DID ANIMALS SURVIVE THE ICE AGE? 19 
available for plant life. Indeed, Professor Vanhoffen * who 
describes the plants and animals observed during the expedi¬ 
tion, adopts this attitude. He not only believes in the survival 
of the flora of Greenland through the Ice Age, but he also 
argues that the great mass of the fauna is indigenous to the 
country. 
Though he does not deny the possibility of organisms 
being accidentally carried by birds, and other occasional 
means of transport, he protests against the assumption that 
the fauna of Greenland, as a whole, owes its origin to such 
a mode of conveyance. Dr. Brehmf quite concurs in this 
view. He is convinced that the fauna of Greenland is 
autochthonous. 
It is very generally believed that the climate of Greenland 
was much colder during the Glacial Epoch than it is now, 
although we possess no direct evidence that it was so. A 
mild climate in South Greenland during the existence of the 
land bridge is implied by the fact that a number of Euro¬ 
pean species found in north-western North America, and 
which no doubt travelled by way of Greenland, have since 
become extinct in the latter country. 
Greenland must, therefore, have passed through a phase 
during which existence became impossible for these species. 
Yet, for all we know, it may be only quite recently that the 
climate of Greenland has grown so inhospitable. It has been 
suggested by Professor Whitney, and more recently by Sir 
Henry Howorth, that the Arctic Regions enjoyed temperate 
conditions during the Glacial Epoch and are only now passing 
through the more severe post-Glacial stage. In view of the 
accumulation of evidence pointing to a southward advance 
of the Arctic fauna and flora in Pleistocene times, such a sug¬ 
gestion may seem contrary to biological evidence. I shall 
endeavour to show, however, in the next few chapters that 
we possess a good deal of valuable testimony, principally of 
a biological nature, in support of Professor Whitney’s and Sir 
Henry Howorth’s contention. 
With regard to the species which I believe to have made use 
* Vanhoffen, E., “ Gronland Expedition,” Vol. II., p. 174. 
t Brehm, V., “ Entomostraken d. Danmark Expedition,” p. 316. 
c 2 
