16 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
List of the photographs of the seal rookeries on the Pribilof Islands, ete.—Continued. 
ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 
S 
Number Daten 




| | Number | | 
es | Date on } : 
Rookery. | Station. | Of Plates | Which Rookery. | Station, | Of Plates | which 
I | in each | in each 
| | view. | taken. view. taken. 
Pesea [asta £3 ers OP eee ee 2 £ 
| 
Beat Re Gaeilge oI 2h Faly 24) eNorenae ed aaa Bune dace 1 | July 24 
a ee | 2| Do. || any lind? 1) Dog 
Little East.......-. Bye gee cens | 2 Dose) Dresaaceee 2 Do. 
Worth t)SEees Je AIRES Ses 22 | 1 Do. i Starry Arteel...-.. UC s atewe Fe 2 | July 28 
\ | H] | 




OBSERVATIONS RELATIVE TO PELAGIC SEALING IN BERING SEA 
DURING THE SEASON OF 1894. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The report herewith presented includes the results of observations 
made at sea between August 1 and September 20, 1894, together with 
certain data subsequently obtained at Victoria, Port Townsend, Seattle, 
and San Francisco. The work at sea was carried on in connection with 
the cruise of the United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross, at 
that time detailed as one of the vessels of the Bering Sea patrol fleet. 
The cruising ground assigned to the Albatross was to the westward and 
southward of the islands, chiefly outside of the protected zone, but 
trips were also made to the northwest and southeast of the islands. 
During the cruise sealing vessels were boarded whenever met with, and 
I accompanied the boarding officer at all times, for the purpose of 
obtaining information in connection with their operations from day to 
day. In addition to the data secured by the boarding officer, I copied 
from the sealer’s log books all notes regarding the positions where 
seals were taken, and examined all fresh skins not yet consigned to the 
kenches. 
The record of positions where seals were taken by Canadian vessels 
is incomplete, as most of those vessels continued sealing for some time 
after being boarded, while others were not met with. Similar data 
obtained from American vessels at sea were finally secured in full after 
their arrival at home ports. 
Sealers were constantly questioned concerning sealing matters, and 
statements made by them will be found in the following pages. 
I have, under a separate heading, called attention to the effectiveness 
with which pelagic sealing was carried on in Bering Sea by the 38 ves- 
sels engaged init. It will be seen, after proper consideration of this 
point, how very destructive to the life of this industry the presence of 
a larger fleet would be. In my report for last year I pointed out the 
loss of young seals that might be looked for upon the islands if a large 
number of female seals were to be taken in Bering Sea during the 
breeding season. This has bee borne out by the experience of the 
past season, 20,000 being the lowest estimate that can be made for dead 
pups, and we may confidently expect to see a still greater loss of this 
kind next season if sealing is continued on the feeding grounds. The 
results of the season’s pelagic catch in Bering Sea were already appar- 
ent on the rookeries when I went over them from September 9 to 13, 
and will be still more so when the annual examination is made next 
July. The rookeries in their present condition can not lose 50,000 seals 
