THE DISCOVERY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19162, 19 November 1927, Page 20

THE DISCOVERY.

TWO YEARS IN THE

ANTARCTIC.

A STUDY OF WHALES

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON", September 30

On- evening this week the Discovery crept into Falmouth Harbour. This three-masted auxiliary barque in winch Scott made his first Antarctic Expedition, 19014, and in which Shackleton later served .is third officer, has returned after cruising for two years in the Polar seas. It was in September, 1925, that the Discover* sailed from Dartmouth Tner-3 had been grave doubts as to the luturc of the whaling industry in the Antarctic, and the Discovery expedition was organised with the ultimate object ot preventing, if possible, the extermination of whales in the south in the way in which thev have been exterminated in the north. The expedition was largely financed by the Government ot tho'Falkliuid Islands, but the plans and equipment were worked out and the staff selected by a committee, with headquarters at the Colonial Office, composed of experts in seamanship ami in zoology. Skilled advice was obtained from Government Departments and from the Natural History Museum. Although the expedition has had none of the glamour and excitement oj previous Antarctic voyage's, it has been entirely successful from the point of view of scientific research, and a good deal of hard work had been done m extremely rough weather. The New Zealander, Commander J. E. Stenhouse, T>.S.O., and his officers and crew are reported as fit and there have been no casualties. At intervals' during the work of research the Discovery called at Caipe Town and took on board South African boys from the training ship Botha. Three cpdets have also formed part of the expedition, and the crew numbered 39 hands. •One of the company is the famous "Boy Saout," Marr, who was with Shae'-'oton on his last voyage—now Mr James, W. S. Marr, M.A., B.Se., zoologist to the expedition. A Floating Laboratory. The vessel is a veritable scientific laboratory. She is loaded with many strange creatures from the depth of the Antarctic Seas, some of them new to zoology. Dr. Stanley W. Kemp, the director of research, said that a large amount of material and data had been obtained and that there would have to be much examination and investigation before it would be possible to state the full results of the expedition. The work had been totally different from that on which the Discovery had been previously engaged. The territorial aspect had changed to the scientific. So far as the South Georgian whaling grounds were concerned enough data had been obtained to enable conditions to be compared in future seasons. It would) thus be possible to establish a standard of comparison from one sTear5 T ear to another. There was a land station at Grytwick, South Georgia, wihere other members of his staff were engaged in a statistical study of whales. Another vessel, the William Scoresby, had assisted the expedition during the past year and would be leaving England for the south again towards the end of the present year. No decision had) yet been arrived at as to future voyages of the Discovery. Strange Forms of Ocean Life. Preserved in spirits on board are many curious specimens of Crustacea—whale food —and the lowest forms of animal life. There is the fantasticallyshaped Antarctic crab of many legs, and something like a horseshoe with many protruding points. He has been affectionately named "Prickly Peter." "Many of these objects," said Dr. Kemp, "we have been unable to identify, and some of them undoubtedly are new to zoology." This study of the swarms of Crustacea andl other ocean life which attracts whales from one pa.rt to another is likely to afford valuable evidence on the migratory habits of the herds. There are many volumes and albuni3 of drawings, and records dealing with Antarctic phenomena. One vivid sketch shows the phosphorescent wash of the Discovery under a star-filled polar sky. Others illustrate the majestic and ever-chang-ing colouring of strange forms of ocean life., The Discovery visited the Dependencies of the Falklands—South Georgia, South Orkneys, and South Shetlands. Her farthest point was 65 degrees south in the neighbourhood of Anvers Island. Hump-backed Whales Diminishing. Experiments had been made in the marking of whales, said Dr. Kemp, but it was too early yet to say whether these would bo successful. It was probable that alterations in method would need to be made before that side of the work could be carried much farther. The method of marking adopted had been to shoot darts into the whales, which, when afterwards caught by fishermen, could thus be at once identified. So ar as he knew, no marked whale had yet been caught. It was certain that the hump-backed whale was diminishing in southern waters. That species was hunted very extensively some j-ears ago, and it was possible that it might have changed its routes of migration, and that it was not in reality so scarce as it seemed to be. The blue whale and the fin whale appeared to be as abundant as ever. Tho 1925-26 season was extraordinarily good both in South Georgia and the South Shetlands, but the 1926-27 season, although good in South Georgia, had been almost a complete failure in the South Shetlands. That would appear to be due to physical conditions of which we wero at present ignorant. It had been established, however, that whales migrated at times in herds of one sex.

Football In South Georgia. The Discovery shows signs of the rough weather that had been encountered, and all in her were glad) to catch what glimpses they could of the Cornish coast through the driving rain. During \tlie voyage physical exercises have not been neglected. "We turned out an excellent Soccer football team," said a member of the staff, "and set' the seal on our efforts by defeating South Georgia, after ourselves suffering a series of defeats. Our crew of thirty-nine included a Norwegian professional footballer, who could hold his own with almost any Knslish League player." The Discoverj will reach the Thames on October Ist, and her collection and) data will be sifted in London. Later she and the William _ Scoresby leave again for the Antarctic.