Report of Meetings for 1886. By J. Hardy. 345 



ately (Proc. Soc. Ant. vol. ix., 1870-71, pp. 1-56). Dr Smith 

 also describes another skull of the Elk, with antlers, which is 

 now placed above the entrance hall at Mertoun House. It was 

 discovered "in a bog at Oakwood, the property of the Right 

 Hon. the Lord Polwarth, a few miles up the Ettrick above Sel- 

 kirk, and was brought upwards of thirty yeai'S ago, by the Hon. 

 Francis Scott, to Mertoun House. The specimen consists of the 

 upper part of the cranium with the horns, the nasal bones still 

 remaining. The horns are not large, but are distinctly pal- 

 mated." (Ibid. p. 37). In the Club's "Proceedings," 1860, 

 (vol. v. pp. 206-208, plate 2), I have described a portion of a 

 palmated Elk's horn, that had been broken across towards the 

 cranial extremity of the horn, and the palm expands at the 

 opposite extremity into four terminal snags. This was found at 

 Coldingham, in 1859. I referred it doubtfully to the Great 

 Irish Elk; but MrHowse (Trans. Tyneside Club, vol. v.) correctly 

 judged it to belong to Cervus alces ; and Dr Smith agrees with 

 him. Then there were no such ready sources of reference as 

 fortunately exist now. I took it to the Edinburgh College 

 Museum, but neither the Professor of Natural History, nor his 

 henchman, could give any opinion about it ; nor had they the 

 politeness to ask me to compare it with other specimens that 

 might be in the museum. All this is changed ! No one now 

 requires to ask a professor or a museum-keeper what such and 

 such a thing is. The mention of the Elk reminds me of this 

 incident ; for I was affronted at the ignorance and unconcern 

 shewn by Alma mater about what was for the period a valuable 

 discoveiy 



I agai a resume Mr Douglas's notes, as I did not accompany 

 those Wxio elected to cross by the boat, to reach Littledean 

 Tower. — 



Lord Polwarth's son, the Hon. H. Scott, courteously accom- 

 panied them through the grounds, which are adorned by many 

 magnificent trees. The sides of the footpaths are decorated 

 with fino old-world garden plants, including the brilliant blue- 

 flowered evergreen alkanet {Anchusa sempervirens), the leopard's 

 bane (Doronicum Pardalianches), and the gi'eat-leaved Valeriana 

 pyrenaica. 



A short way below Mertoun the party found themselves at the 

 side of the river, and intended to cross in order to visit the 



1 K 



