biological observations 



BIOTA 



General. As no qualified biologist accompanied vessels 

 of the Western Task Group on Operation HIGHJUMP, only a 

 few general biological observations worthy of recording here 

 were made. Observations were limited to gaining a general 

 impression of the biota and to obtaining some plankton net 

 hauls. However, detailed observations were made on natural 

 slicks and on the deep scattering layer, both of which are, in 

 a sense, presumably biological phenomena. 



Fish, bir ds, and mammals . Although fish, especially 

 shallow-water bottom types of the genus, Notothenia, are 

 reported to be present in antarctic waters, they were strik- 

 ingly absent from view in the water traversed by ships of the 

 Western Task Group. In addition to the fact that the NEL 

 observers sighted no fish themselves, no fish were reported 

 as being sighted by any of the personnel of the three vessels. 

 A number of persons attempted to catch fish by the conven- 

 tional hook-and-line methods, but these attempts failed. 

 Also, birds were not seen feeding on bait; such an occurrence 

 would certainly have been noted, had schools of small fish 

 been commonly present. 



Pelagic birds were extremely abundant south of the Ant- 

 arctic Convergence, especially in the vicinity of the ice pack. 

 However, from ships of the Western Task Group, no new 

 observations were made concerning them. 



Penguins were occasionally sighted on ice floes and were 

 frequently seen swimming in the open sea many miles distant 

 from the nearest ice. Figure 35 shows three Adelie penguins 

 that were taken from an ice floe by personnel of the USS 

 CURRITUCK. 



Whales were numerous in the antarctic waters; usually 

 a number were sighted during each watch. The seals that 

 were sighted in the vicinity of the ice pack were usually 

 resting upon the ice. Figure 36 shows one of the two seals 

 that were captured from an ice floe by personnel of the 

 USS CURRITUCK. 



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