1888. ] 2 43 [ Mooney. 
Fig. 8.—Dorycrinus (species undescribed) with Platyceras formosum 
Keyes attached. 
Fig. 9.—Another view of Platyceras formosum Keyes from the Kinder- 
hook of Marshall county, Iowa. 
Figs. 10 and 11.—Platyceras latum Keyes from the Burlington limestone. 
Figs. 12 and 13.— Platyceras obliquum Keyes from the Burlington lime- 
stone. 
Figs. 14 and 15.—Platyceras capax Keyes from the Burlington limestone. 
Figures 1 to 9 are from specimens in the collection of Messrs. Wachs- 
muth and Springer; figures 10 to 15 from specimens in the collection of 
the writer. 
The Funeral Customs of Ireland. 
By James Mooney ( Wushington, D. C.). 
(Read before the American Philosophical Society, October 19, 1888.) 
SYNOPSIS. I. Ancrent. 
Primitiv Ideas of Spirit World.—Tying the ghost—driving off ghosts— 
offerings at grave—heaven and hell—purgatory and transmigration—leads 
to embalming, etc.—modern ideas developd from the old, as shown by 
archeology and survivals. 
Early Races of Ireland.—Fomorians—Firbolgs—Tuatha-de. Dananns— 
Milesians—the first probably not Aryan. 
Ancient Burial Types.—Disjointed burial—extended burial—cremation 
—mounds, kistveens and urns—cremation nearly universal—Australian 
and other parallels of disjointed burial—generally indicates lowest status 
of savagery—extended burial may be Danish—examples—cremation— 
New Grange, etc.—urn burial—body sometimes cremated within the tomb 
—battle of Moytura and burial notices—funeral sacrifices and cannibal- 
ism—the round towers, not sepulchral—royal burial and Indian parallel 
—brain balls as trophies—legend of King Conor MacNessa. 
II. Moprrn, 
Causes of decay of old customs—Omens—the Banshee—fairy influence 
in sickness and death —instances—feeding abducted persons—fairy chan ge- 
lings—malignant spirits—feathers at death—burying the disease, parallels. 
PRELIMINARIES—hoarding for the funeral—ceremonies of the dying bed— 
laying out the corpse—the Maistinid'—watching the corpse. THE WaKke— 
origin and purpose—the gathering—the Cavine or funeral lament— 
