ScHARFF — On the Origin of the European Fauna. 489 



snow-line during the Glacial Period with that of the present day, 

 Prof. Penck came to the conclusion that during the fonner, the 

 temperature of the Earth must have been 5° C. lower than it is 

 now (66 «, p. 75), whilst Mr. Bruckner does not allow that it was 

 more than 3-4 degrees lower. Prof, de Lapparent argues that the 

 decrease in tempei'ature during the Glacial Period was probably caused 

 by an increase of humidity ; that humidity indeed was the great factor 

 of the Glacial phenomenon (54, p. 1391). Mr. Falsan believes that 

 the mean annual temperature in France ranged between six and 

 nine degi'ees C. in Glacial times (28, p. 230). As the latter estimate 

 of temperature is something approaching that of Scotland at the present 

 day, a luxuriant fauna and flora could perfectly well have lived in that 

 country under those thermal conditions. Indeed, Mr. Falsan admits 

 that an abundance of vegetation, such as herbs, bushes, and trees must 

 have flourished in close proximity even to the glaciers (p. 240). There 

 is no doubt that a mild climate is not incompatible with the existence 

 of glaciers. I need only refer to IN'ew Zealand, where a semi-tropical 

 vegetation exists in close proximity to glaciers. We are reminded 

 by Prof. Penck (66 d, p. 222) that wheat is cultivated close to the Aar 

 glacier in Switzerland, and that even in IS^orway fruit ripens on the 

 shores of Hardangerfjord, a couple of miles only from the inland ice. 

 But the most remarkable fact in connexion with this subject is that 

 pointed out by Darwin, viz., that in Tierra del Fuego glaciers descend 

 right down to the sea, whilst in the same country evergreen trees 

 flourish luxuiiantly. Humming birds maybe seen sucking the flowers, 

 and parrots feeding on the seeds of the " Winter's Bark" in lat.55° 5', 

 that is to say, within two degrees of Tierra del Fuego {211, p. 176). 

 According to the same author the mean annual temperature of that 

 part of South America is 44° Fahr., whilst that of Dublin is 49°. 

 It is six degrees colder in Tierra del Fuego in winter than in Ireland, 

 and no less than nine and a half less hot in summer. 



It has even been been argued by geologists that a large extension 

 of ice and snow is possible without any considerable change' in the 

 present climatic conditions. Prof. Whitney remarks (92, p. 38) 

 "that the Glacial Period was a local phenomenon, during the occurrence 

 of which much the larger of the land-masses of the globe remained 

 climatologically entirely unaffected." But thei'e are also adherents to 

 the view that a higher temperatiire, than obtains at present, reigned 

 during the Glacial Period. Thus the eminent French botanist, Henri 

 Lecoq, maintained (56, p. 15) that the former greater extension of 

 glaciers in Europe was caused by a greater snowfall, and indirectly by 



