The Pteropoda of the Leyden Museum

The material of Pteropoda in the collection of the Leydeu Museum is rather poor and consists only of a few species, one of which, however, is new to science, while others are rarely met with. So I think it to be not wholly destitute of importance to enumerate the different forms, as it gives rise to some remarks on morphology as well as on distribution, which will follow after the systematic part. A large deal of the collection was supplied during the last few years by Mr. P. J. Buitendijk, physician at the Royal Steam-Shipping Company » Nederland”, to whom the Museum is indebted for his zealous collecting zoologica, on his periodical travels to the East- and West-Indies and viceversa. As circumstances, however, allowed him to ellect occasional hauls at the surface only, his captures of pelagic animals (at least with respect to Pteropoda) are neither much varied nor do they contain remarkable forms, with the exception of a few cases which will be discussed later on. — Another part of the Pteropod-material was procured, about thirty years ago, by the late captain J. R. Lusink, who, during the years 1878—1880, collected some species, also by means of surface nets, in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Furthermore it may be remarked that only Euthecosomata (in the sense of Meisenheimer) are fairly well represented, while Pseudothecosomata (Cymbuliidae as they are generally called) and Gymnosomata are almost wanting; and to my great regret I can contribute scarcely anything to the distribution of these small, but most interesting groups.