36 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



(3) February (Plate IX). A few more Blue whales were marked in this month than in January, 

 and these again fall into two similar groups, the western group lying farther to the westward. These 

 western whales were largely marked in 1937, and the eastern group entirely in 1936. 



(4) March (Plate X). Operations in this month were always confined to the western part of the 

 area, as the ship was then lying conveniently for the commencement of the return voyage. Only a few 

 Blue whales were marked. 



It is noticeable that two grounds with a blank area between them are clearly shown by the marked 

 whales. Very few Blue whales have been marked between 50 and 80° E and only two between 60 and 

 70° E. 



II. FIN WHALES 



(a) Western Area 



(i) November (Plate XI a). Few Fin whales have been marked during November around South 

 Georgia. The whale catcher only worked in this month during two seasons and then for only a few 

 days ; and an attempt in 1937 by the ' William Scoresby ' to mark whales north of South Georgia during 

 this month was foiled by bad weather. Towards the end of the month a few were marked at the 

 beginning of a cruise to the eastwards. In 1934 a few Fins were marked to the south-east of South 

 Georgia, and in 1935 a few in the vicinity of the Shag Rocks. 



(2) December (Plate XI b). Large numbers of Fin whales, distributed widespread around South 

 Georgia, have been marked in this month. Many were marked within 70 miles of the Shag Rocks, 

 most of them in 1936. Another area of heavy marking lies to the east of South Georgia where many 

 were marked in 1932, 1934 and 1935. A moderate number has been marked between 30 and 90 miles 

 south of the island. The 'William Scoresby' in 1937 continued cruising eastwards as far as the 

 Greenwich meridian, returning during the latter part of the month, but only moderate numbers of 

 whales were marked. 



(3) January (Plate XII). This has always been a very successful month for marking Fin whales 

 around South Georgia. Large numbers, about 450, have been marked within 70 miles of the Shag 

 Rocks, most of them in 1937 but also many in 1933 and in 1935. In 1936 many Fins were marked to 

 the south-east of South Georgia. During the first half of this month in 1938 the 'William Scoresby' 

 marked fair numbers between the South Sandwich group and the South Orkneys, and in the second 

 half of the month small numbers to the west of the South Shetlands and Grahamland on a course into 

 the Bellingshausen Sea. 



(4) February (Plate XIII). Around South Georgia marking in this month took place only for a few 

 days in 1937, resulting in a small number of whales being marked between the southern part of that 

 island and Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich group. In 1938 the ' WilHam Scoresby' marked 

 a moderate number of Fin whales to the west of Adelaide Island in the eastern part of the Bellings- 

 hausen Sea and in the Bransfield Strait. 



(5) March (Plate XIV). A small number were marked in this month between 5° E and 10° E in 

 1935 and 1937. 



(b) Eastern Area 



(i) December (Plate XV). Most of the Fin whales marked in this month — and they are only 

 a moderate number (169) — lie between 20 and 30° E where the ' William Scoresby ' usually commenced 

 operations on arriving at the pack-ice edge, as explained above under ' Blue whales '. 



(2) January (Plate XVI). Only 286 Fin whales were marked in the eastern area this month. Those 

 between 57 and 97° E were mostly marked in 1937; greater numbers, between 42 and 55° E, off 

 Enderby Land were mostly marked in 1935. 



