ZAPADN1 ROOKERY OF ST. PAUL. 305 



per harem averages nearly the same (a little over 17). It is probable that this does 

 not necessarily indicate an increase in the number of cows. Mr. Townsend states in 

 the report of 1895 (pp. 30, 34) that the usual number of seals had not appeared at the 

 customary time of commencing the photographic work about July 10, the date at 

 which the count was made and that " a correction is to be applied for a moderate 

 number of females not on the rookeries at the time." I was myself present early 

 in June, 1895, and the season was backward 1 and the females later than usual in 

 arriving. On June 25 I found scarcely 3 females to every bull that had landed. 

 That the conditions were different at the time Mr. True made his count is also evident 

 from the fact that he "found the percentage of young to be 62 on July 9," while to-day 

 it is 90 to 100. 



JULY 14. 



Dr. Jordan, Dr. Stejneger, and Mr. Lucas counted the Zapadni rookeries and 

 Tolstoi, going over in the whaleboat of the Albatross. Professor Thompson and Mr. 

 Macoun photographed the rookeries, as did also Mr. Townsend. Colonel Murray 

 counted harems on Eeef and Gorbatch. 



The weather was fair; the sky overcast with light clouds and haze in the morning; 

 gentle westerly breezes; some fog in the afternoon when the wind shifted to the 

 north; temperature, 43; barometer, 30. 



ZAPADNI ROOKERY. 



There are three distinct patches of rookery ground which go under the name 

 Zapadni. Usually two divisions are all that are noted, Lower and Upper Zapadui, 

 the latter including the two patches that extend along the shore of English Bay. It 

 seems best that each section of this great breeding ground have a separate name, and 

 accordingly we have called the larger section Zapadni, the section immediately to the 

 south of Southwest Bay, Little Zapadni, and the lower portion Zapadni Reef. 



Zapadni is by far the largest of the three sections. Beginning where the cliff's 

 break down just below Zapadni Head, it extends along the convex shore to the sands 

 of Southwest Bay. Back of the usual abrupt shingle beach the breeding ground 

 extends up a very gradual slope, broken by many rocky ridges with intervening 

 gullies, and occasional basin-like tiat sandy areas. 



On account of the great irregularity and width of the area occupied by the seals 

 it was difficult to make a count of this rookery. The count was made from the water, 

 in the whaleboat, by Dr. Stejneger and Mr. Lucas, assisted by Dr. Jordan. 

 Afterwards an attempt was made to verify the figures from the rear of the rookery on 

 land, but it was found impossible to do anything on account of the broken ground and 

 the presence of many idle bulls. The figures for this rookery are necessarily therefore 

 only approximate. Only harems were counted, no count of the cows being possible. 



The total number of harems counted iu Zapadni rookery was 583. The rookery 

 ground nearly enough resembles that of Kitovi to make the average size of harem for 

 the latter rookery applicable here. This would give to Zapadni of St. Paul a total of 

 10,085 breeding cows. 



'The ice hung about the islands till late May. Passes had to be cut for the seals to haul through. 



