Dr Hibbert on the Cervus Euryceros, or Irish Elk. 133 



The poet also makes use of the expression suouxeowras dfaiig in 

 distinguishing; this race of Cervi from all others of the deer 

 kind. Hence, the propriety of giving the appellation, which 

 I have recommended, to the gigantic, yet elegant, fossil elk. 

 Likewise, in connection with the speculations and allusions 

 of older naturalists, the term Cervus Euryceros way, with 

 much advantage, be used instead of the unscientific name 

 Irish Elk, which leads to the erroneous notion, that the remains 

 of this animal had been found only in the sister kingdom. 



When engaged in these antiquarian considerations, I shall 

 add little more relative to the Cervus Euryceros, (as I would 

 now name the Irish Elk,) than that this animal is said to 

 have been alluded to in the 12th century, by Giraldus Cam- 

 brensis, in his topographical account of Ireland. He de- 

 scribes certain of the deer kind, as, " Cervos prae nimia pin- 

 guedine minus fugere praevalentes, quantoque minores sunt 

 corporis quantitate, praecellentius efferuntur capitis et cor- 

 nuum dignitate." But it is difficult to admit, that this pas- 

 sage has in it the entire force that the cautious historian 

 would require ; for although it corresponds in the description 

 given of the horns and head, the alleged shortness of the body 

 is still the puzzling circumstance. Yet, according to the cal- 

 culation of Dr Knox, the animal has in its dimensions been 

 overrated, its height to the withers being only about five feet.* 

 Hence, when the body is contemplated, in connection with its 

 amazing display of horns, it is by no means unlikely that it 

 would be regarded as comparatively short. This is, in fact, 

 the impression of a spectator, when he sees for the first time 

 the skeleton in the Museum of Edinburgh, notwithstanding 

 it has been set up much too high.-f- Giraldus's other remark, 

 that the animal was little calculated for flight, because of its ex- 

 treme bulkiness, points to a circumstance, regarding which we 



" This I learn from a conversation with Dr Knox, who has suspended, 

 for the present, publishing any details on the subject. 



t Although this specimen was certainly not perfect, yet there is so much 

 of the osteology of the animal to be learned from it, that we must consider 

 it as one of the most interesting relics of the Cervus Euryceros that has 

 yet been preserved. It was the munificent donation of His Grace the Duke 

 of Atholl. 



