Abstract. The purpose of this paper is to prove the following criterion for distributivity: Let $L$ be a lattice which has no infinite chains. Then $L$ is distributive if and only if any ideal $I$ of $L$ is equal to its second meander $I^2$.

AMS Subject Classification (1991): 06B10, 06B99, 06D99

Received January 27, 1997 and in revised form June 2, 1997. (Registered under 5770/2009.)