260 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



1874. 



January 20. Seals are reported in two places at Southwest Bay; 100 iu one and 

 25 in the other. 



January 31. About 1,000 seals arc reported at Northeast Point on the north side; 

 none were females, pups, or bulls; all were bachelors. Many seals were in the water. 

 It is a surprisingly mild winter. 



February 10.' Natives at Northeast Point report seals on the beach and in the 

 water. 



February 21. A few seals are iu the water at Northeast Point: 6 on shore, seem- 

 ingly very shy, smelling the rocks, and returning soon to the water. 



March 1. The chief reports seeing about 12 middle-class 2 seals in the water and 

 on the beach at Zapadni; no bulls have been seen since the beginning of January. 

 The middle class seals have not left the island this winter something not remembered 

 to have occurred before by even the oldest people. 



March 5. About 30 seals are reported, some in the water, some on land, at North- 

 cast Point. A single seal is on the beach at Polovina. 



March 19. Four middle class seals are reported present on Zapadni, Tolstoi, and 

 English Bay rookeries. 



March 27. Natives at Northeast Point report 10 middle-class seals in the water 

 and on the beach near Hutchinson Hill. 



April 1. The chief reports 5 seals in the water at Southwest Bay; no bulls are 

 seen as yet. 



April 10. The first large half-bull seal was seen in the water to-day at Tolstoi. 



April 19. The first landing of bull seals was noted on Southwest Bay. This 

 seems to be three weeks earlier than last year. 



April 23. One bull reported landed on south side of the Reef to-day. 



May 1. Two bulls have landed on Gorbatch, and several middle-sized seals are in 

 the water. 



May 3. The first bull of the season landed on Lagoon rookery to-day. 



May 4. The chief reports from Southwest Bay a few seals landed on all of the 

 western :t rookeries, especially on Zapadni, where about 200 middle-sized seals and 20 

 bulls are out. 



May 7. Natives returning from Northeast Point report about 1,000 middle-sized 

 seals on those rookeries, but only two bulls landed. Two bulls were seen at Polovina. 



May 10. About 1,000 middle-sized seals reported in two places on Zapadni, and 

 a large number of bulls. 



May 19. (Notes from official instructions): 1. The number of fur seals from St. 

 Paul shall hereafter be 90,000, and from St. George 10,000. 2. The time for taking 

 seals shall extend from June 1 to August 15, and through September and October of 

 the same year. 



May 23. The western rookeries are reported in good condition, especially 

 Xapadni, where there are a large number of bulls and about 1,000 middle-class seals 

 hauled up. The general condition on the rookeries is about fourteen days earlier 

 than last year. 



1 The bachelor seals probably did not leave the vicinity of the islands this winter at all. 



2 This term probably means bachelors of three and four years' age. 

 : '/:ip;idni and Tolstoi. 



