Dr Hibbert on the Discovery of the Fossil Elk. 17 



who, in opposition to this plain statement of facts, have sup- 

 posed that these Fossil remains were indicative of animals 

 which had been destroyed by the universal deluge. Hence 

 the transportation or drifting of their bones by an over- 

 whelming torrent, into such insular tracts as Ireland and the 

 Isle of Man. And, since the discovery of the bones in the 

 Hyena Cave of Kirkdale, a similar conjecture has been hazard- 

 ed by Professor Buckland, * though, from some subsequent 

 conversation with Mr Weaver, he now seems inclined to re- 

 consider the subject. 



After these remarks, I shall proceed to describe the geolo- 

 gical circumstances connected with the earthy deposits in which 

 the elk is found. 



A southerly, and far most considerable, portion of the Isle 

 of Man is diversified by irregular mountainous ranges of clay 

 slate, and micaceous schist. In this extensive district it has 

 been affirmed that no remains of the elk are to be found ; but 

 that they only occur in the extensive flat on the north of the is- 

 land, named the Curragh, which is characterized by a thick 

 deposit of clay, marl, sand, and gravel. This is, however, a 

 mistake. About a mile to to the north-west of the Tynwald 

 Hill, at a short distance from the Peel River, there is a low 

 marshy piece of ground from which large quantities of shell 

 marl have been procured for the purposes of manure; and in 

 this marl numerous bones of the elk have been observed in an 

 imbedded state. But in the course of describing- this site 

 more particularly, I shall advert, in a very general manner, 

 to the origin of the calcareous deposit in which these interest- 

 ing relics have been found. 



There are several evident indications in the vicinity of the 

 Tynwald Hill of some very ancient lakes having been formed 

 in the low sites of this westerly part of the island, the over- 

 flow from which was discharged into the sea by the channel 

 that now forms the bed of the Peel Jiiver. The tributary 

 torrents by which these lakes were supplied, had carried with 

 them the disintegrated materials of the rocks among which they 



" Reliquiae Diluviunw, page 180. 

 VOL. III. NO. I. JULY 1825. Jj 



