Adams — On the History of Irish Fossil Mammals. 89 



XVI. — Repokt on the HrsTOET op Ieish Fossil Mammais. By A;- 

 Leith Adams, F. R. S., F. Gr. S., Professor of Zoology in the Royal 

 College of Science for Ireland. 



(Abeidgment op the Report.) 



[Eead, June 10, 1877.] 



The following Abstract has been furnished at the request of the Com- 

 mittee of Publication of the Royal Irish Academy, in consequence of 

 the original Report requiring more illustrations than were considered 

 advisable to recommend, on account of the attendant expense. 



The extinct and fossil mammals of Ireland have been variously 

 enumerated. Several of the latest writers on the subject include 

 domesticated oxen, sheep, and goats among the feral lost animals, '^ 

 Avhilst certain mammals are enumerated whose existence appears 

 doubtful when carefully compared with typical examples of the 

 species to which they have been referred. 



According to the views apprehended in this Paper, the only extinct 

 mammals hitherto discovered in Ireland are as follows : — 



"Wild Horse {Equus caballus). 



Wild Hog {Sus scrofa). 



Irish Elk {Cervus megaceros). 



Reindeer {Cervus tarandus). 



Hairy Elephant {Eleplias primigenius). 



Grisly Bear {Vrsus fossilis, vel U. ferox fossilis). 



"Wolf {Cmiis lupiis). 



Of recent Irish mammals, the only species hitherto found in fossil 

 states are the Alpine Hare {Lepus variahilis), and the Fox (^Canis 

 vulpes), and Red Deer [Cervus elaphus). 



The so-called fossil Cetacean remains reported to have been dis- 

 covered in Ireland refer, as far as I can make out, to detached bones, 

 none of which have been determined as belonging to extinct or fossil 

 species. 



Agaiti, the asserted discoveries of exuvia3 of certain quadrupeds in 

 Irish strata, to wit, Hippopotamus, Ursus spelasus, Ursus maritimus, 

 TJrsus arctos, Cervus alces, appear to me to rest altogether on unsatis- 

 factory evidence. On these accounts I conclude that my researches into 

 their histories have not been a work of supererogation ; for, although 

 it is demonstrated thereby that the list of Irish fossil mammals is re- 

 markably small as compared with England, and in several respects 

 deficient as compared with Scotland, the objects, as far as they extend, 

 belong to lost mammals, with one exception, also met with in the 



1 Hull, " On the Physical Geology of Ireland" (1878). Scott, Geological Ma- 

 gazine, vol. vii. 



H 2 



