OR, GREAT IRISH DEER 221 



its extinction ; as well as to the order of a succession of events in the 

 prehistoric dawn. Indications of the presence of man must be looked 

 for as following in natural sequence to the geological reconstruction 

 of specific areas, and their evidences of climatic changes in the post- 

 glacial period. Sir John Lubbock remarks in his " Prehistoric 

 Times," when referring to the Cervus megaceros : " Though there is 

 no longer any doubt that this species coexisted with man, the evi- 

 dence of this has been obtained from the bone-caves, and from strata 

 belonging to the age of the river-drift gravels. No remains of the 

 Irish elk have yet been found in association with bronze ; nor indeed 

 are we aware of any which can be referred to the later, or ISTeolithic 

 Age." When the subject was under discussion at the meeting of the 

 British Association at Dublin, Professor W. Gr. Adams afl&rmed most 

 definitely the co-existence of palseolithic man and the fossil elk ; while 

 admitting the absence of any such evidence where the remains of the 

 latter are now found in greatest abundance. " There is," he said, " no 

 evidence that in Ireland man existed contemporary with the Mega- 

 ceros, or had any thing to do with its extinction ; whereas we have 

 authentic evidences of the coexistence of man with this animal in 

 England." 



This conclusion, however consistent with the proofs thus far 

 obtained, cannot as yet be recognized as one so absolutely settled 

 as to render further research' superfluous. Whistles formed of 

 phalanges of the reindeer are among the most characteristic imple- 

 ments of the more ancient French caves ; and one found by M. E. 

 Piette, in 1871, along with various flint implements, in the Cavern 

 of Gourdan (Haute-Garonne), pierced not only with a mouth-piece, 

 but with finger-holes along the sides, is aptly described by him as a 

 neolithic flute. There is nothing therefore in the mere design or 

 workmanship of the primitive Irish lyre incompatible with its execu- 

 tion at the period when the Irish elk survived ; if it can be shown 

 that it was coeval with man in Ireland. Professor Boyd Dawkins 

 when drawing attention to the fact that out of 48 well ascertained 

 species living in the palaeolithic period, only 31 ai-e found surviving 

 into the neolithic period, adds : " The cave bear, cave lion, and cave 

 hyaena had vanished away, along with a whole gi-oup of pachyderms ; 

 and of all the extinct animals, but one, the Irish elk, still survived." 

 There is indeed something peculiar and exceptional in this magnifi- 

 cent deer which so specially claims a place among the extinct m.mi- 



