196 Mr. Weaver on the Fossil Elk of Ireland. 
_ © The presence of rock-salt and of muriatic acid in volcanic 
productions of every kind has appeared hitherto less strange 
than the presence of sulphur, because the sea-water which 
is supposed to flow to the foot of the volcanos, and to occasion 
their activity, may explain it. But ifthe metals and metalloids 
in the bowels of the earth are to be considered only as in 
the state of chlorides, as Gay-Lussac has rendered very pro- 
bable *, the explanation would have still fewer difficulties. 
‘“* The local limitation and the concurrence of gypsum and 
rock-salt in rock-formations of the changeable and secondary 
kind, is a phenomenon too striking not to lead our minds ne- 
cessarily to revert to them both, when we treat of the origin 
of the former. L. de Buch certainly has never made a 
remark to this extent in his essays; for he seems not to have 
made any general application even of his own theory of the 
formation of gypsum: as he only says, that it is freguently con- 
verted to limestone by the operation of internal causes upon 
it. But are not the products of the salt-formation actually 
produced from the salt-clays? We certainly are very well 
aware that the admission of the volcanic origin of rock-salt 
either by immediate or secondary agency, has’still many diffi- 
culties, and we therefore readily value the idea only asa gentle 
hint, such as may very well be tolerated in the province of 
geology, which has not yet advanced beyond the age of fiction 
and hypothesis. At least this idea is not wholly without foun- 
dation; and we shall not mourn over its fall, if more particu- 
lar experience should at some future time supplant it, or more 
correct conclusions be drawn from our present experience.” 
Four months ago I wrote this. Now, I should suggest the 
hypothesis still more boldly; for it has acquired important 
evidence, and its permanent confirmation has been rendered 
still more probable. 
XXX. On the Fossil Elk of Ireland. By 'Tuomas WEAVER, 
Esq. M.R.LA. F.G.S. §c.+ 
OTWITHSTANDING the frequent occurrence of the 
remains of the gigantic elk in Ireland, it is remarkable that 
precise accounts should not have been kept of all the peculiar 
circumstances under which they occur entombed in its super- 
ficial strata. To obtain an opportunity of examining these 
relations had long been my desire; and as fortunately, during 
* See Philosophical Magazine, vol. Ixii. p. 81. 
+ From the Philosophical Transactions for 1825, Part II. 
amy 
PPB ore 
