NUMBER OF DEAD PUPS IN 1891. 473 



1891, and saw one of the most pitiable sights that I have ever wit- 

 nessed. Thousands of dead and dying pups were scattered over the 

 rookeries, while the shores were lined with emaciated, hungry little 

 fellows, with their eyes turned toward the sea uttering plaintive cries 

 for their mothers, which were destined never to return. Numbers of 

 them were opened, their stomachs examined, and the fact revealed that 

 starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease being apparent. 



The schooners increased every year from the time I first noticed 

 them until in 1884 there was a fleet of 20 or 30, 

 and then I began to see more and more dead pups Jno. Fratis, p. 108. 

 on the rookeries, until in 1891 the fleet of sealing 



schooners numbered more than a hundred and the rookeries were cov- 

 ered with dead pups. 



It was also during these years that dead emaciated pups were first 

 noticed on the rookeries, and they increased in 

 numbers until 1891, in which year, in August and Edward Hughes, p. 37. 

 September, the rookeries were covered with 

 dead pups. 



In 1891 there was a great many that were thin and poor, and they 

 would crawl down to the water and make a noise 



for their mothers until they died, and when some J^c. Kotchooten,p. 131. 

 of them were cut open they had no milk in their 

 stomachs. 



There were more dead pups in 1891 than ever Nicoli Kruicoff,p. 132. 

 before, and they were all starved to death. 



There was a great number of dead pups upon the rookeries last 

 year, whose mothers, I believe, were killed at sea 

 by sealing schooners, and I do not expect to see Aggei Eushen,p. 128. 

 many cows this year. 



I have noticed more and more dead pups on the rookeries every 

 year since 1888, and in 1891 they were so close 

 together in places I could not step among them Aggei Kushen, p. 130. 

 without stepping on a dead pup. 



Q. Did you see an unusual number of dead pups on the rookeries 

 this season?-A. Yes; I saw more dead pups this Noen Mand in et al 

 year than ever before. I went with Mr. J. Stanley uo. 

 Brown in August to assist him to make a survey 

 of the rookeries and saw dead pups grouped in various places. 



Q. Did you see dead pups on all the rookeries you visited? — A. Yes; 

 but some rookeries had more than others. 



Q. Did you see any dead pups on the rookeries the past season ? — A. 

 Yes; I saw lots of them. Anton Md d if 



Q. How do they compare with the number ob- 139. J 



served in former years ? — A. Much greater in pro- 

 portion to the number of females on the rookeries than formerly. 



