Br Hibbert on the Discovery of the Fossil Elk. 23 



south-west to north-east They assume the form of irregular 

 mountain ridges, which at Snaefell, the highest hill of the 

 place, attain an elevation of 52004 feet. Keeping, then, these 

 circumstances of the primary strata in view, if we trace a line 

 on the map nearly regular, commencing at the east of the 

 island at Ramsey, and continued across it in a course very 

 nearly west, we shall find oh survey that, when the lofty moun- 

 tain ridges which I have desci'ibed come in contact with this 

 imaginary line, they abruptly terminate ; the remaining fourth 

 part of the island to the north appearing as one vast and near- 

 ly dead flat. This expanse is popularly named the Curragh, 

 and it is on this site, as I have before remarked, that most of 

 the remains of the elk are to be found. But before I advert 

 to the circumstances connected with their inhumation, it will 

 be necessary to describe, with some degree of precision, the 

 deep deposit of clay, marl, sand, and gravel, which distin- 

 guishes this district. 



The lofty ridges of primary strata which constitute the 

 chief part of the Isle of Man, must be considered as forming, 

 along their northerly line of termination, a part of the deep 

 boundary of an immense depression or basin that shelves ab- 

 ruptly to an unknown depth. The question then is, With 

 what materials has this depression of the Curragh been filled? 



An attentive examination of the nature of this deposit will 

 prove, that the basin contains transported fragments, the geo- 

 logical character of which is unlike that of any mountain 

 masses that occur in the Isle of Man. Far distant hills, 

 perhaps of Scotland, which have been chiefly composed of 

 transition limestone, trap-rock, grauwacke, quartz, granite, 

 and porphyry, having yielded to the disintegrating effects of 

 atmospheric agents, an immense quantity of debris has, in the 

 course of ages, accumulated ; and if we adopt the most ready 

 theory which is suggested on the occasion, an immense wave 

 from the north (which, according to the hypothesis of Pro- 

 fessor Auckland, has passed with an incredible velocity over 

 the surface of the earth, and has thus given rise to the Mosaic 

 deluge,) appears, in the course of its progress, to have forced 

 these disintegrated materials from their native site, and while 

 dispersing them in the direction of its current, to have at 



