twigs and wood-chips are present, such are but a small proportion of the total débris, and represent, doubtless, scraps from clearings.
The plants represented by seeds and fruits in certain of the deposits are essentially those weeds which would quickly cover embankments and ditches of fortifications. Thus in some of the deposits we have fruits and seeds of many grasses and sedges, and of common weeds of waste places, such as Stellaria media, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Polygonum sp., Chenopodium sp., Potentilla Tormentilla, and the two species of Ranunculus already referred to. Other weeds of this nature are Sinapis arvensis, Geranium sp., Mysotis sp., Urtica dioica, and various species of Rumex.
The seeds and fruits of other samples are of plants characteristic of thickets, and the presence of many twigs confirms the view that the deposits containing these are largely the scraps from forest clearings. Among such deposits I have recognised seeds of Solanum Dulcamara, Pedicularis palustris, fruits of Galeopsis Tetrahit, Urtica diolca, Rumex sp., and the fruits of many sedges. The fern remains also belong to these deposits.
Attention may be directed to the deposits containing brushwood in layers. In one instance a deposit of this character (Sample J, Table I) yielded seeds of characteristic moor-plants. Thus besides seeds of Calluna vulgaris, twigs of which formed the bulk of the brushwood in the deposit under review, I found the fruit parts of an Erica, berries and seeds of Empetrum nigrum, fruits of Rumex Acetosa, and those of several species of Scirpus and Carex. Besides the seeds mentioned, I found in this deposit leaves of a narrow-leaved grass, possibly Festuca ovina.
Where the brushwood laid on the clay was birch (Sample G, Table I) the seeds found were more varied in character, representing doubtless species that would form pioneers on freshly-made fortifications and embankments.
II. Woods of Implement Handles and other Articles
(For detailed identifications, see Table II)
Turning to the table giving the kinds of woods used for tool handles and other articles, one finds that those perhaps most commonly employed were ash and hazel. The latter wood figures as the shaft of a spear, as the shaft of an arrow, and as handles to tools. It doubtless recommended itself for these purposes on account of the clean and straight stems of moderate diameter and light weight obtainable. Hazel, though not durable, is fairly elastic. The value of ash for tool handles and the like is recognised at the present day.
Pyrus Aucuparia, used as a shaft for a hammer (No. 1, Table II), and also as a shaft for a gouge (No. 3, Table II), was probably procured locally, for twigs of this species were found, in some cases with bark attached, among the material from the refuse pits. It is probable also that the birch used as a pick handle (No. 2, Table II) was similarly derived. Both birch and rowan are hard and tough woods which do not readily split.
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