667 



the extent and duration of the bridge, in faet one does nol even 

 know il' il existed at all. 



Th. Thoroddsen, the well-known Iceland-geologist, writes 

 far moro positively on lliis point (Geografisk Tidsskrift, vol. XVI, 

 1901-02); he says: — »Iceland and the Færoes have had their own 

 glaciation, with rock-striæ spreading out in all directions«, and »pro- 

 bable as il is thai a land-bridge existed in the Miocene period, ils 

 existence during the Glaeial Period is as improbable« (p. <S0). A.C- 

 eording to him the connecting land between Scotland and Green- 

 land was cut up, and sank, towards the end ol' the Miocene period, 

 and since then the above countries have not been in con- 

 n eet ion with eaeh other 1 . 



If a post- glacial land connection did exist, judging from the 

 above, it must have been produced by a new, great upheavel, 

 bul as far as I know, no evidences have been afforded in favour 

 ol* this view. It cannot be but a land connection must have re- 

 sulted in a new glaciation of, e. g. the Færoes, and that this glacia- 

 tion must have lefl Iraces behind it. 



As Brogger has lately given much attention lo the glacial 

 geology of Norway, and published a large work on the subject 2 , in 

 which he naturally touches on the present question, I asked his 

 opinion regarding the post-glacial land connection, and he kindly 

 replied as follows: — »As to your question regarding the post- 

 glacial land connection between Scotland and the Færoes, ac- 

 cording to mv knowledge there is no probability of its having 

 existed. On the contrary, it is fairly possible that during the 

 warmest period perhaps the land -bridge was some metres lower 

 down than it is to-day, giving the warm waters of the Gulf Stream 

 a still freer access over the land-bridge. By »post-glacial« I under- 

 stand the period subsequent lo Ihe time when a fairly large number 

 of forms from warmer climates had already appeared at the soulh 



coast of Norway Hence, I presume, that there is nothing 



left for you to do, but try to explain the plant- immigration to the 



1 Judging from what Knipowitsch said in an address which he delivered 

 before the »Dansk geologisk Forening«; regarding his investigations of the waters 

 north of Russia, it appears to me that a sinking process mav be assumed t<> have 

 taken place in the Interglacial period, when the Boreal fauna proceeded east- 

 wards with the Gull' Stream, but in that ease no continuous land connection could 

 have existed. at any rate at that time. 



2 W. C. Brogger: Om de senglaciale og postglaciale Niveauforandringer i Kri- 

 stianiafeltet. — Kristiania, 1900 and 1901. 



