298 
YORKSHIRE TUMULI. 
wishing as far as possible to certify his opinion, had written to Dr, 
Ball, of Trinity College, Dublin, and sent him a sketch of the skull 
in question, to which Dr. Ball replied : — 
Dr. Ball to Mr. Denny. 
3, Granby Row, Dublin, 
July 30th, 1S56. 
My Dear Sir, 
The sketch you sent is of the contour of a wolf's head of per- 
haps two years of age, but if the drawing be correct in the proportions 
of the teeth, the largest molars and canines are not large enough for 
a wolf. I would therefore say your specimen is the skull of a dog of 
a wolfish aspect. I have studied the subject a good deal, and made 
instructive collections, and have wolves' skulls of many ages, as well 
as dogs of various breeds, and several of both species from the bogs. 
I have not yet got any skull of a dog so large as 1 should suppose 
our great Irish dogs possessed. I rather imagine these animals were 
at all times rare and probably the property of great men. If they at 
all exist at present they are probably in the mountains of the North 
of Africa, where is to be found a dog possessed of the proportions 
ascribed to our ancient animal, and knowing from other circumstances 
that some intercourse existed in remote ages between the North of 
Africa and Ireland, hence I am led to believe came the great dog in 
question. Truly yours, 
R. Ball. 
Mr. Denny, in conclusion, remarks on the scarcity of the remains 
of dog associated with those of other animals which were undoubtedly 
domesticated in early ages by man. 
At the succeeding meeting, held at Barnsley, Mr. Thos. Wright, 
M.A,, F.S. A., contributed a paper on some ancient barrows, or tumuli, 
recently opened in East Yorkshire. On the higher ground to the 
north of Bridlington is a village called Hunton, near which is a con- 
tinuous embankment, extending across several fields and enclosing an 
oblong space. Within this are many pit-formed hollows in the ground, 
and a number of large barrows scattered about appear to indicate a 
primeval cemetery. Its position is exactly such a one as the early 
inhabitants of our island were accustomed to choose for that purpose. 
