2 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



and coarse mesh, and hydrological samples and observations have also been taken. In 

 addition, more detailed surveys have been made by these methods in the whaling areas 

 of South Georgia and the South Shetlands. 



The present report deals with collections made during the years 1926-7 in the region 

 of South Georgia and some of the adjacent areas. Still more extensive surveys have 

 been made in the following years and are still being carried out ; so that it should be 

 borne in mind that some of the conclusions reached in this paper may be modified 

 by the results of work now in progress: particularly will this be so in regard to 

 seasonal distribution, where conclusions are based upon somewhat inadequate grounds. 

 This account, however, may be of interest since it presents for the first time the results 

 of an intensive study of a plankton community in the Antarctic Zone. 1 It is based upon 

 the analysis of over one thousand samples (1071). Its aim is to offer as a starting-point 

 an account of the plankton with which the results of work in later seasons and other 

 localities may be compared and in general to form an introduction to the ecology of 

 the Antarctic seas. A consideration of the relationship between the distribution of the 

 whales and that of the plankton, and between the zooplankton and the phytoplankton, 

 has led to the recognition of certain general principles of pelagic ecology. It also affords 

 material for a discussion on the validity of some recognized planktological methods. 

 An indication is obtained of the remarkable patchiness in distribution of many of the 

 plankton animals. 



The work was planned and carried out under the direction of our leader, Dr Stanley 

 Kemp, F.R.S., in the ships, R.R.S. 'Discovery' and R.R.S. 'William Scoresby', during 

 their first commissions. The authors, together at various times with Mr J. E. Hamilton, 

 Dr J. F. G. Wheeler, Mr D. Dilwyn John and Mr F. C. Fraser, had the pleasure of 

 carrying out the work in the field under Dr Kemp's leadership. We are most grateful 

 for the extensive assistance we received from Dr Helene Bargmann, who analysed the 

 samples from the "100 cm." horizontal nets (N 100 H), and from the late Mr Andrew 

 Scott, of Liverpool University, who examined all the Copepoda and analysed the 

 samples from the "70 cm." horizontal nets (N 70 H) for Copepoda; we are ourselves 

 responsible for the analyses of the samples from the other nets as follows: A. C. H. for 

 the " 50 cm." vertical nets (N 50 V); E. R. G. for the " 70 cm." vertical nets (N 70 V). 



The following specialists have kindly assisted in the identification of different groups 

 of organisms, and to them we tender our grateful thanks : 



Dr H. Bargmann — Chaetognatha Mr E. Heron-Allen — Foraminifera 



Dr K. H. Barnard — Amphipoda Miss A. L. Massy — Pteropoda 



Mr E. T. Browne— Medusae Mr C. C. A. Monro— Polychaeta 



Mr A. Earland — Foraminifera Mr Andrew Scott — Copepoda 



Mr G. P. Farran — Copepoda Captain A. K. Totton — Siphonophora 



Mr F. C. Fraser — Ostracoda 



1 Geographically South Georgia is well to the north of the Antarctic Circle, but hydrologically it 

 lies well within the Antarctic Zone. 



