ON BELMULLET WHALING STATION. 



121 



Belmullet Whaling Station. — Report of the Committee, consisting of 

 Dr. A. E. Shipley (Chairman), Professor J. Stanley Gardiner 

 (Secretary), Professor W. A. Herdman, Rev. W. Spotswood 

 Green, Mr. E. S. Goodrich, Dr. H. W. Marett Tims, and Mr. 

 R. M. Barrington, appointed to investigate the Biological Problems 

 incidental to the Belmullet Whaling Station. 



The Committee have received the following preliminary report from 

 Mr. S. T. Burfield, who has proceeded to the fishery for four months : — 



I arrived at the station of the Blacksod Whaling Company on 

 Juno 13. This station was opened in 1910, and is situated in Elly Bay 

 in the Belmullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo. The ' fishing ' began this year 

 in the middle of May, and at the time of my arrival twelve whales had 

 been caught. This catch is as shown in the following table : — 



As will be seen neither Right whales (Balcena biscayensis) nor 

 Humpbacks (Megaptera longimana) had been captured, although both 

 these species are found off the west coast of Ireland. 



Since I have been at the station up to the time of writing this report 

 (August 1) twenty-seven whales have been brought to the station by the 

 two whaling steamers of the Company. These have all been examined 

 to some extent. Three of the twenty-seven were Blue whales (Balce- 

 noptera sibbaldii, Gray), and the remaining twenty-four were Fin- 

 whales (B. musculus). Right whales (Balczna biscayensis) and 

 Rudolphi's Rorquals (Balcenoptera borealis) are generally caught earlier 

 in the season only, and it is not very likely that specimens will be taken 

 again this year. It is quite possible, however, that Sperm whales 

 (Physeter macrocephalus) and Humpbacks (Megaptera longimana) 

 may yet be caught. 



From the whaler's point of view the present season has been dis- 

 tinctly bad. Although the actual catch has been comparatively small, 

 the yield of oil per whale has been rather above the average. Generally 

 speaking a gravid female gives the best yield, whilst a female with a 

 suckling is thin. 



Some information has been obtained on subjects of general interest 

 in relation 'to whales and the whale ' fishery,' such as — (a) the general 

 factory procedure in connection with the extraction of the oil and manu- 

 facture of guano and cattle food; (b) the whaler's point of view as to 

 the probable extinction of the larger species of whales; (c) breeding and 

 migration, especially the definite routes kept by some whales; (d) the 

 blowing of whales; (e) the probable two varfeties of B. musculus, 



The presence of whales off the coast seems to depend to a great 



