174 
Simmons , bemarks about tke belations of tke FLoras etc. 
from tlie Polar Sea tbrougb tlie openings between tlie continents. 
If Bering Strait was already tben a narrow sound. wliile tbere 
were wider entrances to tlie Atlantic, sucli a distribution of land 
and water raust liave made it very rnucli easier for tbe tertiary 
polar algae to retreat to tlie latter ocean tban to tbe Pacific, 
wbicb would consequently not get as many citizens from tbe 
tertiary polar flora as tbe Atlantic. At first tbe less bardy algae 
migrated soutliwards and totally left tbeir former bomestead, 
tben, in tbe same measure as tbe glaciation went forward, also 
tbe arctic forms, wbicb now must bave existed. began to wander 
soutbwards into tbe upper parts of tbe oceans, wbicb were gra- 
dually cooled down, nntil dnring tbe maximal glaciation an arc¬ 
tic flora grew along tbe coasts far beyond its present Limit. 
Here arises tbe question, if tbe arctic flora tben beld not only 
tbe present temperate region but also its present area besides. 
Tbe opinion of Kj eil man is, tbat it bas never left tbe Polar 
Sea, as it appears from bis discussion of tbe bistory of tbe flora, 
and from tbe summary (30, p. 61): „Tbe Flora bas bad its centre 
of development in tbe Arctic Sea. Its area was more extensive 
dnring tbe glacial period tban at present. It bas been recrui- 
ted in later tim es bv more soutbern species.“ 
To me its seems impossible, tbat tbe Polar Sea can bave 
offered tbe necessary conditions of bfe for tbe greater part of 
its present inbabitants dming tbe maximum of glaciation. Even 
tbe coast of Forway, now temperate, tben must bave been al¬ 
most or perbaps entirelv destitute of Vegetation, because tbe 
great inlandice forraed tbe entire coastline. Tbe same must bave 
been tbe case witb most parts of G-reenland and also otber 
arctic lands. Along a glacierfront of sncb a tbickness as it is 
bere tbe question of tbere can of course not bave been any 
Vegetation, tbe ice protruded to deptbs wbere ab algae are wan- 
ting. Indeed tbere must bave been planes bere and tbere wbere 
tbe coast was formed of rocks, bnt bere tbe seaice made tbe 
existence of a Vegetation impossible at least in tbe littoral region. 
Even now tbe icefoot lies unbroken from vear to vear in manv 
parts of tbe arctic coasts, and tbis must bave been tbe rnle du¬ 
rine: tbe iceage. wben tbe climate was stbl more unfavorable 
tban now. Consequently tbe bttoral Vegetation must bave been 
totally extinct in tbe polar regions dming tbe maximal glaciation. 
For tlie subbttoral algae tbe conditions can perbaps bave been some- 
wbat more favorable, at least locally. But even for tbem it must bave 
been extremely difficult to liold tbe ground. Tbe sea lias been iceco- 
vered for most part of tbe vear, in some places perbaps always. 
and even at points, wbere tbere bas been some open water in 
tbe summer, tbey bave bad to figbt against still stronger ene- 
mies tban now. AVe see bow in tbe present arctic seas tbe 
rock-bottom is rubbed and almost pobsbed far down in tbe sub- 
littoral region by tbe driftice, and tbe mud- or gravel-bottom 
plouglied up so tbat bardly any algae can take stand tbere. Tbe 
most luxuriant Vegetation is always to be found in tbe sbeltered 
