BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY). 51 



very significant and disquieting feature of the operations, as indicative 

 of the consequences of over-fishing of a particular species. Similar 

 evidence is forthcoming from his examination of a report on the South 

 Shetland Whaling Season, 1915-16, which contains valuable informa- 

 tion supplementing the reports received from South Georgia. In 

 this case, the statistics show that the total number of whales captured 

 during the season was 4,431, the majority being Blue and Fin Whales, 

 and only 219 Humpbacks, of which comparatively few are left in 

 the South Shetlands area. 



Sealing Industry in South Georgia. 



Dr. Harmer has also reported on a number of papers transmitted 

 by the Colonial Office relating to the sealing industry in South 

 Georgia. From these papers it appeared that there was no observable 

 decrease in the number of Elephant-Seals since the industry was 

 established under the terms of an Ordinance of 1909, notwithstanding 

 that the number killed averaged 3,028 annually. 



Other Investigations. 



Other matters that have come within the scope of the activities 

 of the Museum during the past year, which may be briefly noted 

 here, are : — 



(a) Questions arising out of the Canadian Commission to 

 consider the alleged depredations of Sea Lions on the Pacific 

 Coasts of North America, in connection with the fishing and 

 canning industries ; 



(b) The identification of certain animal forms of tinned food 

 such as Pacific Lobsters, Sardines or Sprats, &c. ; 



(c) The identification of Poisonous Fishes in the West Indies ; 



(d) The Sponge Fishery in the West Indies ; 



(e) The introduction of Reindeer "and other animals into South 

 Georgia ; 



(/) The protection of Birds and Wild Mammals in the Crown 

 Colonies and Protectorates ; 



(g) The desirability of a measure to restrict the importation of 

 Wild Birds' Plumage. 



Rowland Ward Bequest. 



The Trustees of the Rowland Ward Bequest have presented to 

 the Museum during the year twelve mounted specimens, including a 

 Wild Sheep from Thian-Shan, a Lion from British East Africa, and 

 a female Gorilla from the Cameroons. 



Presents. 



The total number of gifts received during the year by the 

 several Departments was 1,697, as compared with 1,825 in 1915. 

 Many of these comprised large numbers of individual specimens. 



