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1 his Synoj)sis is founded on materials extant in the Swedish State Museum and for the 

 most part brought together by the various arctic expeditions which during the two de- 

 cennaries 1858 1878 were fitted out from Sweden, as also by the dredgings of numerous 

 naturalists which for many years have investigated its shores. 



A brief review of the cruises and dredging-excursioris thus carried out, will give the 

 reader some notice about the stations searched. 



In the year 1858 OTTO TORELL, accompanied by ADOLF NORDENSKIOLD and AUG. 

 QVENNERSTEDT, undertook a private cruise of two months on the western parts of Spitz- 

 bergen, and brought home extensive marine and geological collections, particularly from 

 Icesound, Bellsound and Hornsound, where they reached the greatest depth at 900 meters. 



The arctic expedition of 1861, with 0. TORELL as leader, resulted also in rich col- 

 lections, made by ANDREW MALMGREN, ADAM FREDERIC SMITT, and myself. Extensive dredg- 

 ings were undertaken in the bays and surrounding seas of the Avestern, northern, and 

 eastern parts of Spitsbergen, and the late Dr. KARL CHYDENIUS from Helsingfors made 

 deep sea soundings in 75 n. lat. and 12 east long., where the bottom was caught in 

 1,869 meters, and in 76 17' n. lat., 13 53' east, long., where the Bulldog machine struck 

 bottom at a depth of 2,490 meters. 



In 1864 a reconnoitering expedition under the command of NORDENSKIOLD, accom- 

 panied by MALMGREN as zoologist, visited the southern bays of Spitsbergen and brought 

 home valuable collections. 



In 1868 the steamer "Sophia", commander now Admiral Baron F. W. VON OTTER, 

 was sent to the seas of Spitsbergen on an expedition the scientific chief of which was 

 NORDENSKIOLD, while SMITT and MALMGREN were attached as zoologists. Numerous dredg- 

 ings were executed and deep sea soundings made, so in 81 32' n. lat. nortlwest from Spitz- 

 bergen, where the sounding machine brought up bottom clay from 2,314 meters, and in 

 78 26' n. lat., 2 17' west, long., from 4,700 meters, besides at other stations west and 

 northwest of Spitsbergen from depths of 1,000 2,000 meters. 



During a reconnoitering tour to Greenland in 1870 NORDENSKIOLD was accompanied, 

 amongst other men of science, by Dr. P. OBERG who at several places in Baffins Bay 

 brought up quantities of typical arctic Foraminifera of high development, from a depth 

 of 100 to 650 meters. The principal stations were Jacobshavn, Claushavn, Tossukatek, Disco. 



M377129 



