430 



spherical-shaped crotals, of which it bears a concave impression. 

 A portion of this waste metal, analysed by Mr. O'Sullivan, 

 gave copper, 88*924; tin, 1 1-066, traces of lead, iron, and silver, 

 and loss, 0010 to 100 grains. 



" No. 19. Some other things made of the gold-coloured 

 metal were also found at Dowris at the same time with these 

 already detailed. One of the men privy to the discovery re- 

 cently told me that a sort of chopper was amongst the number 

 of things found. The handle of it was about twelve inches 

 long, and, as he described it, was of a piece with the head. 

 The whole instrument, he says, resembled a butcher's cleaver, 

 but that there was a sort of arm which projected from the back 

 of the head and had a ring in the end of it. I could not learn 

 what became of this antique. It is worthy of note, that in the 

 representation of the death of Hugh de Lacy, carved on one 

 of the compartments of the large stone cross at Durrow, in 

 the King's County, the person by whose hand he fell holds a 

 cleaver somewhat resembling that just described, but without 

 the ring or connecting arm. The button sent was, with 

 several of a similar sort, also found here. It seems to be 

 composed of a different quality of metal from most of the 

 other articles discovered in this place. 



" It is with great diffidence in my own slender sources of in- 

 formation that I venture to dissent from any opiiiion expressed 

 by the reverend and learned divine who has had the merit of 

 formally bringing the circumstances connected with the finding 

 of the Dowris relics under the notice of the Royal Irish Aca- 

 demy. Nevertheless I cannot agree with him in thinking 

 that these highly wrought and curious crotals could ever have 

 been intended as appendages to sheep or oxen, for the purpose 

 of announcing their ' locus in quo' in the dense forests which 

 then overspread the face of the country. These crotals, 

 with their numerous engrailed or fluted ornamental rings, 

 were finished too elaborately for such a rude purpose ; and me- 

 tal, such as that of which they are composed, was at that 



