316 



observes, that the horn of 'the New England black moose best agrees with 

 those found fossil in Ireland. 



Dr. Mortimer adds, in a note to this, paper of Mr. Dale's : " As to the 

 large horns found fossil in Ireland, I have taken particular notice (in se- 

 veral I have seen), besides the main horns being palmated, that the 

 brow-antlers are likewise palmated; which is a circumstance peculiar 

 to the rein-deer species, being of great service to them in removing the 

 snow, in order to get at the grass or moss underneath, which is their chief 

 subsistence in Lapland." 



M. Cuvier observes : " II est cependant certain que les bois fossiles 

 d'Irlande ne peuvent venir ni de 1'elan ni du renne : nous n'avons pas 

 besoin de le prouver au long pour ce dernier, puisque leur difference saute 

 aux yeux ; 1'andouiller qui descend sur le front, et qui a seul donne lieu a 

 la comparaison, etant toujours simple dans le fossile, et jamais branchu 

 comme dans le renne." The fact however is, as M. Cuvier has stated it, 

 that the brow-antler in the rein-deer is palmated, and that in the fossil 

 animal it is generally not: it is however sometimes flattened. 



It now remains to examine into the degree of accordance between 

 these fossil horns and those of the elk, with the horns of which animal 

 these horns have been most frequently supposed to agree. The first com- 

 parative view furnishes us with these facts, that the fossil horns far surpass 

 in size the horns of any known elk ; and that, in the horns of the elk, the 

 antlers are much more numerous than in the fossil horns ; so that the 

 fossil horns, although by far the largest, have the fewest antlers. In ad- 

 dition to these, M. Cuvier notices the three following essential differences: 

 1. The antler, which in the fossil horn descends from the bottom of the 

 beam, over the forehead of the animal, does not exist in the elk. 2. The 

 fossil horn has antlers passing out from the inner edge of the palm, which 

 is not the case with the horn of the elk. 3. The palm of the fossil horn 

 enlarges by degrees, and takes the form of a fan ; whilst that of the elk 

 is widest at its lower part, and narrows as it ascends. Another very im- 

 portant difference results from the large cartilaginous and fleshy muzzle 



