38 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



the Other hand, the area covered is immense for one vessel, and the finding of any large concentration 

 of Fin whales (in which thirty or forty whales might be marked in one day) is easily a matter of chance. 

 The marked whales do not therefore necessarily give a complete picture of the distribution of the 

 population. Weather is a factor of the greatest importance in this form of hunting (as demonstrated by 

 the experience of the whaling fleet in 1945-6), for bad weather, either in the form of poor visibility or 

 gales, easily obscures a present abundance of whales. In these regions, however, January and 

 February usually give good conditions with calm seas, good visibility and the long daylight so favour- 

 able to pursuit. 



