NORJIAN : ON THE I^IOLLUSCA OF BERGEN FIORDS. 9 



The district embraced was, speaking roughly — for I do not 

 know the exact mileage — from 15 miles north to 15 iriiles south 

 of Bergen. The Fiord chosen to the north being Oster Fiord and 

 the dredging in the south terminating at Kors Fiord. 



The weather was remarkably warm for the time of the year, 

 and the circumstances for dredging altogether most favorable. 



I received the most kindly welcome and hospitality from all 

 the men of science with whom I came into contact both at 

 Bergen and Christiania; but to Herr Herman Friele, the well- 

 known malachologist of Bergen^ I owe very much. Nothing could 

 exceed his hospitality and the kind aid he gave me by his advice 

 as to the localities most likely to prove profitable for dredging, 

 and by the loan of apparatus. Through him I was also enabled 

 to secure as my dredger Mons Olssen, who for the last three 

 years has had charge of the dredging on board the ' Voringen ' 

 during the Norwegian North Atlantic Dredging Expeditions. The 

 ' Voringen ' was not to start on the Spitzbergen Expedition before 

 June, and thus I was enabled to engage Olssen during the earlier 

 part of the year. To his experience, intelligence, and interest in 

 the work my dredging owed much of its success. 



During the first week spent in Oster Fiord I had the pleasure 

 of having as my colleagues Dr. Jeffreys and Herr Herman Friele. 

 During the remaining time I was alone. 



Dredging in the Norwegian Fiords is a veiy different matter 

 from what it is in the ocean round Shetland. In the latter case 

 great expense must be incurred. Exposed to every wind which 

 springs up — in the open sea — with an almost constant heavy 

 Atlantic swell — the employment of a yacht or steamer is absolutely 

 necessary, at least when dredging 20-40 miles from land. After 

 tossing about in such a vessel for a week at sea it often happened 

 that hardly twenty hours' dredging was practicable, and the greatest 

 depth reached never exceeded 170 fathoms. Compare with this 

 the dredging in Norway. A small boat with four men will suffice 



