Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 18. (Budapest 1921)

Éhik, Gy.: The glacial-theories in the light of biological investigation

XVHI. ANNALKS MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI. 1920—21. THE GLACIAL-THEORIES IN THE LIGHT OF BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION.*) By Dr. J. ÉHIK. (With 7 figures.) The studies dealing with the Glaeial periods history contained up to now only geological data on this highly interesting subject. These geological relations are submitted to considerable variations according to the local oscillations of the limits of the ice. The views of the authors differ very much with respect to this question, according as the results of various studies were arrived lo at different localities. 1 do not propose to harmonise these different views, since this would not lead to any positive result. I intend on the contrary to undertake a special examination of the various beds hitherto known as containing quaternary fossils, attempting hereby to throw a light upon the history of the Glacial period merely from a biological (paleontological) point of view. We may accept the fact that the gradually proceeding ice changed the fauna and flora, but the limits of the oscillations did not produce any considerable change in the adjacent biospheres. A. NEHKIXG was the first to publish important data concerning the changes of this period's fauna and his classical study

1 remains an indispensible litterary document of this new biological school. 1 am not able, at present, to enter into more detailed considerations regarding this valuable work, I shall nevertheless point out the fact that NEHBIÍO distinguishes three different types of the quaternary fauna comprising the sylvicol, the steppe and the tundra elements. As to the chronological *) Read before the Spelaeological Section of the Hungarian Geological Society, 15. May 1920. 1 A. NEHKINU

, Ueber Tundren und Steppen der Jetzt- und Vorzeit, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung ihrer Fauna. Berlin, 1890.