Those are gas vent holes and are part of every Type 38 family rifle. You can check the Banzai link posted in one of the stickies on this board and do some basic research. If all original and in the condition you described, you are talking $1k plus. But, you better know what an original stock finish looks like before you shell out that amount of $$. Also, most Type 44s are matched by assembly number versus SN... you need to learn where that production break is and how to determine if the rifle is matching as well. Also, some bayonet housing types (2nd variation) bring a premium, and many 3rd variation bayonet housings are on arsenal reworked guns.