THE ALPINE FAUNA. 345 



kills most of them. How can we then reconcile this 

 fact with the theory of their origin in a dry and 

 intensely cold climate? I quite agree with the views 

 as to the Asiatic origin of the bulk of the Alpine flora, 

 while the dry state of the Siberian climate is certainly 

 indicated by the extremely feeble development of the 

 glaciers during a .large part of the Glacial period. 

 We know, however, that in Pliocene and even in 

 early Glacial times the atmospheric conditions must 

 have been very different in Siberia. A great slice of 

 Central Asia was under water, and numerous fresh- 

 water lakes covered the lowlands in the north, so 

 that the climate must have been damp though not 

 cold enough for the formation of extensive glaciers. 

 Everything, in fact, seems to indicate that the migra- 

 tion of the Asiatic Alpine flora took place at a very 

 early date probably long before the Glacial period 

 either by the Oriental or by the Arctic route via 

 North America, Greenland, and Scandinavia. But 

 would this not necessitate a survival of the Alpine 

 plants in the Alps themselves? That is the view which 

 has already been expressed with regard to the fauna, 

 and the flora probably followed a very similar course. 

 This is by no means a novel theory, however, and 

 though unfortunately an untimely death has removed 

 one of our very best authorities on the Alpine flora 

 before he had completed his life's work, we have 

 some indications in the earlier writings of John Ball 

 that his opinions on the origin of that flora did not 

 coincide with those held by the leading continental 



