10 
Hulla aque vicina abundabat” (tom. iv., pp. 34-100).* The 
correctness of this tradition, however, like many others, 
although very probable, has been questioned. Professor 
Phillips says Beverley, instead of being Bever-lac, owing 
its name to beavers and lakes, is simply Pedwar-llech, the 
Greek Petouaria, chief city of the Parisoi, from whence we 
have Bevorlac and Beverley. f Our specimen, therefore, 
possesses peculiar interest, both geological and historical as 
being not only the first instance of the remains of the beaver 
which has been -found in Yorkshire, but also as corroborating 
the former tradition of its actual existence in the neighbour- 
hood of Beverley at remote periods, and therefore giving 
some plausibility to the name of the town. 
When, however, it became extinct in Britain it is not so 
easy to determine ; but that it was beginning to be scarce in 
the 9th century is evident, as Pennant cites a passage from 
an early record — the Leges Wallicoe, or the Laws of Howel 
the Good — to show the value of a beaver’s skin was 12(M, 
while that of an otter was only 12 d.\ and again, we find 
that in the reign of Henry I., in the 11th century, an export 
duty of 4 cl. per skin was authorised to be levied at Newcastle - 
upon- Tyne — a large amount in those days. 
The second animal whose remains I have to record as a 
former inhabitant of Yorkshire, is the Elk or Moose deer 
(Alces malchis ), which has occurred in two instances. In 
the spring of 1822, as some workmen in the employ of 
Messrs. G. and W. Tindall, nursery and landscape gardeners, 
of Beverley, were employed in digging out some drift gravel 
to construct a lake at Thorpe Hall, near Bridlington, the seat 
of Lord Macdonald, they found, at the depth of about four 
and a half feet from the surface, some of the bones and the 
* Bede called the place where Beverley now is, Sylva Deirorum ; Anglice, 
Deirewald, p. 42. 
f Rivers , Mountains, and Sea Coast of Yorkshire, pp. 105-201. 
