ALASKA. 91 



tlic natives declare, lias been sliglitly but steadily increasing. 

 The seals everywlieie on the breedin^-^^romids will become 

 speedily habituated to close observation when it is quiet and 

 undemonstrative, and take little notice of the ai)proach of* the 

 observer. 



The seals will be found to change a little every year from 

 rookery to rookery, but the aggregate number will be steadily 

 about the same. The condition of the seal-life this season of 

 1874 comi)ares very favorably with that of 1.S72, as will be seen 

 from extracts from my notes taken on the ground : 



" iSroRTiiEAST Point, July 18, 1874. 



" Quite a strip of ground near Webster's house has beea 

 deserted this season, but a small expansion is observed oa 

 Sea Lion Hill. The rest of the ground is as mapped in 1872, 

 with no noteworthy increase in any direction. The condition of 

 the animals and their young, excellent; small irregularities iu 

 the massing of the families due to rain ; sealions about the 

 same ; none on the west shore of the point.-' 



*' The aggregate of life on this great rookery is about the 

 same as in 1872, the 'holluschickie,' or killable seals, hauling as 

 well and as numerously as before. The proportions of the dif- 

 ferent ages among them, of two, three, and four year olds, pretty 

 well represented." 



" POLAVINA, Jiih) 18, 1874. 



^' Stands as it did in 1872 ; breeding and hauling grounds in 

 excellent condition; the latter, on Upper Polavina,are changing 

 down upon Polaviua sand-beach, trending for three miles to- 

 ward Xortheast Point. The numbers of the 'holluschickie' 

 on this ground of Polavina, where they have not been disturbed 

 now for some five years to mention in the way of taking, do 

 not seeui to be any greater than they are on the hauling-grounds 

 adjacent to Northeast Point and the village, from which they 

 are driven almost every day during this seasou of killing." 



" LUKANNON A^'D Ketavie, JuJij 19, 1874. 



"Not materially changed in any respect from its condition at 

 this time in 1872." 



" GoRBOTcn, Juhj 19, 1874. 



" Just the same. Condition excellent." 



*' Peef, J?^?// 19, 1874. 

 "A slight contraction on the south sea-uiargin of this ground, 

 compensated for by expansion under the bluffs ou the north- 

 west side. Coudition excellent." 



