Miscellaneous, 235 



Mr. Ball observed that the discrimination of skulls of bears presented 

 zoological difficulties quite sufficient to account for the erroneous views 

 which had been taken : the alterations of age in the occipital and 

 sagittal crests, the dropping of the premolars, and, in some cases, of 

 the incisor teeth, were quite sufficient to mislead, and had often misled 

 naturalists ; but the structure and arrangement of the molar teeth, 

 and the peculiar depressed form of the bullae tympanicse, are unerring 

 proofs of the Ursidse, at all times distinguishing them from Dogs. 



Mr. Ball then proceeded to remark, that if any e\ddence were 

 wanted to prove that the skulls alluded to were Irish, he could supply 

 it by producing a cast of a third specimen, from which he had been 

 kindly allowed to take a mould for the University Museum by its 

 owner, Mr. Cooke of Parsonstown ; the original had been found in 

 Mr. Cooke's neighbourhood, as Mr. Ball understood, in deepening a 

 river. He mentioned also that he had heard from the late Mr. John 

 Robinson, of that locality, of the discovery and wanton destruction of 

 skulls on his grounds, which were very possibly those of bears. It 

 is probable that the bear and great Irish deer were involved in one 

 common catastrophe, and perished together. 



Mr. Ball stated, that being desirous of confirming the accuracy of 

 his own views, he submitted casts of the skulls to the greatest living 

 authority, merely stating that they were supposed to be Irish, and 

 requesting an opinion as to their species. The following note is the 

 reply to his questions : — 



" College of Surgeons, London, Dec. 7, 1849. 



" My dear Ball, — The casts of the fine crania of bear duly ar- 

 rived, and I have been comparing them this niorning. They all differ 

 from Ursus spelceus in the minor elevation of the forehead, and what 

 is more decisive, in the smaller relative sizes of the last molar, upper 

 jaw ; they also retain the first premolar. The largest of the three 

 skulls presents a close correspondence of general form and of flatness 

 of forehead with the largest of our old male skulls of Ursus maritimus, 

 but the molars are relatively larger, especially the last, in the Irish 

 skull ; this is decisive against Ursus maritimus. I regret that I have 

 no skull at command of a good old male U.ferox. A young female 

 skull of that species indicates the proportions of the molars to be 

 similar to those in the Irish specimens ; but then the proportions of 

 the teeth in question are likewise those of Ursus arctos ; and the two 

 smaller skulls from Ireland show an elevation of forehead, which, 

 though less than in U. spelceus, is greater than in any specimen or 

 figure that I have seen of U.ferox. There remain, therefore, for 

 comparison, the vaiieties of Ursus arctos, for the tropical Indian and 

 Malayan bears have characteristics too well-marked and well-known 

 to be dwelt on. 



" The great black variety of the European Ursus arctos is that to 

 which the Irish skulls offer the nearest resemblance. I can find no 

 character in the casts of the skulls which you have sent that I could 

 point to as a specific distinction ; b\it then I must add, that I feel 

 equal difficulty in laying down the specific distinction between the 



