline stalag mite. (7) tinder this again is a mechanical deposit, consisting of subangular and rounded pieces of red grit, not derivable from the cavern hill, embedded in a sandy paste of the same color, and denominated breccia.
The objects found in the black mold form a large and very miscellaneous collection, including objects extending from the present day back to mediaeval and even pre-Roman times. The most important are stones of various kinds, well rounded, and occasionally perforated by marine organisms; potsherds representing a large number of vessels; cur vilineal plates of slate, probably covers for earthenware utensils; "spindle whorls;" amber beads; an awl, a spoon, a wedge, and a chisel, all formed of bone; bone combs, which may be likened to small shoe-lifters having teeth in the broad end; a spear-head, a socketed colt, a spoon, a fibula, and rings, all of bronze; lumps of smelted copper; marine shells, such as still exist in Torbay; and bones and teeth of various animals of existing species, including man.
The comparatively few objects found in the granular stalagmitic floor include peb bles of various kinds, flint implements, marine shells, pieces of charcoal, impressions of ferns, and remains of extinct and recent animals, including man, and the mammoth, cave rhinoceros, hyena, and bear.
The black band beneath the floor was extremely rich in objects, of which the princi pal were remains of the ordinary extinct and recent cave mammals; flint implements and chips; a bone awl; a bone fish-spear, or "harpoon," barbed on one side only; a bone needle or bodkin, with a well-formed eye; and burnt bones. The flint specimens were keen-edged, brittle, and chalk-like in color and texture. They averaged about ten in every cubic foot of material.