The History of the European Fauna

This work surveys the composition and historical development of Europe's animal life, combining contemporary faunal lists, fossil evidence, and palaeogeographic reconstruction to trace origins and migration routes. It argues that species generally arise in single homelands and extend ranges by migration, examines barriers such as seas, mountains, forests, and climate, and analyses regional elements—British, Arctic, Siberian, Oriental, Lusitanian, and Alpine—through Pleistocene remains and maps. Practical notes guide collectors and geographers in gathering and interpreting distributional data, and a bibliography and index support further study.