292 THE FUE SEALS OF THE P.RIBILOF ISLANDS. 



well back from the water a condition which it is said has never existed before to 

 such an extent. The seals have seemed restless ever since my return to St. Paul on 

 September 13. Whether this is due to constant disturbance during the summer and 

 breeding season when they were constantly subject to daily scientific and photographic 

 investigation can not be said positively, but such is believed to be the case. The 

 counting of pups starved on the rookeries necessitates the driving off all the seals and 

 is detrimental; it should be stopped. 1 



November 21. No seals are on Halfway Point and Lukanin, and the outlook is 

 not very cheerful. 



November 22. Few bachelors are on the Beef, and those present are mixed with 

 cows and pups. A drive was ordered and 57 killed ; cows outnumbered the bachelors 

 in the drive. 



November 25. On Middle Hill is the only place where killable seals are to be 

 found. The cows are leaving the islands. 



November 26. A drive from Reef resulted in the killing of 78 seals. 



December 9. Seals have left Lagoon on account of bliz/ard. 



December 13. No seals remain on the island ; a few are in the water. 



1896. 



April 13. Native reports 1 bull seal landed on the Reef, the first seen this season. 



May 5. Two roads for seals were cut on the Keel' ; another bull has landed there. 



May 7. Six roads were cut at Zapadni; 6 bulls are reported hauled out at this 

 rookery and many are in the water. 



May 11. Nine bulls are reported at Zapadni; 4 at Southwest Bay; 1 at Tolstoi; 

 16 at Reef; 15 at Northeast Point; killable seals are reported at Zapadni and at 

 Northeast Point in the water, also about 60 on Sea Lion Rock. There are 2 bulls at 

 Poloviua. 



May 13. One hundred and twenty-one seals are killable for food. 



June 1. A dead cow is reported on Rocky Point, crushed by the ice. 



June 5. No cows have hauled as yet. About 700 bachelors and bulls are 

 reported at Northeast Point. 



June 14. Five cows and 1 pup are on the Reef; about 200 bachelors on the end 

 of Reef; 4 cows, 1 pup, and about 50 killable seals are out on Lukanin. 



June 23. A seal drive was made from the west side of Northeast Point and 

 1,414 seals taken; the following day the east side was driven and 1,408 skins secured. 



July 13. A drive was made from the east side of Northeast Point and 1,169 

 seals killed; the following day the west side was driven and 1,045 killed. 



1 This is a mere expression of opinion, and as a matter of fact is an erroneous one. As the 

 experiments of 1896 and 1897 show the seals do not mind such disturbance any more than they do 

 being driven from the hauling grounds. The mixing of seals of various classes, as here noted, always 

 occurs late in the season. See date of August 7, 1876. 



