Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



LYIII. — EE:irAEKs oif the Eecext Discotert of Resiatn-s op the 

 Ceeyus Megaceeos at Balltbetagh. By Geoege Pokte, M. E,. I. A. 



[Read Jtme 12, 1876.] 



Masty years ago I took great interest in the discoveiy of the remains 

 of the Cervus Megaceros in various parts of Ireland, but during the 

 recent explorations at Ballybetagh I had an opportunity of examining 

 them in situ, under conditions differing so much from all that had 

 previously come under my notice, that I think it desirable to place on 

 record these unusual circumstances. 



I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Moss for the opportanity of 

 making my observations without any of the labour and trouble of 

 superintending the excavations. 



I have made the following notes as a supplement to his Eeport,'^' 

 which could not be more acciu-ate than it is, but it treats only of the 

 mode of conducting the exploration, and the results obtained. I may 

 observe that he is not in any way responsible for the opinions herein 

 expressed ; indeed, I have reason to think that he has not arrived at 

 the same conclusions as I have on all points. 



Judging from the dip of the sides of the valley where these remains 

 were found, and comparing it with the excavations made, it appears 

 that the central parts were originally some 15 feet below the present 

 surface, and that a considerable stream or torrent ran through it. It 

 also appears that at a very remote period this torreut was obstructed 

 by some means or other, converting that part of the valley into a 

 shallow lake or tarn, from an acre to an acre and a-half in area, and 

 in no part more than about 1 5 feet deep ; this tarn is now completely 

 filled up with the usual lacustrine deposits (marl excepted), of which 

 none appeared in the excavations made, although a considerable deposit 

 of marl is found in a similar but larger basin, a couple of hundred 

 yards lower down the valley. 



Beneath the lacustrine deposits, lying on the bottom of the tarn, 

 that is to say, on the original surface of the valley, the remains were 

 found in immense quantities, firmly imbedded between the water- 

 worn boulders which were thickly scattered over it. 



In almost every county in Ireland similar remains have fi'om time 

 to time been found, and still a very common error prevails, even among 

 well-informed people, that they are always found in hogs : this error 

 originates in the custom of giving the general name of " bog" to every 

 place where turf may be cut for fuel, whether it be a true peat-moss, 

 or the basin of an extinct lake. 



jS^ow T have never been able to trace a single instance in which 

 remains of the Cervus Megaceros were found in a real bog. So far as 



* Antea, p. 547. 



