317 



of the elk. The space required by this part reduces the bony parts, and 

 extraordinarily enlarges and elongates the bony openings of the nostrils,, 

 and necessarily shortens the proper bones of the nose ; but nothing of this 

 kind is discoverable in the fossil sk^ull. The fossil head differs also from 

 that of the elk in the proportion between the length and the width : in the 

 former the width bearing a proportion to the length, as one to two; and, 

 in the latter, as one to three. 



It appears, that the magnitude of the fossil head does not by any means 

 keep pace with the enormous size of the horns ; the largest fossil head 

 not exceeding two feet, which is shorter than that of the common elk. 

 To calculate the size of the body from that of the head, seems hardly 

 admissible ; and not having yet obtained any authentic account of the 

 discovery of any of the bones of the trunk, or of the limbs of this animal, 

 there exists no sufficient basis for conjecture on this point. 



The resemblance which has been supposed to exist between this fossil 

 and the moose-deer, or elk of America, M. Cuvier contends is imaginary; 

 observing, that there does not appear to be any real specific difference 

 between the European and the American elk. Every thing, therefore, 

 he observes, agrees in authorizing us to consider the fossil elk of Ireland 

 as an animal belonging to a species, which, as will be shown to be the 

 case with several others, is now become extinct. 



The frequency with which these remains are found in Ireland is a cir- 

 cumstance not very easily explained, when it is also considered that thei 

 discovery of any of these remains in any other part of the globe is a very 

 rare occurrence. A fragment of a horn, apparently of this species, has 

 been found on the Rhine, near to Worms ; Ecrits de la Societt des Natu- 

 ralises de Berlin, p\ 388. In this specimen, the brow-antler is flattened. 

 The upper part of a skull, with two beams, resembling in their form and 

 proportions those of the Irish elk, have been found in the canal of 

 Ourcq, near to Sevrau, in the forest of Bondi, in the neighbourhood of 

 that spot where we have already seen the remains of elephants were, 

 discovered. 



