194 M‘Sweeny, on the Climate of Ireland. 
inhabitants could be capable of importing the elephant, and leaves the reader to ima- 
gine how the animal got there before the flood. 
Molyneux, in commenting on this subject, thinks, that the elephant under consider- 
ation was not brought to Ireland by any industry of man. He supposes that the 
globe in the early ages of the world, before all records, differed materially from 
its present geography, as to the distribution of ocean, dry land, islands, and continents, 
so_as to allow this beast a free and open passage from the continent. But a change of 
climate must be supposed too ; the evidence of the Kirkdale cave leaves no doubt but 
that the climate of the British isles was once suited to animals, that are now only to be 
met with in warm regions. We may therefore conclude that the elephant in Ireland 
did not find its way there by mere chance, but that it inhabited the country, and that» 
the climate of Ireland was suited to its existence and habits in antediluvian times. 
The remains of the moose deer have been found in different places in Ireland ; the 
bone, when treated with muriatic acid, has been rendered flexible. Dub. Phil. Journal, 
Vol. I. p. 484. The bones discovered at Kirkdale, when treated in the same manner, 
were made flexible ; a proof that the gelatine had not been destroyed by time. 
The great temperature of Europe at this period has been explained on the suppo- 
sition of central heat in our’globe: to this cause the writer of this essay attributes 
the temperature which once rendered Ireland a fit abode for. the elephant. 
We now come to the historical period, in endeavouring to trace the climate: the 
researches of Professor Schow, prove that there is no decisive evidence of a material 
change of climate on the continent of Europe, by records, during the historical period. 
Although it is maintained in this essay, that the general character of the climate of 
Treland, has been the same from a very early date ; yet it is contended for, that the 
weather has been modified from local causes. The state of the surface of the island 
has been different at different times, at one time abounding with timber, at another 
time denuded ; at present the surface is furrowed from the potatoe culture in every 
direction, An ancient name of Ireland was, the woody island. 
Endeavours™have been made to trace back the history of Ireland to remote anti- 
quity, but on account of some evident fable mixed up with the accounts given, many 
think themselves warranted in rejecting the entire history of very remote periods 
altogether. 
There is one point (to which if any credence be given) that would be decisive 
evidence of a change of climate in Ireland at a very distant period, namely, the ap- 
pearance of rivers that did not exist before, and the formation of new lakes. 
This would be evidence of the highest description to prove an increase of humidity 
n the climate at the time. 
Keating, in his History of Ireland, says: “ In the time of Partholanus, seven lakes 
broke out in the island;” again he informs us that ‘ Partholanus found but nine 
rivers and three lakes in the island.” 
