Introduction. 





As remarked in the introduction to the t'oregoing lists of the organ- 

 ^^ isms of the microplankton (see list of literature p. 336), onlj^ 

 the plankton from the region west of 6° W, L. and north of 73" 30' 

 N. L. has been worked up by us. The series of samples from this 

 region, the principal contents of which are shown in the accom- 

 panying Tables (I — III), can be most conveniently considered under 

 three divisions, namely: 



I. Samples from Danmarks Havn (76"46'N. L., 18° 43' W.L.). 

 IIa. Samples collected during the passage of the ship through 



the ice on the outward journey, 

 lib. Samples collected during the passage of the ship through 



the ice on the return journey. 



In the following the samples from Danmarks Havn will be dealt 

 with separately and the remaining samples together. With regard 

 to the grouping of the latter into two divisions, reference may be 

 made to our previous papers. Here all the species found are also 

 named as well as details about the places where they were found. 



The first information regarding the plankton of these waters 

 came from the Danish Expedition to Scoresby Sound (1891 — 92). 

 In a large paper on the marine diatoms published in 1895, E. Østrup 

 also dealt with a number of plankton samples from the ice-filled 

 sea, but did not deal with the plankton associations as such. The 

 Swedish Expedition to East Greenland in 1899 collected a quantity 

 of plankton which was investigated by P. T. C leve (1900). His 

 report contains tables and short remarks on the commoner species. 

 Of special interest to us here are the samples collected in the drift- 

 ice in July between TO"" 30' N. L. and 74° 29' N. L., and the samples 

 from the fjords of North-East Greenland, 71°— 73° N. L., collected in 

 August. 



