THE STOCK OF WHALES 



461 



species are found to belong to Group 2 in October, November and December, and to 

 Group I in the succeeding months. This is shown in the following table in which the 

 number of whales in each group is shown for each month of the South Georgia whaling 

 season. The group containing the majority of whales for each month is marked m 

 heavy type. 



The more important variable features. of the catches seem to be the result of certain 

 mass movements of the whales which differ from year to year. There is little doubt that 

 these movements are largely affected by meteorological conditions and in particular by 

 the position of the icebergs and pack-ice. The distribution of whales, the meteorological 

 and hydrological conditions, and the abundance and distribution of food, must all, in 

 fact, be closely connected with one another. 



It is not within the scope of the present memoir to explore these causes very far, but 

 in this connection it is interesting to compare the 1925-6 and the 1926-7 seasons at 

 South Georgia. 



In the 1925-6 season there was a small and diminishing quantity of large whales 

 during the first two months or so. Then there appeared a mass of Fin whales with a 

 male vanguard apparently in search of food which they succeeded in finding at South 

 Georgia. This community of Fin whales settled down at South Georgia but dispersed 

 gradually as the season wore on. During this season the ice appears to have remained 

 far south and did not, at any rate, approach the vicinity of South Georgia in any great 

 quantity. 



The 1926-7 season opened with the capture of big Blue whales similar to those found 

 at the beginning of the previous season, but instead of dispersing they remained around 

 South Georgia in large numbers. Fin whales were scarce until reinforced by the arrival 

 of immature ones in the latter part of the season. It has already been pointed out 

 (p. 452) that the adult Blue whales of this season were, on the average, older than 

 those of the previous seasons when they were less plentiful. In contrast to the preceding 

 season the ice had drifted exceptionally far north. There were numerous icebergs in 

 the vicinity of South Georgia and the pack-ice itself had here and there penetrated as 

 far as and even farther north than the latitude of the island. 



One cannot be certain, but the circumstances seem to show that the distribution of 



