C foi ) 
And here I cannot but obferve, that the Red Deer 
in thefe our Days, is niuch more rare with us in Ire- 
land, than it has been formerly, even in the Memo- 
ry of Man : And tho' I take it to be a Creature, na- 
turally more peculiar to this Country then to Eytgland^ 
yet unlefs there be fome care taken to preferve it. I be- 
lieve in procefs of time this Kind may be loft alfo , 
like the other fort we were now fpeaking of. 
It remains we fliould fay fomething concerning the 
f refer Name of this Animal ^ and what Species of 
Creature it was to which thefe flately Horns formerly 
belonged. And I muft here needs own, that I have 
not met to this Day with any Perfon, that has fpent 
the leaft ferious thought concerning this matter. So 
deftitute have we been in this Place of that inquifitive 
Genius, that in thefe later Ages has fo much every- 
where prevailed, in fetting the Minds of Men upon a 
diligent fearch after, and making curious and ufeful 
Remarks, on all things that are truly the admirable 
Workmanihip of Nature. 
I know they are vulgarly call'd by ignorant Peo- 
pie, nay, and fome of the learned Fulgm 'm this Coun- 
try, Elches Hemes ; and that they are (b, is an Opini- 
" on generally received, and fatisfies fuch as talk of 
them Superficially, without further Enquiry ; and be- 
caufe this is ah Error that has fo Univerfally prevailed, 
I fliall take the more pains particularly to Confute it, 
and I hope clear this point fo from all manner of doubt, 
that for the future there fliall be no further queftions 
made of it again | the miftake, I am fatisfied, has on- 
ly proceeded from hence, that we are in thefe parts 
as great Strangers to that fort of Animal call'd the Ai- 
de E/che, or Elende , as we are to this of our own 
Country, 
