NO. i.] INTRODUCTION. 



84« 27' and 85o 5' N. Lat., and between 73" and 88" E. Long.), or in a region 

 of the Arctic Ocean, over which Nansen and Johansen had passed early in 

 the same year, on their jonrney sonth towards Franz Josef Land. 



During this period, while the ship was moving the whole time over a 

 comparatively limited area, situated at a distance of about three hundred 

 kilometres NE of Franz Josef Land, the total number of species observed 

 was 10, namely, Pledrophenax nivalis, Sterna niacrura, Pagophila eburnea, 

 Rissa tridadyla, Rhodostetkia rosea, a specimen of a Lartis which is stated 

 to have been black-backed, a Stercorarius (species undetermined), Fulmarus 

 glacialis, Cepphus mandti, and Alle alle. None of the species, however, 

 seemed to occur in any great quantity. 



Farthest north was found Fulmarus glacialis, of which a specimen was 

 observed in 85" 5' N. Lat. 



The last summer, 1896, when the 'Fram' was north of Spitsbergen, the 

 first bird (a snow-bunting) was observed on April 2.5th. It now appeared that 

 for a distance of at least four hundred kilometres north of Spitsbergen, or 

 between 81° and 83" N. Lat, the Arctic Ocean is inhabited by an abundant 

 bird-life, doubtless consisting principally of young, not yet mature birds, which 

 spend the summer months here, in and near the open channels in the ice. 



Among the specimens occurring here, sometimes in great numbers, may 

 be named Cepphus mandti, Alle alle and Pagophila eburnea. A few 

 specimens of waders (Aegialitis hiaticula and Crymophilus fulicarius) 

 were also found in these northern latitudes, and a specimen of Xema sabini 

 was observed. 



