232 November 1748. 



England, and other parts of North America. 

 Thty fometimes dig very long and branched 

 horns out of the ground in Ireland, and no body 

 in that country, or any where elfe in the world, 

 knows an animal that has fuch horns. This has 

 induced many people to believe that it is the 

 Mcofe-deer, fo famous in North America, and 

 that the horns found were of animals of this 

 kind, which had formerly lived in that ifland, but 

 were gradually deftroyed. It has even been con- 

 cluded, that Ireland, in diftant ages, either was 

 connected with North America, or that a num 7 

 ber of little iilands, which arc loft at prefent, 

 made a chain between them. This led me to 

 enquire, whether an animal with fuch exceffive 

 great horns, as are defcribed to the Moofe-deer, 

 had ever been feen in any part of this country. 

 Mr. Ear tram told me, that, notwithftanding he 

 had carefully enquired to that purpofe, yet there 

 -was no perfon who could give him any informa- 

 tion which could be relied upon ; and therefore, 

 he was entirely of opinion, that there was no 

 fuch an animal in North America. Mr. Frank-. 

 tin related, that he had, when a boy, feen two 

 of the animals which they call Mocfe-deer, but he 

 well remembered that they were not near of fuch 

 a fize as they muft have been, if the horns found 

 in Ireland were to fit them : the two animals 

 which he faw, were brought to Boflon, in order 

 to be lent to England to Queen Anne. The 

 Jieight of the animal up to the back was that of 

 a pretty tall horfe, but the head and its horns 

 >yerp ftill higher : Mr, Dudley has given a de- 



fc option 



