228 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



As may be seen from the sketch map, the Biological Station is situated about 800 

 yards from the whaling station. There is a rough path leading round the north side of 

 the cove, but the station is more easily reached by boat, especially as it is often necessary 

 to carry various gear and specimens to and fro. It will not be necessary to give here a 

 description of the process by which the whale's carcass is disposed of, or of the details 

 of the observations which are made, as these things will be dealt with in the forthcoming 

 report on the work at whaling stations ; but some remarks may be made on the routine 

 of work and the equipment used. 



The whale boats usually bring in their catches during the night, and work on the 

 flensing platform begins at 6 a.m. and continues with intervals for meals until 6 p.m., 

 or until the day's catch has been disposed of. In order to carry out the programme of 

 observations it is necessary for two people to be present on the flensing platform, and 

 usually one officer and the laboratory assistant attended each day while the whales were 

 being cut up. 



This work at the whaling station consists in (i) taking a number of measurements 

 including total length, bodily proportions, thickness of blubber, etc., of each whale; 

 (ii) noting the external characters and variations; (iii) the examination of organs and 

 tissues ; and (iv) the collection of specimens. The equipment needed for all this is com- 

 paratively simple. The most important articles are rough note-books, measuring tapes, 

 flensing and sheath knives, whale hooks, and tubes and bottles for preserving specimens. 

 Everything used on the flensing platform becomes soiled in a short time and loose-leaf 

 note books with a supply of spare covers are advisable. All measurements were made in 

 metres, and the measuring tapes, reading to 30 m., were of the linen variety and wound 

 on large fishing reels. This is much more satisfactory than a steel tape, or any kind 

 which is rolled up in a case, but the actual tape lasts only a few weeks if detailed measure- 

 ments are being taken and a good supply is therefore necessary. Flensing knives and 

 whale hooks are important and can be obtained at any whaling station. They are used 

 mainly in dissecting out the reproductive organs and foetuses. Smaller knives are also 

 necessary for cutting off pieces of tissue and a variety of minor operations, and for 

 this purpose sheath knives with blades 9 to 12 in. long are convenient. The kinds 

 of specimens most frequently collected are small foetuses and parts of larger ones, 

 ovaries, food specimens, parasites and external scars, pathological growths, etc., and 

 small pieces of tissue for histological examination. These can mostly be accommodated 

 in glass tubes and jars ranging from i lb. to 5 lb. capacity, but ovaries and foetuses 

 are best stored in large enamelled iron tanks, of which four or five were available for 

 this purpose at the Biological Station. 



The records and data obtained at the whaling station are entered in large log 

 books or ledgers kept at the Biological Station. These are of three types. In the first, 

 or general log book, a double page (reading right across the book) is kept for each whale, 

 and here all details referring to external characters, blubber, parasites, food, repro- 

 ductive organs, occurrence of foetuses, etc., are entered. The second, or measurements 

 log, is kept for the measurements of bodily proportions. In the third, or foetus log, 



