Miscellaneous. 235 
Mr. Ball observed that the discrimination of skulls of bears presented 
zoological difficulties quite sufficient to account for the erroneous views 
which had been taken: the alterations of age in the occipital and 
sagittal crests, the dropping of the premolars, and, in some cases, of 
the incisor teeth, were quite sufficient to mislead, and had often misled 
‘naturalists; but the structure and arrangement of the molar teeth, 
and the peculiar depressed form of the bullze tympanicze, are unerring 
proofs of the Ursidee, at all times distinguishing them from Dogs. 
Mr. Ball then proceeded to remark, that if any evidence were 
wanted to prove that the skulls alluded to were Irish, he could supply 
it by producing a cast of a third specimen, from which he had been 
kindly allowed to take a mould for the University Museum by its 
owner, Mr. Cooke of Parsonstown; the original had been found in 
Mr. Cooke’s neighbourhood, as Mr. Ball understood, in deepening a 
river. He mentioned also that he had heard from the late Mr. John 
Robinson, of that locality, of the discovery and wanton destruction of 
skulls on his grounds, which were very possibly those of bears. It 
is probable that the bear and great Irish deer were involved in one 
common catastrophe, and perished together. 
Mr. Ball stated, that bemg desirous of confirming the accuracy of 
his own views, he submitted casts of the skulls to the greatest living 
authority, merely stating that they were supposed to be Irish, and 
requesting an opinicn as to their species. The following note is the 
reply to his questions :— 
“College of Surgeons, London, Dec. 7, 1849. 
fo} ro) 
* My pear Bartx,—The casts of the fine crania of bear duly ar- 
rived, and I have been comparing them this morning. They all differ 
from Ursus speleus in the minor elevation of the forehead, and what 
is more decisive, in the smaller relative sizes of the last molar, upper 
jaw; they also retain the first premolar. The largest of the three 
skulls presents a close correspondence of general form and of flatness 
of forehead with the largest of our old male skulls of Ursus maritimus, 
but the molars are relatively larger, especially the last, in the Irish 
skull ; this is decisive against Ursus maritimus. I regret that I have 
no skull at command of a good old male U. ferow. A young female 
skull of that species indicates the proportions of the molars to be 
similar to those in the Irish specimens; but then the proportions of 
the teeth in question are likewise those of Ursus arctos ; and the two 
smaller skulls from Ireland show an elevation of forehead, which, 
though less than in U. speleus, is greater than in any specimen or 
figure that I have seen of U. ferox. There remain, therefore, for 
comparison, the varieties of Ursus arctos, for the tropical Indian and 
Malayan bears have characteristics too well-marked and well-known 
to be dwelt on. 
“The great black variety of the European Ursus arctos is that to 
which the Irish skulls offer the nearest resemblance. I can find no 
character in the casts of the skulls which you have sent that I could 
point to as a specific distinction ; but then I must add, that I feel 
equal difficulty in laying down the specific distinction between the 
