CLIMATE. 



79 



The seal islands of St.Paul and St. George, geographically known 

 as the Pribilof Islands, are situated in Bering Sea 

 at about 170° west from Greenwich and 56° north l. A. Noyes, p. 80. 

 latitude ; and they are nearly 200 miles from the 

 nearest land. 



The climatic conditions in their immediate vicinity are so peculiar and 

 their formation and situation are so unique that it is not hard to believe 

 they were selected for a home and resting place by the Alaskan fur-seal 

 because of their adaptability to that purpose, and to that only. The 

 thermometer rarely goes higher than 00° or lower than zero; the aver- 

 age for a number of years being 35°. 



In winter the islands are sometimes surrounded by broken ice, which 

 comes from the north, and it will come and go with the tide and cur- 

 rents, generally from January to April, but occasionally remaining 

 later, and again not appearing at all. 



In June, July, and part of August, the islands are enveloped for days 

 at a time in dense fog, and a clear sunny day is of rare occurrence. 

 The atmosphere is damp and cool, and the rain falls in a sort of hue 

 mist which drenches one through before it is felt. 



The islands are of volcanic origin, and the shores are rough, uneven 

 lava rock, and broken rock and bowlders of like formation. On this 

 rugged shore the Alaskan fur-seals make their summer home; here 

 they are born and reared for the first six months of their existence ; 

 here they come every spring as regular as time, and here they repro- 

 duce their species. 



Mean temperature (degrees F.) at St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, Alaska, ^f^y^ j 8 "^™ 

 [Latitude 57° 10' N„ longitude 170° 01' W: ; elevation, 30 to 50 feet.] 



t Twenty-sis days. 



Remarks.— The mean temperature was obtained from the observations made at 7 a, m., 2, and 9 p. m., 

 after tuo formula J (7+2 + 9+9). 



