PHYSICAL CONDITIONS— PLEISTOCENE. 337 



would live on. The carnivores, however, might be expected to 

 thrive wherever their food -supply was sufficiently abundant, 

 they would prey alike on the denizens of the southern regions 

 and the occupants of less temperate latitudes. Most of them, 

 therefore, were enabled to endure all the climatic vicissitudes 

 of the Glacial Period, and many are recognised as still living 

 species. 



Now, it is quite evident that the presence in Europe of such 

 animals as the lion, the elephant, the hippopotamus, and others, 

 speaks to a former union between this continent and Africa, 

 And again, the occurrence of the musk-sheep, the pika, and 

 other boreal species, either now or in Pleistocene times living in 

 Europe, proves in like manner the former existence of a land- 

 connection between Europe and America. That such connec- 

 tions have obtained within comparatively recent times, geolo- 

 gically speaking, might easily be inferred from the fact that 

 many living species of plants and animals are common to the 

 northern regions of North America, Asia, and Europe, and the 

 same holds true as regards South Europe and North Africa. In 

 like manner we know that the British Islands must have been 

 united to themselves and the Continent before they could have 

 received their present fauna and flora. 



There are many good reasons for believing that at least two 

 land-passages existed between Europe and Africa. One of these 

 extended south from Tarifa Point in Spain to the opposite coast 

 of Barbary, and the other stretched from South Italy, by way of 

 Sicily, to the present shores of Tunis. A comparatively small 

 elevation of the land would suffice to restore the configuration of 

 Southern Europe that obtained in Pleistocene times. A rise of 

 only 1000 feet or so would provide a land-passage from Barbary 

 into Spain, while an elevation of 1200 feet would join Malta to 

 Italy and Tunis. There can be little doubt that it was by one 

 or other of these routes, or by both, that southern forms, like 

 the elephant and hippopotamus, crossed and re-crossed during 

 alternating climatic conditions. Now, a glance at the Admi- 

 ralty's charts of the Mediterranean will show that an elevation 



z 



