ALHNE SXOW-MOUSE 



CHAPTER VIII 



Alpine Europe 



The European Alps contain a strange mixture of zoological stations. In the high 

 mountains reigns a northern climate, while the lower slopes border central and 

 southern Europe, as well as the south-eastern and western countries. Accordingly, 

 the fauna of the Alps is composed of northern types surrounded by central, 

 southern, western, and eastern forms, mingled with a few that are distinc- 

 tively Alpine. 



The foot of the Alps and of the other high mountains of Europe is surrounded 

 by a forest-zone, which in the lower portion consists of deciduous trees, and 

 higher up of conifers ; this being succeeded by a belt of upland meadows, followed 

 in turn by the true Alpine region. The beauty decreases with the elevation, the 

 forests giving place to isolated groups of low trees, succeeded by meadows with 

 alders and dwarf firs. In the higher regions the plants become less and less frequent ; 

 the eye meets nothing but peaks and ridges, intercepted by abysses, and streaked 

 by glaciers or covered with perpetual snow. Above the forest-zone are found 

 most of the animals indigenous to the Alps, or other high ranges, or the north, 

 while the forest-zone, in addition to some of these, has much of the fauna of the 

 adjoining country. 



One of the animals indigenous to this region is the largest of 



the hollow - horned animals of the Alps, the ibex, steinbok, or 



bouquetin (Capra ibex), restricted at the present day to a small territory in 



the Savoy Alps and in the wild country between Valais and Piedmont, Formerly 



. it was frequent in the higher mountains of Germany and Switzerland, while in 



prehistoric times it inhabited even the countries at the foot of the Alps. Ibex were 



