THE ALPINE FAUNA. 331 



along the shores of the Mediterranean. There can be 

 no doubt that here also we can trace migration to or 

 from Siberia, and again, as on previous occasions, by 

 the Oriental route. 



We now possess a fair general idea of the fauna of 

 the Alps. We have learned that a good many of 

 the animals are indigenous, and that others have 

 migrated to the Alps by various routes. The majority 

 of these have come from Central and Southern Asia 

 with what has been described as the Oriental migra- 

 tion. A much smaller number have reached the 

 Alps from the north and the west, but none of the 

 latter are among the high Alpine forms. What will 

 be the most surprising revelation is that the eastern 

 species, which arrived in Europe with the Siberian 

 migration, are practically absent from the Alps 

 proper. No doubt some of them still survive in the 

 lowlands of Switzerland and the Tyrol, but none of 

 the true Alpine fauna owes its origin to the Siberian 

 migration. If we compare the Alpine mammals with 

 the Siberian forms which reached England (vide 

 p. 202), we at once perceive the difference. We 

 should expect to find in the Alps if not the Rein- 

 deer and the Glutton the Arctic Fox, the little 

 Pica, the Lemmings, and the pouched Marmots. It 

 might be urged that some of the smaller Siberian 

 carnivores and rodents do inhabit the Alps. So they 

 do. The Stoat and Weasel have found such a con- 

 genial home in Europe, both in the plain and 

 mountains, that they have spread rapidly to the 



