22 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
Captain McCauley, of the sealer Beatrice, found seals plentiful 250 
miles to the westward of the Pribilof Islands in 1891. Captain McLean, 
of the sealer Favorite, also reports a great abundance of seals to the 
westward of the islands in 1891 (latitude 56° 50’, longitude 173° 30’), ten 
canoes taking (with guns) 972 seals in three days. 
Captain Guillams, of the sealer Louis Olsen, having in former years 
found seals in greatest numbers to the westward of the Pribilofs, 
eruised persistently in that portion of Bering Sea during the past 
season, taking only 84 seals. 
Many other sealers confidently expecting to find the bulk of the seal 
herd to the westward of the Pribilofs cruised there at the opening of 
the past season without success, but later made good catches to the 
southeastward. 
While engaged in pelagic sealing investigations with the United 
States revenue cutter Corwin in 1892 fur seals were plentiful to the 
westward of the Pribilofs, the cutter Rush, cruising to the east at the 
Same time, meeting with very few. 
NOTES ON THE FOOD OF SEALS. 
Captain Todd says the food of seals taken near the mainland consists 
largely of salmon, and that this is true of the Japan and Copper Island 
sealing grounds as well as of the North American coast. 
Captain Magnesen, of the sealer Walter Harle, reports the seals taken 
on August 25, 1894 (latitude 56° 13’, longitude 172° 44’), as feeding on 
salmon. 
Capt. S. Balecom, of the sealer Walter Rich, reported taking salmon 
oceasionally from the stomachs of seals speared in Bering Sea in 
August, 1894. 
Capt. H. F. Siewerd, of the sealer Mascot, in 1894, collected the 
stomachs of three seals, containing pollock apparently, at the following 
position: Latitude north 56° 10’, longitude west 171° 45’; August 28, 
latitude north 58° 01’, longitude west 173° 29’; latitude north 58° 02’, 
longitude west 172° 45’, September 8. 
Captain Siewerd writes that other seals opened at the first position 
contained nothing but squid, and at the second position cod and squid; 
but it is possible that the fish observed were pollock, which closely 
resemble cod. 
Contents of the stomachs of 33 fur seals! taken during the month of 
August, 1894, at distances varying from 100 to 140 miles west and 
northwest of the Pribilof Islands, along the border of the plateau, 
collected by A. Bb. Alexander, with the schooner Louis Olsen, show 
the following: 





Sex. 
| Latitude Longitude ee | : ; 3 ey 
Date. Sa eat AA Contents of stomach. 
° ! ° J | 
Aug. 4} 57 50 WS 484 4 | Fish, much digested, apparently pollock. 
6 58 30 173° 56 y Nowe Do. 
6| 58 30 173) (56), 1 hes ..| Pollock or cod, with one-half dozen squid; beaks small. 
7| 58 30 173 56 1 | 18 | Fish, much digested, apparently pollock. 
7 | 58 30 ney sj) Aes Full peck of red-tleshed fish resembling salmon; bones not 
| determined. 
10; 58 27 172 46 ]....| 1 | Fish, digested, probably pollock. 
Md fe 57/142) 172) 52))- 2. -) 222.) Pollock. 
| 


1 Fifteen stomachs containing fish bones were saved for further examination, others 
thrown away. 
