s 



J-Juring the winter period 1898 — 99 the „Fram" lay in winter 

 quarters at Rice Strait, between Eilesmere Land and Pirn Isle, at about 

 latitude 78" 46' N. In September and October 1898, the geologist 

 P. ScHEi, whose early death is much regretted, undertook excursions from 

 the winter quarters westward and northweslward, and made observations 

 and geological collections. Thus from this period obsei'vatious occur 

 in his diary from Hayes Sound and its two north-western arms Flagler 

 Bay and Beitstad Bay. In March 1899 a sledge excursion was taken 

 northwards to Bache Peninsula, but the cold compelled the polar ex- 

 plorers to return to the "Fram" after a short stay at the south-east 

 corner of the Peninsula. At the end of April, Schei set out on another 

 excursion, and in the first half of May geological investigations were 

 made on Bache Peninsula, Norman Lockyer Island in Princess Marie 

 Bay, and also along the coast al various places north of the latter. 

 Finally in July an excursion was made from Rice Stiait westward to 

 Twin Glacier Valley and Alexandra Fjord. 



ScHEi himself, in his preliminary report, gave the chief results of 

 his investigations. As regards the geological conditions, especially the 

 sedimentary beds, on Bache Peninsula and the surrounding districts, 

 there is in reality not much more of note that can be found in the 

 diaries. The essential feature of this present report is the account of 

 the fossil material which was brought back. Unfortunately this is not 

 a very grateful task. The collections of fossils which occur from the 

 lower horizons in the beds studied by Schei are extremely fragmentary, 

 with only a few fossils, and these moreover quite incomplete. This m 

 even more regrettable, as a closer knowledge of these older fauna, which 

 are otherwise unknown in these regions, would be of extremely great 

 interest. From one occurence only — the Ordovician beds of Norman 

 Loccyer Island — we have a somewhat considerable amount of fossil 

 material in a better state of preservation. 



