ON THE IRISH ELK REMAINS. 347 



Permission having been obtained from the proprietor and occupier of 

 the land, some trial excavations were made on May 13 and 14, but the 

 water prevented our sinking to any depth except at the edge (S.W.) of 

 the hollow, where we penetrated to over 7 feet with the following 

 results : — 



Loughan-ruy Ballaterson, Ballaugh. 



Thickness Depth 



of bed from turfaca 



Ft. in. Ft. in. 



A. Peat 16 16 



B. Sand, yellow 10 2 6 



C. Sandy silt, grey (with Salix herhacea and 



Lepidurus (^Ajpiis) glacialis) .... 2 6 50 



D. Loamy peat 8 5 8 



E. Gravel 10 68 



F. Marl (' Chara Marl ') 4 7 



G. Sharp sand and gravel 6 and more. 



Depth excavated . . . .76 



Examples from these different beds were forwarded to the officers of 

 the Geological Survey for examination, and we are indebted to Mr. James 

 Bennie, of Edinburgh, who undertook the laborious washing and sorting 

 of the material, and to Mr. Clement Reid for his report upon them, which 

 we append. 



On June 24 further excavations were attempted across the bed of the 

 pool, but the inflowing water prevented any results ; nor is it expected 

 that the necessary depth can be attained till the end of July or 

 the middle of August. It is hoped that further work will have been 

 possible before the meeting of the Association, although the results cannot 

 be attained in time to incorporate with this report.' 



The Committee ask for reappointment. They propose to excavate in 

 the autumn at Loughanruy to the full depth of about 18 feet, at which 

 the Edinburgh specimen was found. The bones were apparently obtained 

 from the marl represented by the bed F of our section, this marl 

 evidently thinning off towards the edge of the hollow. Many skulls, 

 bones, and antlers are said to have been left. The Committee propose 

 also to excavate at Kentraugh, in the south of the island, where antlei's 

 have been met with ; and at Ballalough, near St. John's, and elsewhere, 

 where remains have been reported, with the hope of discovering such 

 remains in situ, so that a full examination of the accompanying fauna and 

 flora may be obtained. 



It will be seen that the results of this examination are of considerable 

 importance. The little Arctic crustacean Lepidurus glacialis was first 

 found in the Isle of Man two or three years ago in the peaty material 

 obtained from a well on the gravel platform at Kirk Michael,''^ and had 

 not hitherto been discovei-ed so far southward in Great Britain. In that 

 instance the conditions were unfavourable for the investigation of the 

 deposit which contained it, so that our discovery of its remains at Loughan- 



» Such further work at Ballalough, near Peel, has proved successful, a fairly 

 perfect skeleton— with, however, the skull missing and some of the bones decayed — 

 having been unearthed. Full details will be given in our next year's Eeport. — 

 October 1897. 



- Annual Report of Geological Survey for 1895, p. 13. 



