320 



PICTURESQUE SKETCHES 



remarkable is that which is generally known as the 

 great Irish elk (Cervus [Megaceros\ Jiibernicus) ; and 

 the remains of this animal were described so long 

 ago as 1697, but were then referred to the Ame- 

 rican moose. The Irish deer, however, surpassed 

 the largest elks or wapiti insize, and much exceeded 

 them in the dimensions of the antlers. This character 

 the vast proportionate size of the horns which is 

 illustrated in the adjacent cut (139), where they are 



139 



140 



138 



FALLOW DEER. 



MEGACEROS. 



ELK. 



placed side by side with those of other species of 

 deer, (138, 140,) together with the stronger propor- 

 tions of the limbs and the great size of the vertebree 

 of the neck, are modifications which completely dis- 

 tinguish the fossil animal from the moose, and prove 

 it to have been less like that than many of the other 

 deer. In fact, the fallow deer offers the nearest ana- 

 logies to this extinct and gigantic species. 



Several well preserved and perfect skeletons of the 



