Miscellaneous. 313 
from the shafts of the feathers like a pinnate leaf; those bars broad 
and mottled with black ; two middle feathers without white tips. 
Younger’ form.—As above described, but with the second primary 
slightly the longest. 
Dimensions.—Total length of skin, from tip of bill to end of tail, 
about 10+ inches ; wing 74; tail 53 inches. 
Colours.—Very similar to the above, but with-the grayish colour 
extending over the whole of the head. Under parts much darker, but 
with more numerous white rounded spots. Under tail-coverts fulvous 
with black lines. The fine white tips of the external tail-feathers 
tinged with fulvous. 
Hab. South America. 
Obs.—The distribution of the colours upon the upper surface of 
the body, in this handsome species, resembles in some degree that of 
Scolopax rusticola, or of S. minor. 
It is not similar to any other species known to me, and can at once 
be recognized by the silky white tips of the external tail-feathers. 
These cross the feathers obliquely, and are so arranged that when the 
cuneiform tail is expanded, they form a continuous margin upon the 
ends of those three feathers. 
This is one of the few species of this family which have pretensions 
te beauty. ‘Two specimens are in the collection of the Academy.— 
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 
vol. iv. p. 236. 
FORMER EXISTENCE OF GIGANTIC BEARS IN IRELAND. 
To Richard Taylor, Esq. 
Phil. Hall, Leeds, March 5, 1850. 
My Dear Sir,— Having just read with much interest in the last 
number of the ‘ Annals,’ my friend Dr. Ball’s announcement of the 
former existence of gigantic bears in Ireland, probably coexistent 
with Megaceros, together with Professor Owen’s valuable remarks on 
the same, it appeared to me that a ray of light is thrown on this 
question in one of Archdeacon Maunsell’s letters respecting the gi- 
gantic deer, found at Rathcannon, and now in the Museum of the 
Royal Dublin Society. It is addressed to Lord Viscount Northland, 
and dated Limerick, April 7th, 1824, in which, after describing the 
above noble skeleton, he says, “I have also a skull of a dog of a large 
kind (at least of a carnivorous animal), which I found lying close to 
some of the remains, and which [ will transmit with the bones of his 
old acquaintance.” 
Now, as Archdeacon Maunsell appears somewhat uncertain whether 
the said skull was really that of a dog, might it not have been that 
of the gigantic bear? If the identical specimen can still be traced 
and examined, after so many years, it might afford additional evidence 
upon so important a discovery. 
Again, Professor Owen thinks it an interesting question to ascer- 
tain whether these ursine remains were contemporaneous with Mega- 
ceros or not, which could be decided by the relative antiquity of the 
formation in which they are found, t. e. peat or marl. Dr. Ball di- 
