276 Zoological Proceedings of Societies, 



of from one to five feet in thickness, consisting of a calcareous 

 base mingled with comminuted fragments of fresh-water shells, 

 which it likewise contained in an entire and but slightly altered 

 state ; all referable to three still-existing species, viz. Helix pu* 

 tris, Linn, Turbo font inalis, and Tellina carnca. Many bones and 

 horns of the Elk had been found from time to time in this bog, 

 all of which, Mr. Weaver ascertained, from the concurrent testi- 

 mony of the tenantry, were found either between the peat and 

 the marie, or slightly impressed in the latter. 



The researches of the Archdeacon of Limerick had been made 

 in the peat-bog of Rathcannon in that county, where abundance 

 of Elk's bones were found under circumstances precisely similar, 

 and upon marie of the same kind, as in the case examined by Mr. 

 Weaver; and the circumstances were investigated before the 

 bones were displaced. The Archdeacon had been enabled, with 

 the assistance of Mr. Hart, M.R.C.S. to frame a gigantic and 

 nearly complete skeleton, which he had presented to the Museum 

 of the Royal Dublin Society. Some of the bones shewed marks 

 of disease and fracture ; one leg had evidently been broken and 

 healed again : a rib had a perforation about one-eighth of an inch 

 wide, the edges of which were depressed on the outside, and 

 raised on the inside ; it was such as could only have been made 

 by a thin sharp instrument, which did not penetrate far enough 

 to cause a mortal wound ; for, as the edges of the perforation were 

 quite smooth, the animal must have survived the injury at least a 

 twelvemonth. The bones seemed io retain all their principles, 

 with the addition of a portion of carbonate of lime imbibed from 

 the contiguous marl. A shank-bone still retained its marrow, 

 which had the appearance of fresh suet, and blazed when applied 

 to the flame of a candle. With them were found a pelvis, appa* 

 rently belonging to a Red-Deer ; and the skull of a Dog, of about 

 the size of a Water Spaniel. 



From all these circumstances, which accord with those under 

 which the remains of the Elk occur in the curraghs of the Isle of 

 Man, as described by Professor Henslow, Mr. Weaver infers, 

 that these Elks must have lived and died in the countries where 

 <they are now found ; that the period at which they lived must be 



