262 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



The time elapsing between the marking and capture of those Fin whales taken on the 

 South Georgia grounds during the same season, the o-Group, disregarding those 

 whales taken the same day as marked, averages fifteen days and varies up to fifty-eight 

 days. It is obvious, from the small number of returned marks compared with the large 

 number of Fin whales marked in the neighbourhood of South Georgia, and the short 

 average time between marking and capture, that the Fin whales do not remain in this 

 region but, like Blue whales, are actually in transit when found in these grounds. On the 

 other hand, their migration cannot be so direct and rapid as that of Blue whales, for 

 whilst captured marked Blue whales only averaged six days on the grounds and only 

 very few were taken, the average length of freedom of the captured marked Fin whales 

 was fifteen days. 



The movements of these marked Fin whales can only be described as erratic 

 (Plate LIII). The whale (No. 1051) in this group, captured after the longest interval, 

 fifty-eight days, had moved almost due south, whilst a second (No. 1006), taken after 

 forty-four days, had moved almost due east. These two whales show over this period an 

 average movement of little more than two miles a day, which strongly suggests that they 

 had found food and stopped to enjoy it. Only during one season (1934-35) nave whales 

 marked west of the island been taken the same season by the South Georgia whalers. 

 The positions of capture of two of these (Nos. 1051, 1322) are far from the whaling 

 stations and suggest that whales at that time were scarce near the island so that a wide 

 search was necessary. It would appear that Fin whales passing to the west of South 

 Georgia enter very little into the catch normally made there. 



Four Fin whales (Nos. 1081, 6554, 6609, 7036), marked near South Georgia, have been 

 taken by the whaling fleet at the mouth of the Weddell Sea at distances from their place 

 of marking of 626 to 765 miles (Plate LIV). Two (Nos. 6554, 6609), marked near the 

 Shag Rocks, had travelled respectively south and south-west, and a third (No. 7036), 

 marked east of South Georgia, had also moved south-south-west. These whales were 

 marked in the season 1936-37, but the fourth, marked in an earlier season (i934~35)> 

 had moved almost south-east. This whale belonged to the same group, marked in the 

 season 1934-35 between South Georgia and the Shag Rocks, as those taken east and 

 north of South Georgia (Nos. 1006, 105 1, 1322), and it is only from this season that 

 there is any evidence of Fin whales, marked to the west of South Georgia, showing 

 movement in easterly directions. During this season the catch of Fin whales made by 

 the pelagic fleet in the Scotia Sea and at the mouth of the Weddell Sea was comparatively 

 small. 



In 1936-37, however, there is a strong indication that Fin whales tended to move 

 from South Georgia rather west of south than east of south. We have seen how none of these 

 whales approached South Georgia from the westward that season and how those whales 

 taken far south had tended to move westwards. This is corroborated by the movement 

 of factory ships. During this season factory ships lying to the south of South Georgia at 

 the beginning of January moved westwards, whilst others from the east moved in to 

 take their place. Considerable search for whales went on during this month between 



