158 HISTORY OF THE EUROPEAN FAUNA. 



means as well known as could be wished, and a very 

 careful comparative study of recent and fossil remains 

 of the Reindeer from various parts of the Old and 

 New Worlds is much needed to put our views on a 

 firmer basis. 



The presence of the Arctic Hare in Ireland and 

 the absence of the common European Hare (Lepus 

 europceus) can be explained in a somewhat similar 

 manner. The Arctic Hare is the older of the two 

 species corresponding with the Barren-ground Rein- 

 deer and the European Hare the newer one, 

 associating, like the Woodland Reindeer, in its 

 westward migration with Siberian animals, though 

 probably of Oriental origin. 



Let us once more refer back again to the map on page 

 137 indicating the geographical distribution of the 

 Arctic Hare. Its discontinuous range and its isolated 

 position in the Alps, Pyrenees, and the Japanese 

 mountains, all tend to show that it is an ancient 

 species. Moreover, its presence in Ireland in the 

 plain as well as in the mountains, clearly points to the 

 fact that, in the British Islands at any rate, the Arctic 

 Hare was the first comer, and that subsequently the 

 European Hare invaded these countries. It probably 

 found Ireland then no longer accessible, having since 

 become separated from England. Again and again 

 do we find the statement repeated, that the presence 

 of the Arctic Hare in Europe is a clear proof of the 

 former prevalence in our continent of an Arctic climate. 

 But if so, why should this Hare at present live and 



