NOTES ON OTTER ISLAND. 433 



Mr. Lucas says: "Although I have seen many cows come out of the water 10 nurse 

 their pups, I have never yet seen one in the water going out to sea or coming back. 

 They are so erratic and indirect in their actions that I do not believe they ever go to 

 or return from their feeding grounds direct. They stop by the way to play. No 

 animals I have ever seen seem to enjoy the water so much as these." 



When we went back up the slope the cows had closed in with their pups behind 

 and some of them went literally head over heels in their efforts to get away. 



One young bull, 4 years old, is playing old bull and dashing about after the cows, 

 but does not keep them ; tries first one then another. They pay little attention to him. 



AUGUST 25. 



ME. CLARK'S NOTES. 



As the morning was clear and the sea fairly smooth, Judge Crowley and I with a 

 boat's crew went to Otter Island, between 7 and 8 miles from St. Paul to the south, 

 arriving at 10 o'clock. 



OTTER ISLAND. 



The landing on the island is difficult, being possible only in one spot on the north 

 side. There is a small house going to ruin, formerly used by the guard stationed here 

 to keep off raiders. Otter Island used to be a favorite spot for raids. The schooners 

 could lie hidden on the southern side, sending their boats around to the landing in 

 the fog. A schooner is said to have taken 1,500 skins here in one night. After the 

 establishment of the 60-mile limit the guard was discontinued. The guard endeavored 

 to drive the seals off and prevent their landing. 



The central portion of the island is a level grassy plain sloping toward the north 

 side. The south side is a rocky cliff' sheer 50 or CO feet, and at both ends of the island 

 the ground rises in steep slopes which break off abruptly to the water below. The 

 western end is the higher, recorded at 350 feet, and represents half a cinder cone. At 

 the eastern end is a volcanic crater. 



The surface of the central portion is like that of St. George, bowlders covered 

 with moss, rendering walking difficult. 



On the northern side there is a slight depression containing a small quantity of 

 rain water. At the eastern end is a great cave into which the water flows, and which 

 swarms with sea birds. As the surf is breaking at the mouth of the cave exploration 

 of it is not possible. 



BLUE FOXES. 



The island is marked in every direction by fox runways, some of them freshly 

 used and with numerous eggshells lying along them. Only 2 foxes were seen, one 

 white and the other blue. About the hole occupied by the white fox 12 puffins were 

 counted ; only the brains eaten out. 



On the southern side of the island is a great semicircular gallery filled with 

 screaming sea birds, and 2 or 3 outlying rocks are literally alive with gulls and arris. 



It seems that the foxes on Otter Island do not do very well. Food becomes 

 scarce, and they take to the ice in the winter and either get to the other islands or 

 are lost at sea. Last year only 8 were found all old fellows. They looked gaunt 



