COUNCIL — SEPT. 1912 — APPENDIX D — «4 — 



and foremost be directed towards the three following points, which should com- 

 pose the programme for the first year's work in all the countries interested:- — 



1. The Analysis of the Eel stock in respect of sex, size, weight and age of 

 the different individuals. 



2. Markings of yellow eels, in order to ascertain their possible migrations 

 and growth. 



3. Improvement and specialisation of the statistics bearing upon the Eel, 

 by which the yellow eels and the silver Eels should be separately dealt with. 



Point II and Point III were agreed to, whereupon 



Dr. Trtbom proposed that Dr. Johs. Schmidt should be appointed as leader 

 and reporter for the Eel investigations referred to in the proposal. 



This was agreed to. 



Prof. D'Arcy Thompson expressed his warm appreciation of the excellent 

 investigation carried out with regard to the Eel by Dr. Schmidt. 



Prof. D'Arcy Thompson then brought forward Point c for discussion. (Dr. Johan- 

 sen's proposal to include the catches of whales and seals in the "Bulletin Statistique"). 



Dr. JoHANSEN : "As stated in my letter to the Bureau (Appendix J) I consider 

 it useful to include the statistics concerning the catches of whales and seals in 

 "Bulletin Statistique". 



I think it worth wliile to consider whether it would not soon be practical 

 for the International Council to take up the biological study of whales with prac- 

 tical aims, and in case such a study be commenced, it would be very useful that 

 reliable statistics for as long a period as possible should be to hand. 



In view of the wide distribution of the whale species and their extensive 

 migrations it would be very desirable to extend the statistics bearing on the cap- 

 ture of whales so as to include other countries than those taking part in the inter- 

 national investigation of the sea. In the case of many of the more important 

 species of fish also such an extension of the statistics would be very useful. I 

 hope that the Bureau in future may be able to undertake such an extension of 

 the statistics in the Bulletin Statistique. 



For the present, however, I shall restrict myself to the proposal stated in 

 my letter to the Bureau." 



Prof. D'Arcy Thompson supported the proposal, and considered this exten- 

 sion of the statistics to be of great importance. The capture of whales in Scot- 

 land had made great progress of late years and extensive material was there to 

 hand concerning the development of the whale fishery. 



