FOSSIL ELK OF IRELAND. 505 



It is not improbable, therefore, that the chace of this 

 gigantic animal once supplied the inhabitants of this coun- 

 try with food and clothing. 



As to the causes which led to the extinction of this 

 animal, whether it was suddenly destroyed by the de- 

 luge, or by some other great catastrophe of nature, or 

 whether it was ultimately exterminated by the con- 

 tinued and successful persecution of its pursuers, as 

 has nearly been the case with the red deer within the 

 recollection of many of the present generation, I pro- 

 fess myself unable to form any decided opinion, owing 

 to the limited number of facts as yet collected on the 

 subject. On some future occasion I may, perhaps, be 

 induced to revert to so interesting a topic, should I have 

 opportunities of discovering any thing worthy of commu- 

 nication. 





