86 THE WANDERINGS OF ANIMALS [OH. 



PROBABLE AGE OF CERTAIN ISLANDS. 



Great Britain became an island after the last 

 glacial epoch. Ireland separated a little earlier ; its 

 latest connexion was with Scotland, whence it was 

 re-stocked after the glaciation, with the possible ex- 

 ception of those few plants and animals which had not 

 been affected by the ice in the most southern part. 



Iceland, Faroer and Greenland date from the 

 Pliocene. Iceland's fauna was destroyed by Pliocene 

 lavas. Its separation from Greenland preceded that 

 from the Shetlands. 



Corsica and Sardinia were connected with Northern 

 Italy well into the Pliocene ; Sicily also with Africa. 

 The latter was repeatedly in contact with Europe 

 during the Tertiary period, especially across the 

 Aegean Sea. Crete for instance is but of Pliocene 

 date. Communication of the Mediterranean with 

 the Atlantic has been interrupted more than once, 

 not always at the present Straits of Gibraltar, which 

 are of rather recent date. 



Newfoundland was last connected with Labrador, 

 whence it was re-stocked after the glaciation. The 

 Greater Antilles became severed from Central America 

 and from each other within the Pliocene, when they 

 underwent considerable submergence. The Galapagos 

 date from the same epoch. 



