468 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS 



SEPTEMBER 8. 



Mr. Lucas went this morning to Kitovi to get some specimens of starving pups to 

 take home in alcohol. Following are his notes: 



"I found a very large and old starved gray pup almost as big as a yearling. 

 There is no time to investigate its stomach, but if pups are able to take their own food 

 in September this pup was certainly old enough and strong enough to have obtained 

 food and certainly would not have starved. He is much larger than any pup yet seen 

 by me, and must have been born early in June. His teeth are well developed and 

 seemingly good enough to catch any small fish with. 



"A large bull on Kitovi is very loud and active in rounding up 3 2-year-old cows 

 who are alarmed by my presence, and 3 young bulls are fairly bold for this season, 

 standing their ground pretty well. Altogether this corner is more suggestive of July 

 than anything that I have seen of late. The pups sleep soundly, and I am obliged to 

 awaken several of them in order to recover the gray pup." 



THE MOVEMENTS OF THE COMMISSION. 



At 10 o'clock, the Rush anchored off the village, and, as the landing seemed not 

 likely to remain good long, Dr. Jordan, Professor Thompson, and Mr. Lucas went on 

 board at once. The Rush is to take them to Sitka, and from there they expect to reach 

 the Sound on the steamer Topeka. 



Colonel Murray expects to get away on the Concin about September 20. Messrs. 

 Clark, Macoun, and Barrett Hamilton remain to count the dead starved pups about 

 the first week in October, the Grant being detailed to wait and take them off when 

 the work is done. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE PUPS. 1 



In the afternoon Mr. Clark spent an hour watching the pups in the water at the 

 northern end of Black Bluff. The top of the towerlike rock serves as an excellent 

 observation point. 



Watching the various movements of the hundreds of pups in the water one can 

 not help thinking that they are getting ready for their descent upon the fishes. One 

 little fellow has a small round object. It might be a cork or a tunicate. It floats 

 nicely. He dives and comes up exactly under it so that it falls into his mouth. He 

 takes it down with him, releases it, and follows it up, catching it the instant it appears 

 on the surface. Then he shakes it, letting it fly out of his mouth, leaping after it and 

 coming down on it with open mouth, taking it with hin. This performance he repeats 

 over and over. 



Another pup is playing with something like a piece of jelly-fish, but the distance 

 is too great to make it certain. He comes up with it in his mouth, shakes it and dives 

 after it, always recovering it and bringing it up, although it sinks readily. He finally 

 lauds on the rock and lays down the object which is certainly a part of a jelly-fish. 

 A wave washes it off' the rock. He dives and brings it back. Leaving it, he goes out 

 among the other pups, playing and diving as before. 



The flat rocks all about the foot of the tower are covered with sleeping pups. 

 Occasionally one goes into the water; others come out and lie down. Among the pups 



1 From this date until October 20 the record is the work of Mr. Clark. 



