266 REPORT ON THE DENEHOLE EXPLORATION
most division of the Inferior Oolite in the neighbourhood, and is
known as the Chipping Norton Limestone ; it is of variable texture,
often falsebedded, and may be described as a hard, sandy oolite
limestone, sometimes passing into a hard calcareous sandstone. The
holes, though much smaller than those at Portland, described by Mr.
Holmes (see ante page 252), and also figured by Mr. Damon (Geol.,
Weymouth, etc., Ed. 2, 1884, page 165), showed no signs of having
been walled in. Numerous pieces of burnt limestone occurred, but I
saw no other traces of human occupation.
[The following details of the contents of the pits on Chadlington
Downs were given to Mr. H. B. Woodward, by Mr. James Windoes,
of Chipping Norton, who for forty years has worked at the Geology
of Oxfordshire, and who has a large collection of fossils, coins and
other objects of interest:—
"The most southern hole was discovered about three years ago,
and was opened and explored by Lord Ducie, upon whose estate it is.
It contained portions of two human skulls—the cranium only. I have
seen one of these, it appeared to me to be of rather a high type. I did
not hear that any other human remains (bones) were found, but there
were many bones and teeth of animals, and many fragments of black
pottery, but not a fragment of flint or metal. The second hole was
discovered in the early part of this year, and was immediately walled
up till Lord Ducie had time to explore it, which he did in August
last. It contained no human remains, but lots of bones and teeth of
animals, and fragments of pottery, black, red and brown, perhaps of
three periods. The black is loosely compacted, sun-dried, or at any rate
only partially burnt; much of it in a wet-biscuit state; the red and
brown is solid, compact, and well burnt, but without ornamentation
of any sort. Most of the large bones were broken, apparently for
the extraction of the marrow. One bit of flint was found, with many
red quartzose pebbles and pieces of burnt wood. It is a curious
thing that though the stones round the sides of the pits are all burnt
red, there is no trace of smoke. None of the upper stones are
blackened."]
V.—Ensilage, or Preserving Grain in Pits.
By F. C. J. SPURRELL, F.G.S.
The excavation of hollows in the soil for the purpose of hiding
stores, whether in great Silos or in little Caches, is a common practice
over the whole world. For the storing of grain, it is a method of
the greatest antiquity, in full exercise to the present time ; and it is
universal, if the areas where the habit now prevails be considered
together with those in which it formerly obtained. The simplest