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specimens, more or less perfect, and exhibiting great variety in size, 
shape and direction of horn-cores; they also show great difference in 
age. Among the specimens most worthy of note are Nos. 17 and 18, 
figured below, which are good examples of the Ovis polycoratus of Lin- 
nus. 
Fig. 10. Fig. 11. 
In the illustration from No. 16, Fig. 9, there are four horns, the 
left supplemental one being but rudimentary. No. 17, Fig. 10, is 
a good specimen of the head of the four-horned sheep of the ordinary 
character. It is drawn from the occipital aspect. No. 18, Fig. 11, affords a 
posterior view of the cranium of a small specimen of five-horned sheep, 
~ three on the left and two on the right side: the face part is wanting ; it is 
only six inches across between the extremities of the horn-cores; the 
horns were all curved forwards over the face and orbits. No. 17 par- 
takes of the same character, although in a slighter degree. According to 
Buffon, the many-horned sheep prevail in the North, and they probably 
came to us from that direction. In Iceland they have sometimes as 
many as eight horns, while in warm countries the hornless variety is 
less frequently found. With a plurality of horns is generally associated 
a coarser description of wool. In the cold parts of the Himalayan range 
we also find the four-horned variety, like No. 17. 
In Nos. 1 to 7 inclusive, the face part is wanting. This latter was 
found at Dunshaughlin, and presented by the author. No. 12 was 
found at Ballinderry, county of Westmeath, and presented by Dr. 
Lentaigne. Nos. 14 and 15 are the most perfect specimens in the col- 
lection. In several of these heads it is difficult to draw a distinction 
between them. To the naturalist as well as the historian these remains 
of ovine animals are of much interest. 
‘When the horse ( Cappul) and the ass (Asswl) were first introduced 
into Ireland, is unknown, but we read of the “‘ deacon of the ass”’ in the 
days of St. Patrick. There are five horses’ heads in the Academy’s 
bone collection, but two of them are very recent.* The bones of the horse 
* Dr. O’Donovan has afforded the following note upon this subject .—‘‘I do not think 
we have had the asslong. Asal was the name of a man at a very early period; but it 
does not mean asinus. 
