350 HISTORY OF THE EUROPEAN FAUNA. 



moved southward, and a few of the southern ones northward. 

 By the more recent theory of Nehring, the Siberian animals 

 which invaded our continent from the east, and then spread 

 northward to Scandinavia and southward to the Alps, formed 

 the nucleus of the faunas of these two areas. The objections 

 to both of these views are fully set forth in this chapter. 



A few remarks on the botanical aspect of the Alpine problem 

 conclude the chapter. The origin of the flora has been ex- 

 plained in a very similar manner to that of the fauna. But 

 already Ball and Krasan have raised their voices against the 

 current theories, as the facts of distribution appear to them 

 more satisfactorily explained on lines more consonant with 

 those which I have used in discussing the origin of the Alpine 

 fauna. One of the most important conclusions obtained by this 

 study of the flora in conjunction with the fauna, is that I have 

 emphasised in most of the preceding chapters viz., that the 

 Glacial period in Europe was not a time of extreme cold, 

 and that its destructive effect on the animals and plants was by 

 no means such as is currently believed. 



