THE COUNT OF ZAPADNI REEF. 



307 



along this reef in seven patches of varying sizes with vacant intervening spaces. 

 There were last year two additional patches forming the extremities of this breeding 

 ground. These have disappeared, showing a positive shrinkage. The total number 

 of harems was 17G, with 2,256 cows. The count here was very accurate, as the entire 

 width of the rookery was visible from the water. 

 Following is the detailed count by harems: 



Count of Zapadai Eeef. 



Total cows 2,256 



Total harems 176 



Average size of harem 12. 8 



At the terminus of Zapadni Reef is a large hauling ground for this and probably 

 for the greater part of the bachelors from Little Zapadni, known as English Bay. At 

 the foot of English Bay and about midway between Zapadni Reef and Tolstoi, is the 

 hauling ground on the sandy slope of Middle Hill. The seals cross the sands of 

 English Bay and climb up, lying among the bowlders near the summit of the hill. 

 This is probably a hauling ground frequented by bachelors from all the rookeries 

 about English Bay. 



TOLSTOI ROOKERY. 



In the afternoon Tolstoi rookery was counted. This rookery lies in three well- 

 defined areas. Beginning at the angle of the shingle beach with the sands of English 

 Bay a great wedge-shaped mass of seals occupies a sand flat extending back to the 

 edge of a rocky slope and running for a considerable distance parallel with the shore. 

 Rising from the rear of this is a steep slope of great extent covered with large angular 

 bowlders. Above and back of this slope is the great hauling ground of the rookery, 

 to reach which the bachelors have to haul out on the English Bay sand beach and 

 pass around the end, coming in at the rear. This slope is bounded to the westward by 

 a steep ridge which comes down to the water's edge, and beyond which the harems lie 

 along the shingle beach at the foot of the perpendicular cliffs. 



On the sand tint of Tolstoi the seals are more closely massed than on any other 

 rookery seen ; they swarm like bees. The bulls among them are rampant and savage, 

 continually fighting. No doubt many pups are crushed on this space. 



On account of the massed condition of the seals on the lower part of Tolstoi only 

 the harems could be counted. This was done from the whaleboat, and the number on 

 the sand flat and the area of rocky slope behind it was found to be 389. Applying to 

 this the average harem of Kitovi, which is low for this rookery, we have G,729 cows. 



