Introduction. 
The abundant materials, on which this report is based, belong in the main to 
the Swedish State Museum (Riksmuseum) and embody for the most part the collec- 
tions resulting from numerous Swedish scientific expeditions, voyages and journeys, 
which have been made during a long series of years by Swedish naturalists, in part 
at their own expense, in part at that of the Swedish Government or of Swedish pa- 
trons of science. Generosity has been frequently forthecoming in Sweden for the pro- 
motion of scientific enterprises and, considering the limited population and scanty 
resources of the country, the grants bestowed by the King, the Government and by 
private individuals in aid of scientific investigations, especially in respect of the Arctic 
Sea, are probably without a parallel in any other country. 
Moreover, it ought not to be forgotten that, in spite of the limited population, 
searcely any other country has managed to turn out such a large number of well- 
trained naturalists, always prepared to embark upon voyages of exploration to any 
part of the world, on sea or land, in Africa, Asia, America, the Antarctic Regions 
or, above all, the Aretie Sea. Without fear or hesitation these naturalists have al- 
ways been ready to sacrifice themselves in the cause of science. The greater part 
of the extensive collections brought home by the several naturalists taking part in 
all these expeditions, is preserved in the Swedish State Museum, though the museums 
at Upsala, Lund and Gothenburg also possess less considerable series of them. 
Besides the expeditions just alluded to, other voyages and journeys have been 
performed, of a more modest nature, for the purpose of exploring the seas round our 
own MHNeandinavian coasts. Considering their importance for our knowledge of the 
distribution of the marine organisms, it would be a pity if they should be allowed 
totally to fall into oblivion. Even at the present date it is difficult or, indeed, all 
but impossible to recall the distinctive features of anything like all of them. 
That is the reason why I have felt myself called upon to rescue, if may be, these 
scientific undertakings from total oblivion and to try to give a short historical re- 
view of the exertions made in Sweden towards getting to understand northern and 
aretic phenomena and the special character of the marine fauna and flora of these 
regions. 
Such a review may suitably be annexed to this introduction. It ought, how- 
ever, to be pointed out, that it is not my intention to embrace all the Swedish 
K, Sv. Vet, Akad. Handl. Band 39. N:o 1. 1 
