4 ALASKA FUR-SEAL ROOKERIES, 1910. 



breeding season occurring about the 15th of July. Shortly after her 

 arrival each cow gives birth to a pup, and after a sojourn of perhaps 

 two weeks, during which time she is served by the bull, she puts out 

 to sea on the first of several journeys in search of food. 



During tins time the young males or bachelors are arriving, and are 

 usually found in groups on the outskirts of the rookeries. It is from 

 these young males that the land catch of skins is made. 



Early in August disorganization of the harems commences. The 

 greater number of cows have been served, the active bulls accord- 

 ingly relax their vigilance, the idle bulls and those less mature wander 

 about without serious molestation, the pups congregate at various 

 points on shore or in the shallows, where they learn to swim, and as 

 autumn advances the roving instinct becomes more and more appar- 

 ent in all classes, finally leading to the abandonment of the shore early 

 in November. 



THE ROOKERIES. 



In position and extent the rookeries have undergone but few changes 

 since last year. The number of active bulls and the attendant harems 

 have decreased slightly, but whether this indicates an actual decrease 

 in the number of cows is doubtful, since the count of pups, as noted in 

 a succeeding section, was made on one rookery only and the data 

 derived therefrom are not perfectly trustworthy. The decline in the 

 number of harems on St. Paul is most apparent on Gorbatch, the 

 Zapadnis, and Tolstoi, where there are 55 less than in 1909. On 

 the other hand, there are 47 more on the Reef, Kitovi, Polovina. 

 and Vostochni. On St. George the very slight increase noted on 

 Staraya Artel and Zapadni is almost exactly counterbalanced by a 

 decline on North and East rookeries. 



This year the fleet operated chiefly about Northeast Point and to 

 the south and east between St. Paul and St. George, but the results of 

 their operations do not appear to be so distinctly reflected in a corre- 

 sponding decline of adjacent rookeries as in 1909. Such a definite 

 effect requires that the seals put out to sea along radii centering in 

 either one of the islands, but on numerous occasions I have watched 

 cows, and especially bachelors, leaving the rookeries, and their course 

 is far from being either direct or uniform. The problem, however, is 

 of interest chiefly to the naturalist as matters rest at present, and is 

 without any very practical bearing on the conservation of the herd. 



ROOKERY DEVELOPMENT. 



At present there appear to be no very definite problems associated 

 with the development of the rookery, but following the custom 

 observed for several years past counts of harems and cows were made 

 whenever and wherever it was possible. Kitovi especially received 



