98 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



From this census we have therefore a total of 4,418 breeding bulls and 129,216 

 breeding cows for the season of 1897. Each of these cows bore a pup during the 

 season. There were therefore a total of 262,850 "breeding seals and young" at one 

 time or another on the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands during the past season. 



Thus far our census of the fur seals can lay claim to accuracy, but it does not 

 cover all classes of animals, and when we attempt to extend it beyond the breeding 

 herd to include idle bulls, bachelors, and yearling and 2-year-old females, we must 

 leave facts and begin to theorize. 



THK KM 'ME RATION OF NONHRKKIUM; SKALS. 



During the season of 18 6 a rough approximation was made of the class of males 

 known as idle bulls. The number found in close proximity to the breeding grounds 

 was estimated at about 3,000. No attempt was made to include animals located on 

 various sand beaches and such hauling grounds as those of Sivutch Rock, /a pad ni 

 Head, Lagoon, etc. The enumeration of this class of bulls was therefore only partial 

 at best. On certain rookeries where they were counted last year, counts were made 

 this year for comparison, but beyond this nothing was done or could be done. ( >nly a 

 general estimate of idle bulls can therefore be given, but the number would seem to 

 be not far from 5,000, or in round numbers, a number equal to those occupied. 



IDLE AND HALF 1JVLLS. 



In addition to these idle bulls the hauling grounds and the water front were full 

 of young half bulls, 5 and 6 years of age, which had not yet even attempted to secure 

 places on the rookeries. From the killing grounds during the present season 8,000 of 

 these animals were turned back from the drives. As some of the young bulls may 

 have been driven two, three, and even four times from the same hauling ground, this 

 number can not be taken at its face value. But in corners of many of the hauling 

 grounds, in the runways on the lieef and in the various ravines on /apadni, large 

 numbers of these animals were not disturbed at all, while the water front of all the 

 rookeries was lined with tljem. A fair estimate of the young bulls would not fall 

 far short of 10,000. This class represents cliieHy the natural reserve which has 

 accumulated from the escape of the animals of killable age since 1893. The idle bulls 

 as a class and the oldest of the half bulls are the aftermath of the modus vivendi. 



Tin: i:\riiKLoRs. 



But these animals are not numerous and their record is not important. It is 

 concerning the bachelors below killable age and the cows below breeding age that we 

 ought to have exact information, but can not get it. It is impossible to count the 

 yearling and 2-year-old bachelors. They do not arrive at the islands until late in 

 the season. They occupy their hauling grounds very irregularly, coming and going 

 from the water according to pleasure and the state of the weather. 



KK.IKCTED SEALS. 



From the killing grounds during the present season 15,000 animals too small to 

 kill were turned back. As in case of the young bulls, some of these, perhaps many. 

 were driven and redriven; several drives being made from each hauling ground 



