Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 18. (Budapest 1921)
Éhik, Gy.: The glacial-theories in the light of biological investigation
102 Dr. J. í'. HIK delay in the northern withdrawel of the subarctic microfauna, without being compelled to support a second, glacial progression, the existence of which has been supposed by all the preceeding authors, 1 in order to explain hereby the „reapparition" of the Lemmings, i. e. the existence of the upper Lemming-beds. The quoted secondary presence of the Lemmings is only due to their regression, taking place from South to North. H is impossible to presume that fossil Lemmings are only marking the limits of the extending ice , and not those of the withdraiving as well. And now we arrive to the point where we can stale how fantastic must appear the supposi" tion of so-called „ interglacial " periods in the light of faunistical research. If the existence of only one interglacial period is admitted, there ought to be supposed two glacial periods, the number of Lemming-beds amounting thus to at least four, and if two interglacial periods are presumed, three glacial periods would have existed, the respective strata containing as many as six Lennning-beds. These are fantastic numbers, no locality being known on which more than two Lemming-beds would occur, signalising first the extension and than the regression of the ice which took place, as stated above, already within a single glacial period. The reason for the earlier false interpretations of the facts may be found in the circumstance that the warmer climate, setting in after the withdrawel of the ice, — and also proved by some faunistical changes seeming to indicate a rather less psychrophil fauna than the glacial one, — was followed by the reappearance of the Lemmings. KOKEN, BAYER and other authors remark that the climate was less warm after the regression of the ice than previously. 2 The simultaneous occurrence of arctic and steppe elements („mixed fauna") has been explained by the mentioned authors quite simply supposing that the arctic animals — Lemmings — having migrated southwards, entered into the confines inhahited by the steppe forms, or that they were carried to the said territory by some carnivorous animals. These explanations are just as arbitrary and unnatural, as the preceeding one. If the artic forms would have really migrated later on into the more southern territory occupied by the steppe fauna, then this latter one ought to have existed earlier, in which case the preceeding strata — corresponding to this earlier period — ought to contain pure steppe elements. Nevertheless 1 As regards the publications appeared during the war, i must confess of not being perfectly „au courant" of them, a fact which, as I hope, might be excusable owing to the lack of international scientific communications. 2 This observation might be just, but the explanation of the Lemmings second appearance being due to a second glaciation seems to be wrong. (Cfr. my preceeding Statements.)
