314 



pliant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, &c. in countries and climates where 

 these animals have never been known to exist, were most probably formed 

 before our continents existed in their present state. 



Among the fossils of the British empire, none are more calculated to 

 excite astonishment than the enormous stags' horns which have been dug 

 up in different parts of Ireland. Dr. Molyneux, in 1697, published a 

 paper on this subject in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. xix. No. 

 227, in which he concludes that these remains are to be considered 

 as a proof that the American moose-deer was formerly common in that 

 island. 



In this paper he particularly describes a pair of these horns which were 

 found at Dardistown, near Drogheda. Mr. Henry Osborn, from whom 

 Dr. Molyneux received them, says : " This is the third head I have 

 found by casual trenching in my orchard. They were all dug up within 

 the compass of an acre of land, and lay about four or five feet under 

 ground, in a sort of boggy soil. The first pitch was of earth, the next 

 two or three of tur and then followed a sort of white marie, in which 

 they were found." 



Plate XX. Fig. 2, is an outline sketch of these horns, drawn to the 

 annexed scale. Their dimensions, Dr. Molyneux informs us, were as 

 follow: 



Feet Inches, 



From the extreme tip of each horn AB 10 10 



From the tip of the right horn to its root CD 5 2 



From the tip of one of the inner branches to the tip of 



the opposite branch EF 3 7| 



The length of one of the palms, within the branches.. ..GH 2 6 



The breadth of the same palm, within the branches.... IK 1 lOf 



The length of the right brow antler DL 1 2 



The beam of each horn, at some distance from the head M 



In diameter 2-rV 



In circumference 8 



