EXTINCT SPECIES. 
35 
of a mild and peaceable disposition.” — (Quoted by Scrope, p. 342. See also 
Bell’s British Quadrupeds, p. 241.) 
[For further information relative to the former abundance of wolves in 
Ireland, and the means adopted to prevent the export of “ wolf- 
dogges,” see O’Flaherty’s West or H-Iar Connaught, published by 
the Irish Archaeological Society, and the Editor’s notes. — Ed.] 
The Ox, Bos Taurus , Linn. 
The remains of a race of oxen, believed to be peculiar to Ireland, are 
found in our bogs. The distinguishing characters are, “ the convexity of 
the upper part of the forehead, its great proportional length, and the 
shortness and downward direction of the horns.” 
[See an abstract of a paper by Dr. It. Ball, “ On the remains of Oxen 
found in the bogs of Ireland,” in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish 
Academy, January 28th, 1839 . — Ed.] 
Dr. Scouler, in his paper already quoted, after referring to several of 
the extinct animals, adds : — “ If we now compare the account of the ex- 
tinct animals of Ireland with the history of those which have disappeared 
from Britain, we will find several remarkable deficiencies in the Irish list. 
No mention has been made of the bear, the beaver, the wild ox , or the 
fallow-deer ; and if animals so remarkable from their size and habits have 
escaped all notice on the part of the older writers, the legitimate conclu- 
sion appears to be, that, like the adder and the blind-worm, they were 
not indigenous to the country. * * Two races of oxen were formerly 
inhabitants of Britain ; the one of great size, whose horns are found in 
bogs, but of whose existence we have no traditionary evidence. These 
horns have attracted attention for a long time, and a very good figure of 
them is given by Gesner, who obtained his specimen from England. It 
is remarkable that no indication of the former existence of this race of 
oxen in Ireland has yet occurred, nor could I obtain any evidence that 
they have ever been found in the bogs of this country.” 
The second and smaller race is still pastured in England, and was 
abundant in the Scotch forests at no very remote period, but, like the 
greater race, we have yet no evidence that it ever was a native of this 
country. 
The Elk, Cervus Aloes , Linn. 
A horn of the true elk ( C . Aloes), as noticed by me in the “Proceedings 
of the Zoological Society of London ” for 1837, p. 53, was some years 
since presented to the Natural History Society of Belfast. It was given 
to the donor by a relative residing at Stewartstown (County Tyrone), who 
attached much value to it as a singular relic dug out of a peat-bog on his 
own property in that neighbourhood. That it was so obtained I am as- 
sured there cannot be a doubt. The horn is that of a very old animal, 
and quite perfect. On removing the paint with which it was besmeared, 
the horn certainly presented a fresh appearance ; but might not this be 
attributed to the well-known preservative property of the soil in which it 
is said to have been found P There is not, that I am aware of, any record 
of this animal having ever existed in a wild state in the British Isles ; 
but as it inhabited a wide range of latitude on the continent of Europe, 
it is within the bounds of probability to believe that it may have been a 
native species. 
d 2 
