290 



tjords has nol yet been so systematically explored, that we 

 dare take it for granted that Yoldia arctica does not occur 

 there at all. On the other hand the energetic collectors of the 

 past century such as Amondsen, C. H о lb oil, H. P. C.Möller 

 and O.Torell have together with later expeditions from Swe- 

 den, Denmark and Germany procured so considerable a material 

 to the determination of the general character of the fauna that 

 we with certainty may say that Yoldia arctica has no extensive 

 distribution there, and even if Yoldia arctica one day should be 

 found surviving in some or other corner of a fjord, this would 

 not change the principal fact, viz. that in opposition to the 

 present time Yoldia arctica was formerly commonly 

 distributed at the southern West-Greenland. That 

 this has been the case may be concluded from the fact that 

 Yoldia arctica has frequently been taken in the raised layers 

 at Disco-Bay, both on the island Disco and on the opposite 

 shore: a part of Greenland which has especially been object of 

 investigation. Thus I have been able to examine Yoldia arctica 

 from the following more particularly stated localities : clay- 

 terraces at the inner end of the Sydostbugt (Sylow); Orpigsuit 

 S. of Christianshaab, till 50 feet above the sea level (N. Hartz); 

 Kiakusuk N. of Christianshaab, 60 feet above the sea level (M. 

 С Engell); the Lerbugt at Claushavn (Pfaff); Niakornak at 

 Jakobshavn, 140 feet above the sea level (K. J. V. Steenstrup); 

 Iginiarfik at Disco Fjord, ca. 28 feet above the sea level (K. J. 

 V. Steenstrup). 



And it was a well developed form of Yoldia arctica which at 

 that time lived at this coast, its length was up to 25 mm., a size 

 which the species only obtains at a so high-arctic coast as the 

 northern East-Greenland (comp. p. 318). It cannot be doubted that 

 \h&Yoldia ardeca which are found in these raised claybeds originate 

 from a period of the quaternary time where West-Greenland's 

 climate had a still more arctic character than at present. 



Must we then think that Yoldia arctica at present cannot 



