Part 10

Nat. Hist. ix. 10.

On the Mammoth or Fossil Elephant, &c. London, 1819.

Testimony of the Rocks, p. 97.

See vol. i. p. 361, supra.

Latrobe's Mexico, p. 192.

Nat. Voyage, ch. v.

Nat. Voy. ch. viii.

Compts Rendus, Jan. 27, 1851.

Proc. Zool. Soc., Jan. 27, 1852.

"The Humming-bird." Rather a vague mode of speaking, by a zoologist, of a genus which numbers more than three hundred species, varying in size from that of a swallow to that of a humble-bee. But probably he means one of the minuter species.

Proc. Zool. Soc., Nov. 7, 1850.

In the Times of Feb. 21, 1861.

Proc. Roy. Soc., X. xxxv. 50.

Ibid. IX. xxix. 133.

Because comparatively few readers, and especially the critics, will take the trouble to ascertain what an author really means if he attempt argumentation, generally supposing him to be proving something else than he propounds to himself, it may be needful to say, that I am not touching the question of the time required for the formation of the stratified rocks in general, but solely for that of the later Tertiary deposits.

Reports of Analysis, by Apjohn.

Hart On the Fossil Deer.

Zoologist, for 1846: Preface, p. 10.

Mr Newman, op. cit. x.

Geilt.--According to O'Reilly, this word means "a wild man or woman,--one living in woods,"--a maniac. It may, however, have been figuratively applied to some very fierce or untameable creature, either quadruped or bird, which inhabited the woods. But that the Simiæ, or monkey tribe, were not likely to have at any time inhabited so cold a country, one would have seen in the term an exceedingly apt expression for "the wild man of the woods." (Note by Translator.)

But, I venture to remind the reader, there was a veritable ape found in Britain during the very era of the Giant Deer, and of many of the now extant animals. I refer to the Macacus pliocænus (Owen) of the fresh-water deposits. Is it not just possible that the Geilt of Ireland, the first-named animal in the poem, may have been this species? A Macacus still lingers in Europe, though the elephants and hippopotamuses have long deserted us.

Grib.--Probably the Osprey.

These Wild Oxen are worthy of notice.

The Toghmall was a bird kept as a pet. "When Cuchulain slung a stone at Queen Meave he killed the Toghmall that was sitting on her shoulder."

Ruilech.--Unknown.

Snag.--Probably the Crane, or one of the Heron tribe.

Echtach.--From a legend attached to the locality, there is a possibility that these were a peculiar breed of horned cattle.

Drenn.--Probably the Wren.