SECTIONAL 'TRANSACTIONS.—D. 425 
appear to occur approximately from July to September, and in the northern 
whales approximately from January to April. If these conclusions are correct 
the principal breeding periods, in each hemisphere, are in winter and early 
spring, when the majority of the whales have left the localities in which they 
are mostly hunted. Foetal specimens of a given length are thus most numerous 
during periods about six months apart in the two hemispheres. The duration 
otf pregnancy does not seem to exceed twelve months; and evidence has been 
obtained that in the fin whale the rate of growth in the foetus is about two 
feet a month, during a considerable part of the period of gestation. 
14, Dr. James Rircure.—Giant Squids on the Scottish Coast. 
1 
Records of the occurrence of Giant Squids on the shores of the British Isles 
are exceedingly sparse, a fact scarcely to be wondered at, since the head- 
quarters of the group appear to be in the cold waters bordering the Arctic 
regions. Of the previous records the most interesting hail from the West 
Coast of Ireland; but a few years ago the writer examined near Dunbar a large 
individual of Architeuthis harveyi, having tentacular arms 14 feet long, and 
since that time a series of interesting occurrences have been noted. These 
include, on the east coast, a living example of Sthenoteuthis pteropus recently 
cast ashore at North Berwick, and a specimen of Architeuthis harveyi in 
Caithness, while the west coast has afforded a single specimen of the former 
species. Representative portions of these individuals are preserved in the Royal 
Scottish Museum. 
The Section was entertained at the Scottish Zoological Park by 
the President and Council of the Zoological Society of Scotland. 
Saturday, September 10. 
An excursion to Dunkeld took place under the leadership of Dr. 
Srewarr MacpouGatu. 
Monday, September 12. 
15. Prof. J. W. Van WicHEe.—Demonstration of Wax Model of the 
Skull of Acanthias Embryo (39.5 mm. long). 
16. Joint Meeting with Section J. Discussion on Instinctive 
Behaviour. 
Dr. J. Drever.—The psychologist maintains that no adequate scientific 
account of instinct is possible without taking into consideration psychological 
factors. Behaviour implies the total response of an organism to a situation. 
According to common usage, so far as this response is not determined by what 
has happened to the organism in its individual past history, it is said to be instine- 
tive. This usage requires some qualification, and also limitation and elucidation, 
if it is to be adopted for scientific purposes. To take a particular instance, we 
require to find some way of marking off instinctive behaviour from the uncondi- 
tioned reflex. It is at some such point that the psychological account would appear 
to come in. Those responses of the organism which are instinctive involve pro- 
cesses which, regarding them from the inner standpoint we as continuous 
beings are capable of taking, we denominate ‘ experience.’ The charge of 
anthropomorphism urged against this method of interpretation is not so well 
founded as it appears at first sight. If we adopt a ‘hhylomorphic’ method of 
interpretation, there are certain aspects of what might be called the ‘ experience 
phase’ of behaviour which must be simply ignored by science. Even if 
McDougall’s view be accepted, that the emotion is not a secondary development 
or a disorder of an instinct, this difficulty still remains. 
Prof. E. 8. Goopricu, F.R.S.—The word instinct has been used with so many 
different meanings that I shall restrict myself to the discussion, not of instinct, 
