POSTGLACIAL COLONIZATION OF IRELAND BY MUSTELIDS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE BADGER (MELES-MELES L)

There exists some confusion as to the means by which Ireland developed its current mammalian fauna. In this paper, I use a multivariate anal ysis of cranial measurements to test the hypothesis that Irish musteli ds should resemble their Scottish counterparts more so than those from England, thus providing morphological evidence for postglacial coloni zation via an Ireland/Scotland landbridge. An examination of badger (M eles meles L.), stoat (Mustela erminea L.) and otter (Lutra lutra L.) failed to provide support for this hypothesis. Based on these results and consideration of our knowledge of the ecology of these species, it is concluded that postglacial colonization via a landbridge was unlik ely. Evidence for human-aided colonization is reviewed. It is conclude d that, while further morphologic and genetic studies are very much re quired, the problem of postglacial colonization can only be solved thr ough archaeozoological research.