XH PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



of which became extinct here long before the historic period. There had, however, 

 been foimd, near Swansea, no less than 500 antlers of the reindeer, in a spot where 

 it could not have roamed as it did in Upper Norway, Finland, and Greenland. He 

 remembered a pair of horns of the red-deer, which was well known to have lived 

 into historic times, being trawled up in the Bristol Channel, fifteen miles from 

 land, having become entangled in a fisherman's net. 



Dr. Brett inquired if the British rat was not now believed to be extinct. He 

 had read that it was, or at least was becoming so. 



Mr. J. Logan liObley refen-ed to the insular character of our country as conduc- 

 ing to the extinction of its wild animals. The five animals treated of by Mr. 

 Harting were still, he said, existing in continental areas, but had become extinct 

 here because they had no places to retreat to at a considerable distance from 

 enclosed and cultivated areas. The influence of insular areas was exemplified in 

 the case of the moa or dinornis of New Zealand and the dodo of the Mauritius. 

 The date of the extinction of the dinornis was uncertain, but its bones, and even their 

 ligaments, had been found, and it certainly was living, and was somewhat abun- 

 dant, within the historic period. The dodo existed until 16112 and was tolerably 

 abundant up to then. Neither would have become extinct had they been living 

 on continental areas. The insular character of this country had conduced to the 

 extinction of other animals at peiiods preceding that now brought before them ; 

 for there were abundant remains of animals, now inhabiting continental areas, 

 such as lions, tigers, and elephants, which were living in this country previous to 

 the time when it was separated from the Continent of Europe, and wliich became 

 rapidly extinct after this separation took place. It was also a remarkable fact 

 that the greater mammalia, with the exception of the elephant, only lived in 

 continental areas, and no doubt the elephant became rapidly extinct in Britain 

 after its separation from the Continent by the Straits of Dover. At any rate it 

 was an important fact to bear in mind that the insular character of any country 

 was greatly conducive to the extinction of the wild animals of that countiy. 



Mr. Harting, in replying, said that the incident mentioned by the President, 

 of 500 reindeer antlers being found in one cavern, might be accounted for in this 

 way The reindeer was an animal that migrated in large numbers in the spring 

 and autumn ; in Siberia, for instance, at the present time, coming down in herds 

 of several thousands, crossing extensive tracts of country, and swimming rivers. 

 The strongest and boldest taking first to the water, the weaker ones followed, rmtil 

 at last the water was covered, nothing being seen but the antlers and a small 

 portion of the head. In swimming large rivers and lakes the weaker animals 

 would succumb and their bodies perhaps be trodden down by their comrades, carried 

 away by currents, and stranded in numbers on the first convenient place. 



With regard to the English rat, or black rat, it was thought to be on the verge 

 of extinction, but during the last twelve months he had made inquiries and had 

 found that it still existed at various places, chiefly seaport towns From this 

 it might be inferred that the old race was kept up by the importation of others 

 from abroad. 



The observations of Mr. Lobley were very suggestive, and he quite agreed ^vith 

 him that the insular character of this country had much to do with the extermin- 

 ation of these animals. This was particularly noticeable in the case of the rein- 

 deer, which, as was known from the discovery of its bones, once inhabited 

 England and Ireland. From England it appeared to have been driven north to 

 Caithness by the red-deer, there to die, simply because there was no further point 

 to retreat to. 



The President mentioned that Mr. J. "W. Carlile, of Ponsboume 

 Park, had discovered in his grounds some curious ruins of a house, 

 of liistoric interest, dating from the time of Heniy the Seventh, and 

 would be pleased to show them to any member of the {Society. 



