





























~ApRIL 21, 1923] 
distinct bearing on the question why each species of 
whale differs from the others in its seasonal occurrence. 
tions favourable for the growth of diatoms and other 
-chlorophyll-containing organisms; and in this con- 
-nexion may be mentioned Mr. A. G. Bennett’s interesting 
observation that the skin of certain whales is covered 
by a film composed of innumerable diatoms. The 
evidence is in favour of the view that this skin-film is 
not present on thin individuals which have recently 
‘come down from the north, but that it develops during 
the stay of the whales in Antarctic waters. The study 
of the film and perhaps of whale-parasites may prove 
to be capable of giving important information with 
For many years the Norwegians have taken the 
leading place in the whaling industry, and they have 
large interests in Antarctic whaling. It is thus natural 
hat they should feel anxiety with regard to the possible 
esults of a protective policy, and this is shown by an 
article recently published in the Anglo-Norwegian Trade 
Journal | (Vol. 9, No. 98, February). The comments 
in question were a rejoinder to criticisms of the whaling 
industry which had appeared in the Morning Post, based 
on a lecture given by myself, as reported in NATURE 
(Vol. rr0, December 16, 1922, p. 827). I had pointed 
out, on the incontrovertible evidence of history, that 
‘the operations of whalers in the past have been in- 
ariably followed by a depletion of the whaling fields. 
e Atlantic right whale no longer frequents the 
Bay of Biscay in numbers sufficient to maintain a 
whaling industry, nor is the Greenland whale still 
‘common in the bays of Spitsbergen, in Davis Straits, 
or even in the North Pacific. The grey whale dis- 
appeared long ago from the lagoons of California, and 
there is no longer occupation for the hundreds of vessels 
hich left European and American ports annually, in 
the eighteenth and part of the nineteenth centuries, 
in pursuit of the Greenland and other right whales 
and the sperm whale. With these facts in view the 
Teast that is required is the adoption of a cautious 
policy, lest the mistakes of the past should be 
repeated. 
Einstein and the 
Rae results of the expeditions from Canada and j; 
the Lick Observatory to Wallal, Western Aus- 
‘tralia, for the solar eclipse of last September have now 
come to hand; and both report in favour of the 
Einstein shift of starlight. In each case the number 
of stars measured was very large—exceeding eighty— 
the magnitudes being between the seventh and the 
tenth. From this it is evident that the exposures were 
comparatively long, and consequently there would be 
considerable extension of the corona on the plates, 
which would obliterate the stars nearest the sun. The 
measures, however, were sufficiently exact to give a 
decisive result using the more distant stars. Profs. 
Campbell and Trumpler measured all their plates in 
duplicate ; the values for the shift at the limb of the 
sun deduced from the individual plates ranged from 
1°59” to 1°86", the mean of all being 1-74”, which is 
only o-o1” less than Einstein’s predicted value. 
As Prof. Campbell is well known to have been in no 
NO. 2790, VOL. 111] 
NATURE 
541 
The whaling companies are admittedly interested in 
the avoidance of extermination, which would mean 

The abundance of whale-food is dependent on condi- | the closing of their operations, but their advocates 
have maintained that, in view of the enormous extent 
of the oceans which are frequented by whales, the 
activity of hunters in a small area is not likely to 
produce much effect in reducing their number. It 
will be seen, however, by consulting a map, that South 
Georgia and the South Shetlands lie in’ the region 
where the Antarctic Ocean is narrowest, and that they 
are admirably situated to intercept the stream of whales 
in their circumpolar movements. It would not be 
surprising if operations at these stations alone were 
found capable of depleting very seriously the entire 
stock of Antarctic whales, even if no new stations were 
to be founded in other localities, as seems likely to 
happen in Ross Sea, for example. The danger is all 
the greater, taking into consideration the highly 
efficient methods of modern whaling. 
The acquisition of a sound body of scientific evidence 
is the object of the expeditions which are being planned 
by the Colonial Office. Although I do not conceal 
my personal conviction, as at present informed, that 
whaling is being conducted on too large a scale, I do 
not deny that a study of the subject by competent 
investigators on the spot may lead to a different 
conclusion. The Trustees of the British Museum have 
acted in an advisory capacity to the Colonial Office 
since they first became interested in Antarctic whaling, 
not long after its inception. I am authorised to state 
that they do not desire to take up an extreme position 
in the matter, but that their efforts are directed to 
the restriction of whaling to an extent which is not 
inconsistent with the permanent preservation of whales. 
This is a moderate view, with which it may be hoped 
that the representatives of the whaling industry will 
agree in principle. The article to which I have referred 
virtually admits as much, and the willing co-operation 
of the whaling companies will be of the greatest value 
to the expedition. It may be hoped that it will be 
possible to find a modus vivendi satisfactory to both 
parties, who are equally interested in preventing the 
extermination of whales. 
Recent Eclipse. 
sense predisposed in favour of Einstein’s theory, this 
result, combined with that of Prof. Chant and the 
mean of the Principe and Sobral results in the r919 
eclipse, will probably be regarded as setting the ques- 
tion at rest. Prof. Campbell says in his telegram that 
he considers further work of this kind unnecessary, so 
that he will attack other problems in the Californian 
eclipse of next September. There are still the plates 
taken by the Australian expeditions to be measured. 
This is to be done at Greenwich ; their scale is smaller 
than that of the Lick Observatory plates, so that 
probably less weight will attach to them. 
The evidence as regards the presence of the shift in 
the solar spectral lines is now fairly evenly balanced 
“For” and “ Against”; but in any case this test is 
a less decisive one than the other two, since there are 
so many known causes of shift of spectral lines, which 
it is not easy to eliminate completely. 
Jie SCAND eal Om 
