SIO Scientific Notices — Zoology* [April, 



a tolerably correct analysis of its earthy materials, my attention 

 was directed to its animal constituents, which, as the following 

 experiments establish, were found in a state of perfect preserva- 

 tion. The bone was subjected for two days to the action of 

 dilute muriatic acid. When examined at the end of this period, 

 it had become as flexible as a recent bone submitted to the 

 action of the same solvent. The periosteum was in some parts 

 puffed out by carbonic acid gas, disengaged from the bone, and 

 appeared to be in a state of soundness. To a portion of the 

 solution of the bone in the muriatic acid some infusion of galls 

 was added, which caused a copious precipitate of a dun colour. 

 This proved to be tannate of gelatine, mixed with a small por- 

 tion of the tannate and gallate of iron. The cartilage and gela- 

 tine therefore, so far from being destroyed, had not been percep- 

 tibly altered by time." 



Mr. Hart, in speaking of the specific character of the animal, 

 makes the following observations : It is now clearly ascertained 

 that the only large species of deer inhabiting the northern parts 

 of America are the wapiti or Canadian stag {Cervus Canadensis)^ 

 the rein-deer (C. Tarandus), and the moose or elk (C. Alces). 

 The peculiar branching of the brow antlers of the rein-deer, and 

 the rounded horns of the wapiti,* are characters sufficient to 

 prevent us confounding either of these animals with the fossil 

 species. The palmate form of the horns of the elk gave greater 

 probability to the opinion of its specific identity with the fossil 

 animal. A little attention, however, to a few circumstances, 

 will show a most marked difference between them. First, as to 

 size, the difference is very remarkable, it not being uncommon 

 to find the fossil horns ten feet between the extreme tips, while 

 the largest elk's horns never measure four feet. This measure- 

 ment in a pair in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society is 

 three feet seven inches ; the largest pair seen by Pennant in the 

 house of the Hudson's Bay Company measured thirty-four 

 inches.']- The horn of the elk has two palms, a lesser one which 

 grows forward from the front of the beam where the principal 

 palm begins to expand. This is called brow antler by Cuvier, 

 but it corresponds in situation rather to the sur-antJer, there 

 being, properly speaking, no brow antler attached to the root of 

 the beam. The elk has no posterior antler similar to that of 

 the fossil animal, nor does its beam take a similar arched direc- 

 tion, but runs more directly outwards. 



Cuvier remarks, that the palm of the fossil horn increases in 

 breadth as it extends outwardly, while that of the elk is broadest 

 next the beam. 



• A fine pair of this species, male and female, were exhibited by Mr. Bullock in this 

 city a few summers ago. They did not answer to any description of Pennant or of Dr. 

 Shaw, but had the characters of C. Canadensis as given by Cuvier. 



•j- Pennant's Zoology, vol. i. 



