The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10

source OF glaciers Even M rhlsan hdnlits that
without any change Of the mean annual tempera
ture OF Europe, the central portions OF that Cont
nent might have enjoyed an insular Climnt,
at the Glacial period. This more equable and
humid climate could. within certain limits favor
the development OF the ancient glaciers by in.
DJcreasing the snowfall and slack ening the sum
mer rate Of melting II seems evident, then.
! according to these views that with a compare
lively slight change " the atmospheric condi.
tons in the British islands. glaciers might again
be formed on all the highest mountain ranges
| In England Scotland and Ireland. No doubt,
} a widespread belief exists that tho presence Of
! glaciers implies very low temperature. As
! matter Of fact, snow and Ice are formed as soon
a. the temperature falls below freezing point;
/ IL does not matter whether there be one dec rec
or twenty degrees OF cold. Winters with few de-
grccs Of frost would be Just as favorable for the
| growth Of glaciers winters with the most Sc
vcre cold
! So much for the testimony Of tho geologists
| Dr. Schnrf next considers what evidence the
, fauna and fora Of Europe. 30 far as we
| know them, have to give respecting
the climate Of the Glacial period At
the outset OF this particular line OF research,
I the inquirer is confronted with a very serious
difficulty and that is the supposed occurrence
Of intcrglacial, mild phases, alternating with
! colder ones during thu Ice Age AZ nrst. when
! samples Of a temperate fora and fauna were dis.
covered in,crcalatcd b"twcen two layers Of boul-
der clay. their presence was naturally explained
by the superstition Of mild. intcrglacial period
! The famous forest bed on the east coast OF Eng
| land was pronounced to be an intcfglacial de.
post, though not coming precisely under tho
definition thereof. In few places. one such
bed WAS found in some places there were two
or more. and. in others, there was none al all
Prot James Geikie discovered the traces Of no
less than Ave Of such in,ergncial epochs in Europe
Lest the reader Of that authors work on the Ice
| Age should imagine that his hypothesis have
met with general acceptance, DR.. SchnrG cites
some almost equally high authorities who have
arrived at different conclusions. That the gla
ciers." says Prof. Bonncy. were liable TO i'm
/ poftant oscillations seems TO be proved. But
whether the evidence sufices to establish inter
glacial epochs In the usual sense OF the words
is more doubtful. When the snow fields as
in the Alps, were much moro extensive than
they are at present the glaciers which radi-
nted from them would be more sensitive TO minor
climntnl change. Even now. they oscillatc
considerably. But. during Glacial epoch.
an inch either or less OF precipitation mig hit
mean a considerable adv ancc or retreat OF the
Z
with even lcss favor on Prof. Geikie's theory.
NJ Falsan says that he agrees with Messrs
Fabrc, de Saporta l.ory. de Mortct. Dcsor. de
Lapparnt Lortct, Chhntrc. Bcnot Fontanne.
Depcrct, and many other biologists. that there
was only single Glacial perip l. which. according
TO each particular region, might be divided into
several phases. or into their equiv alrnts namely.
{ or more extensions Of the ancient glaciers
On tho whole, nevertheless the view that there
at least one intefglacal phase In the Glacial
period meets, seemingly. with the more general
acceptance among biologists though the other
opinion agrees much better with the nature Of
the fauna and fora az IL has been revealed from
the Pcistocene deposits
The occurrence Of the remains OF such Arctic
species OF mammals as the musk OF. Arctic fox.
Clu,ton. lemming and many others, in these
dep ,-its Is frequently held up by geologisls
a. proof that an Arctic climate must have pre-.
vailed while those beds were laid down. This
appears. at flrst q satisfactory explanation OF
the phenomenon We reminded. however.
by our author, that We must not Judge the climate
Of Europe by the presence Of these remains alone.
lie undertakes To show in his nth chapter that
these ArcIic species invaded Europe owing 70
two circumstances First, because tho climate
OF Siberia becoming colder. neccssitating
a southwark movement with consequent over
I"
a new short route TO Europe had been opened up
Tor the Arctic species about the same time: Dr.
Scharh here re'c-s ~ the rupsur, Of tho marine
connection which is supposed formerly TO have
existed between the Arctic Ocean and the Aralo-
Caspian Sea. An invasion OF Europe. there
fore took place from cast 10 west Similar
invasions occur even at the present day, though
not caused by change in climate. for. every
now and then immense ilocks Of the Siberian
sand grouse omigTate 10 the European Cont
nent The mammalian migrants above men
toned are not to be looked upon az constituting
the whole Of the European fauna at that time
Europe had fauna Of its own. these invaders
merely mingled wi,h It's animals There was
no doubt a keen struggle for existence. as tho
result Of which the weaker in many cases sue
uhbcd The Hypothesis. however. that the
Siberian migrants occupied an empty eminent
iorsak.n by H. PIE glacial occupe nts In not SUD
ported by the facts
All those who have investigated The Pleistocene
fauna have been struck by tho extraordinary
mixture Of Northern AMI Southern types Of ami.
mails Prof Dawkins attempted 10 explain these
facts by the srppoSitIon that in the summer
time the Southern spcc.cs would pass north wards,
and, in the winter time. tho Northern would
times Of the year the same rac, u ground as IL
now The case With the elks and reindeer" In
OF kirkdale The hycna prcyei upon The reindeer deer
II, one time Of tho year and on ME hipp0potamus.
at another \ similar mingling Of Northern
and Southern iauna has been observed in France
NJ Falsan tells US that the remains Of the nam.
mails gathered and determined by Target and
Gaudry belong partly 10 species " hch have becn
wrongly regarded a. indications Of a severe eli
mate, and partly To such az arc accustomed In
a relatively mil temperature In several local..
tics in France, tho remains OF the hippop0tamus
have occurred together with those oi the rein
deer II Is said that much the same conditions
exist In Germany The lion and the spottrd |
hyena, the mammoth and rhinncerOs were found
with the matmuI, the suSik the emming The |
plea and the rrindcrc" To aldurc the o. csence |
Of thcs" Northern animals in Europe as syidene.
ot an Arcuc climate would be. In Dr. SchnrII's
opinion, 10 commit fatal mistake Indeed |
bTecicrs of animals and those Acquainted |
with geological gardens know well that il !
j. much easier In keep Northern species in A |
southern climate than Southern species in a |
Northern one. II, In Central Europcan deposit |
occurs a mixture OF Northern and Southern forms |
OF animals, the presence OF the latter IN more re-.
mark abe than that Of tho former. Logically :
We should look uppn the appea rauce OF a southern
species IN III" North ms supporting the view that
a mild climate had induced them 10 travel SoTIh.
ward Tie attempt then To utilize the Siberian |
migrants TO Europe AZ Indicators Of severe eli.
mate there fails 10 establish conviction
While the fifth chapter of the book before us
deals with The westward migration Of the Siberian