On the Recent and Extinct Irish Mammals. - 55 
IV. URSINH REMAINS FROM COUNTY KILDARE. 
The cranium here referred to, was found in conjunction with 
remains of deer in a cutting connected with the river Boyne, 
above Leinster Bridge, near Kilrathmurry. The nature of the 
deposit however, is not accurately defined. It is stated that the 
soil was marshy, and that the exwvie were discovered at a 
depth of “four feet in peat and sand” very probably under the 
former, however the dark colour of the skull would seem to point 
to bog soakage. It is to be regretted that none of the other 
bones, which seem to have been plentiful, were preserved. The 
cranium in question is figured and referred to by Wilde* and 
is preserved in the Museum of Science and Art. 
The sagittal and other cranial ridges are not well defined, and 
the teeth have their tubercles very little detrited, but the sutures 
are all closed. It is evidently the cranium of an adolescent, but 
full-srown Bear. The incisors are wanting, also the first and 
penultimate premolar of the left, and the latter of the right side. 
The first premolar of the right side is suppressed——The ultimate 
true molar, right side is wanting, but all the other teeth are in 
their sockets. 
The sagittal suture is very short, as will appear from the 
Table; the post orbital ridges being given off within 23 inches 
of the occipital crest. The parietal region is more prominent 
than in many of the other Irish crania.f The specimen is 
evidently the skull of a female. | Unfortunately the loss of both 
jugal arcades prevents comparisons between them and those of the 
other crania. The posterior nares are however long and narrow 
as compared with Ursus arctos, and therefore more in common with 
U. ferox and the U. fossilis. 
The dentition is shown in the Odontogram, Fig. 2, page 60. 
The last pre-molar is distinctly bitubercular. The last true 
molar is less compressed posteriorly than in the Leitrim specimen, 
but this is of no great importance ; it is consequently more like 
what obtains often in Ursus ferox and Ursus arctos. When 
* Proc: Royal Irish Acad. Vol. v. p. 53. Appezdix and Vol. vii. p. 192. 
+ Indicating a large brain case, which, as compared with that of the Leitrim skull, 
held 24 cubic inches of rape seed, being 2 cubic inches less than the contents of the 
latter, 
