12 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academij. 



greater extension of ice in former times no doubt can be proved, he remarks; 

 yet glaciers certainly never reached the cliffs and rock-pinnacles which 

 abound on all parts of the coast-lands of Greenland.' No reason, therefore, 

 can be adduced vihy the flora of Greenland should not have survived the Ice 

 Age in that country, particularly as we have some grounds for the supposition 

 that the land in the Arctic Eegions then stood higher than it does now. 

 Indeed, Professor Yanholl'en, who describes the plants and animals observed 

 during the expedition, adopts this attitude. He not only believes in the 

 survival of the flora of Greenland through the Ice Age, but he argues that the 

 great mass of the fauna is indigenous to the country. Though he does not 

 tleny the possibility of organisms being accidentally carried by birds, he pro- 

 tests against the assumption tliat the fauna of Greenland owes its origin to such 

 a mode of transport.' This quite harmonizes willi tlie views of Mr. Hart, 

 who was attached, as naturalist, to the British Polar Expedition of H.AI.S. 

 " Discovery." It is quite possible, lie thinks, that migratory birds, currents of 

 air or water, or other agents may, in some rare cases, introduce mature seeds 

 to a soil prepared to receive them ; but it should always be kept in mind tliat 

 much importance ought not to be attached to the dispersal of plants by such 

 means.-' 



It would be wrong to suppose that plant migration to the Faroes and 

 Iceland lias proceeded altogether from Europe. A stream has likewise advanced 

 from the "piwaile direction. Thus in the Faroes we find at least seven 

 plants uuix'presented in the British Islands. These came from Greenland 

 and arctic America. Many others no doubt succeeded in invading the British 

 Islands and the Continent, after utilizing the same land-bridge. Professor 

 Asa Gray long ago pointed out that no less than twenty-four species were 

 common to America and Europe, while unknown in Asia." These were reduced 

 subsequently by Professor Eugler to ten species, because he argued that the 

 remainder either had since been found in Asia, or might originally have been 

 introduced by man from the one continent to the other. Ten species may 

 seem very few ; but, supposing a plant originated in Europe and subsequently 

 passetl to America by the direct land-bridge, it would probably be an ancient 

 species. Hence it must have had many opportunities for invading the 

 neighbouring Asiatic continent as well, and would not therefore come under 

 tlie category alluded to. Plants of East American origin would have had a 

 much more arduous journey to reach Asia; and it is on that account that most 



' Urygalski, E. tod, "tironland Expedition," toI. i., p. 33.5. 

 ' \ anhuffen, £., " GrunUnd Expedition," vol. ii., p. 174. 

 ^ Halt, H. C, " Botany of Polar Expedition," p. 10. 

 ♦ Gray, Asa, " Planu of United Slates and Eurnpe, p. 173. 



