PATCHINESS 255 



however, are shown in Fig. 144. This was taken when approaching South Georgia from 

 the north-east in February 1926, and shows marked patchiness in the distribution of 

 young Euphausians and also a small isolated patch of Limacina. 



The consecutive net series 



On the night of January 1 1-12, 1927, the ' William Scoresby ' took a series of twenty- 

 three consecutive net hauls, each for a half-mile tow, with N 100 H nets from 2130 till 

 0315 o'clock at a depth of approximately 5 m. below the surface. Two nets, exactly 

 similar to each other in every particular, were employed. The procedure adopted was as 

 follows. The first net was lowered away from the starboard quarter, and towed for half a 

 mile measured by the ship's log, and then hauled in. As this net was being hauled in the 

 second net was lowered away from the port quarter and towed for another half mile. 

 Whilst this second net was being towed the first net was washed down, the bucket 

 emptied and replaced, and the net got ready for reshooting. Then as the second net was 

 hauled in at the end of its half-mile tow the first net was again shot from the starboard 

 quarter. In this manner the series of twenty-three consecutive hauls was obtained using 

 the two nets alternately, so that a continuous sampling was carried out for a distance of 

 iiJr miles. The samples were labelled A, B, C, D, etc. to X (omitting the use of the 

 letter "/" to avoid confusion in labelling with the number " 1 "). 



Four nights later, January 15-16, the ' Discovery' at St. 150 took a similar but longer 

 series of fifty consecutive hauls with N 100 H nets covering a distance of just over 30 

 miles. The procedure was exactly the same as at St. WS 53, but the hauls were of an 

 average o-6 mile tow (being regulated by timing and not by the log). The samples were 

 labelled A, B, C, D, ... , AA, BB, CC, etc. to AAA, letters "J" and "II" being 

 omitted. Samples were not taken at NN and 00 due to the tearing and replacement of 

 one of the nets. The two series were made to the north and north-east of South Georgia, 

 each beginning some 25 miles from the coast ; the actual positions may be seen by refer- 

 ence to Fig. 13. 



The following organisms were taken in sufficient numbers to enable one to form a 

 good idea of the nature of their distribution : Beroe, the Copepods Calanus propinqiuts 

 and Pareuchaeta antarctica, the Amphipods Parathemisto gaudichaudi and Vibilia 

 antarctica, the Euphausiacea Euphausia superba and E. frigida, and Salpa fusiformis. 

 To a lesser extent some evidence regarding the Amphipods Cyllopus and Primno was 

 obtained. 



Whilst Beroe did not occur in very large numbers we see from St. WS 53, Fig. 131, 

 that it tends to occur in somewhat denser concentrations of less than half a mile across. 

 In seven consecutive hauls the numbers caught were 2, 18, 7, 31, 1, 41 and 1, whilst a 

 little further in three consecutive hauls we find 2, 19 and 4. 



Calanus propinqutis, as shown by both series, tends to occur in concentrations some 

 2 miles across with few or none in between. The series at St. WS 53 showed one such 

 patch and that at St. 150 two such patches separated by only half a mile. The St. WS 53 

 series showed small numbers for a considerable part of the line sampled, in the St. 150 

 series it was only taken in small numbers in two samples outside the patches. These 

 patches are shown in Figs. 131 and 132. 



