Introductory remarks. 



D URING my leadership of the practical-scientific fishery investigations along the colo- 

 nized part of West Greenland, carried out on board the brig "Tjalfe" for the Danish 

 Ministry of the Interior, in the years 1908 and 1909, I had rich opportunities of studying 

 at first hånd the Greenland fish fauna, which previously I had only known from Museum 

 material and the literature. I am thus able to give a fairly acceptable account of the 

 fish-life of this our northern colony. 



In the following I shall deal with the Selachians, certainly a small yet in several 

 respects an interesting group^). 



In the latest review of the fish fauna of Greenland, that of Dr. E, Vanhoffen in 

 the "Gronland - Expedition der Gesellschaft flir Erdkunde zu Berlin", 2. Bd., 1897, 

 p. 129, 4 species of Selachii are mentioned: Centrosq/llium Fabricii (Reinhardt), Som- 

 niosiis microcephalus Bloch & Schneider, Raja radiata Donovan and Raja Fyllae 

 LiiTKEN. In "The Danish Ingolf-Expedition", II, 1, 1898, p. 3 Chr. F. Lutken further 

 describes a new species of ray from the Davis Strait, which he called Raja ingolfiana. 



According to the present revision, however, the last-mentioned supposed new spe- 

 cies must be deleted and replaced by Raja lintea Fries, with which it is identical. Fur- 

 ther, I have to add to the list Squaliis acanthias Linné and Raja hyperborea Collett, 

 as also a new ray discovered on my expedition, which in the following I call Raja spi- 

 nicauda. 



According to our present knowledge, therefore, altogether 8 species of Selachians 

 live in the waters of West Greenland, namely 



') The following publications on the scientific results of the "Tjalfe" Expedition have till 

 now appeared : 



Tjalfiella tristoma. By Th. Mortensen. With 10 piates. The Danish "Ingolf" Expedition. 

 Vol. V, 2, 1912. 



Report on the Malacostraca collected by the "Tjalfe" Expedition, under the direction of 

 Ad. s. Jensen, especially at W. Greenland. By K. Stephensen. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra 

 den naturhistoriske Forening. Bd. 64. 1912. 



Medusas collected by the "Tjalfe" Expedition. By Paul L. Kramp. Vidensk. Meddel, fra 

 Dansk naturhist. Foren. Bd. 65. 1913. 



Hydroids collected by the "Tjalfe" Expedition to the west coast of Greenland in 1908 and 

 1909. By Paul L. Kramp. Vidensk. Meddel, fra Dansk naturhist. Foren. Bd. 66. 1914. 



The Echinoderms are published by Th. Mortensen in Vidensk. Meddel, fra Dansk Naturhist. 

 Foren. Bd. 66, 1914, and in Meddelelser om Grønland, XXIII. 1913. 



1* 



