278 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



RECORD KEPT BY H. A. GLIDDEN. 



September 25. The rookeries at Tolstoi. English Bay, and Northwest Bay are all 

 occupied by cows and pups hauled out upon laud, in many places quite a distance 

 from the shore. 



October 14. The seals have left the breeding rookery (Lagoon) opposite the 

 Warehouse. Most of the seals have disappeared from Tolstoi ; none are left at English 

 Bay. 



December 31. No seals are visible except on Sea Lion Hock. 



1883. 



April 30. The ice is still firm about the island. 



May 6. The chiefs report the appearance of seals on the Reef and Lukaniu. 



May 8. Seals reported on Tolstoi. Some ice still remains. 



May 1C. Several bull seals are on the Reef. 



June 4. The first regular drive of the season gave 592 seals from Southwest Bay 

 and Tolstoi. 



June 10. But very few small seals have arrived as yet upon the island, a 

 considerably smaller number than at this time last year. 



July 10. Owing to the small number of large seals, the work at Northeast Point 

 was suspended and the sealers returned to the village. 



July 13. A drive from Southwest Bay yielded 2,444 seals. Seals are arriving 

 late at St. George; only 7,500 secured there to date. 1 



August 2. There are 400 skins yet to be taken to fill the quota of 15,000 for St. 

 George. 



October 26. Seals are leaving the island very fast; the rookeries and hauling 

 grounds show that more than half have left; at Northeast Point but few remain. 



November 2. The quota of pups for food, 3,000 in all, was completed to-day. 



November 18. But few seals remain on the rookeries; more are on the Reef than 

 anywhere else. 



November 24. About 2,000 large young seals have hauled up on Southwest Bay 

 within the last two or three days. 



December 4. Trapping of foxes has been suspended, because the setting of traps 

 near the rookeries tends to frighten the seals into the water. 



December 5. Seals have left Tolstoi, English Bay, and Halfway Point. A few 

 are still at Southwest Bay, mostly cows and pups. A few small seals are on the Reef, 

 but so near the water that it is impossible to drive them for food. 



December 12. A food killing from the Reef gave 420 seals. Seals are hauling 

 out again at Southwest Bay and Northeast Point. 



December 2G. Natives report many seals hauled out at Northeast Point. Great 

 numbers are seen daily in the water on the east side. A few hundred are on the south 

 end of the Reef and many on Sea Lion Rock. 



1 In this and other entries during this season we see evidence of a growing scarcity of seals on the 

 hauling grounds. This is in part doubtless due to the growing pelagic catch, but must in part also 

 be due to peculiar seasonal conditions. 



