PREFACE. XI 



strength and thickness of the skull would almost to a certainty render 

 the blow unavailing : and in the fourth place, supposing the females 

 domesticated, and the occasional tenants of sheds and other build- 

 ings, we may well imagine that the males were excluded from such 

 buildings by the enormous size of their antlers. Perhaps a few only 

 of the males, as in our cattle, were suffered to become adult, one 

 male sufficing for many females. Perhaps the males were allowed 

 free range, the females only being permitted at stated seasons to 

 accompany them. In fine, the more we investigate probabilities, the 

 more we reason from present experience and knowledge, the less 

 difficulty shall we find in the way of believing the gigantic deer 

 of Ireland, an animal coeval with man and subservient to his 

 uses. 



I beg to invite particular attention to M. Deby's papers (Zool. 

 1462 and 1528) on Whales. They are admirably written, and 

 display a very unusual knowledge of the most obscure order of 

 vertebrate animals. 



In records of new Birds, the present volume is unusually rich : 

 the Spotted Eagle (Aqaila ncevia), is reported by Mr. Davis as 

 having occurred in Ireland (Zool. 1207) ; but I regret to add 

 that subsequent records on the same subject must be received with 

 caution : Mr. Fisher, who has lately visited the west of Ireland, 

 is persuaded that no third species of eagle occurs in any abundance ; 

 the record of this bird as British, must therefore be limited to 

 two examples, one of which escaped, and the other is preserved 

 in the Museum at Dublin. The Great Belted Kingfisher {Alcedo 

 alcyon) has occurred twice in Ireland as reported by Mr. Ball (Zool. 

 1212) : other specimens have been offered for sale as Irish, but 

 must be regarded with doubt. The Australian Spine-tailed Swallow 

 [Acanthylis caudacuta) has been killed in Essex, as reported by Mr. 

 Catchpool (Zool. 1492). The Red-billed Whidah-bird {Emberiza 

 vidua) and Crimson Weaver-bird (Euplectes ignicolor) are reported 

 from the coast of Kent by Dr. Plomley (Zool. 1497 and 1499). 



