ZOOLOGY. 53 



THE ANIMALS OF IRELAND. 



The extreme western outpost of the great Euro-Asiatic continent, Ireland 

 possesses a fauna that, although comparatively poor, is highly interesting. 

 Ireland is doubtless a " continental island," which at no very distant geolo- 

 gical period formed part of a far-stretching land-mass,* and its animal 

 inhabitants must, for the most part, have made their way thither over land- 

 connections now submerged beneath the waters of the sea. Situated far to 

 the west, the island is poor in species as compared with Great Britain, and 

 still poorer as compared with continental Europe. Most of the Irish animals 

 are identical with British species ; but many creatures that are familiar to 

 the English naturalist are absent from Ireland. On the other hand, many 

 ancient forms of life, unknown or restricted to very narrow limits in Great 

 Britain and the nearer parts of the Continent, have been preserved in 

 Ireland, and it is the presence of these that makes the fauna of the country 

 so interesting a study. One well-marked group, which shows a likeness to 

 the inhabitants of Scandinavia and the Arctic regions, may be characterised 

 as the Northern or " Arctic Fauna." Another group, showing affinity to the 

 denizens of south-western Europe and the Mediterranean shores, is often 

 distinguished as the " Lusitanian Fauna." 



VERTEBRATES. 



The best-known class of animals — the Mammals — yield good illustration 

 of the poverty and the interest of the Irish fauna, 

 Mm alq Several familiar beasts — the Fox, the Badger, and 



the Otter, for example — occur throughout the country, 

 as in Great Britain. But of the order — the Carni- 

 vores — to which these belong, the Weasel and Polecat are unknown in 

 Ireland, although the Stoat is common, and of some interest, since its Irish 

 race differs constantly from the British in the relative extent of its dark and 

 pale markings. Wolves formerly abounded in Ireland, where they were 

 not exterminated until the eighteenth century. The former presence of 

 Bears in the country is shown by the discovery of their remains in cave- 

 deposits, but they seem to have become extinct before the historic period. 

 The Irish Bear has been regarded as identical with the Grizzly {Ursus 

 horribilis) of North America; no remains of the great Cave Bear {Ursus 

 spelcsus) that inhabited Great Britain and Central Europe during Pleisto- 

 cene times have been found in Ireland. 



Turning to the Insectivores we find the Hedgehog common everywhere 

 as in Great Britain, while the Mole is quite absent, and only one Shrew, the 

 " Lesser " (Sorex pygi7tcsus') out of the three British species occurs. Simi- 



* A. R. Wallace. "Island Life." London, 1892. 



