Scharkk, Seymour, and Newton — Castlepook Cave. 59 



to be that of a breed of very small cattle — smaller than the skull of an 



average-sized Kerry cow. This diminutive size was especially noticeable in 



the teeth. 



Sheep (Oris arics). 



In a great many instances it was impossible to discriminate clearly 

 between the bones of Sheep and Goat, for it is a well-known fact that the 

 ancient breed of Sheep were very goat-like in their limbs. In only five 

 instances out of thirty-seven Sheep-like remains could sheep be identified with 

 certainty. In two places the Sheep occurred in the same deposit with Rein- 

 deer and Bear. None of the Sheep bones nevertheless looked ancient, and it 

 is quite possible that they dropped accidentally into the older deposit during 

 the excavations. The Sheep belonged to a small race of the size of a modern 

 St. Kilda. 



The only trace of the undoubted presence of Man in the cave was revealed 

 by the lumbar vertebra of a lamb (M.D. 82) which showed knife incisions. 

 This bone had clearly been brought into the cave within recent years, possibly 

 to provide part of the luncheon of a casual visitor. 



Goat (Capra hircus). 



Only in seven cases out of thirty-seven Goat-like remains could the Goat be 



identified with certainty, the majority of the bones belonging to young animals. 



Although in four instances these goat bones were found together with bones 



of Reindeer and Bear, it need not necessarily be concluded that they all were 



contemporaneous, for the former had all the appearance of being perfectly 



recent. 



Reindeer {Rangifer tarandus). 



Reindeer bones and teeth were extremely numerous in the Cave. The two 

 animals that seemed to abound in Ireland more than any other at the time 

 the Castlepook Cave deposits were formed were the Reindeer and 1 .emming. 

 Two hundred and fourteen parcels of bones out of the three hundred and 

 forty-three sent by Mr. Ussher from this cave contained Reindeer remains — 

 that is to say over 60 per cent. It must be remembered that only a small 

 portion of the cave has been searched for animal remains, yet it is surprising 

 what a number of Reindeer bones it contained. The fragmentary remains of 

 thirty-nine individuals were recognizable, and there can be no doubt that the 

 Reindeer themselves did not enter the caves. Their bodies and limbs were 

 certainly dragged in by wild animals and devoured there at leisure. Among 

 the carnivore remains associated with those of Reindeer the bones of Bear, 

 Hyaena, and Wolf were conspicuous. To judge from the mingling of the bones 

 of all these species in the same deposit, I think the Reindeer must have lived 



[HZ] 



