326 
the remains of the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, See. in countries 
and climates where these animals have never been known to exist, were 
most probablyformed before ourcontinentsexisted intheir present state. 
Among the fossils of the British empire, none are more calculated 
to excite astonishment than the enormous stags’ horns which have been 
dug up in different parts of Ireland. Dr. Molyneux, in 169^, pub- 
lished a paper on this subject in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 
xix. No. 22 1 / , in which he concludes that these remains are to be con- 
sidered as a proof that the American moose-deer was formerly common 
in that island. 
In this paper he particularly describes a pair of these horns which 
were found at Dardistown, near Drogheda. Mr. Henry Osborn, from 
whom Dr. Molyneux received them, says : — “ This is the third head I 
have found by casual trenching in my orchard. They were all dug 
up within the compass of an acre of land, and lay about four or five 
feet under ground, in a sort of boggy soil. The first pitch was of 
earth, the next two or three of turf, and then followed a sort of white 
marie, in which they were found.” 
Plate XX. Fig. 2, is an outline sketch of these horns, drawn to the 
annexed scale. Their dimensions, Dr. Molyneux informs us, were as 
follow : 
. ‘I , _ - • i • • > , . i 
Feet Inches. 
From the extreme tip of each horn 
. AB 
10 
10 
From the tip of the right horn to its root 
.CD 
5 
2 
From the tip of one of the inner branches to the tip 
of 
the opposite branch 
.EF 
3 
n 
The length of one of the palms, within the branches. 
. GH 
2 
6 
The breadth of the same palm, within the branches. 
. IK 
1 
10i 
The length of the right brow antler 
.DL 
1 
2 
The beam of each horn, at some distance from the head M 
In diameter 
0 
9 1 
^16 
In circumference 
0 
8 
