52 REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



The openings in the Aleutian chain, through which most of the seals 

 go southward, are those known as the Unalga, Akutan, Uniniak, and 

 Issanakh Passes. The seals killed here are chiefly grey pups, which, 

 particularly when the wind blows strongly from northerly directions, 

 seem to miss the actual passes, and to become embayed for a time in the 

 harbours and inlets on the northern side of the islands. 



When strong easterly winds prevail at this season, grey pups, which 

 have evidently made their departure from the Pribyloff Islands, are 

 occasionally and in small numbers drifted as far to the westward as 

 Atka Island, longitude 172° west, but none are ever seen at Attu 

 Island. 



170. On getting clear of the Aleutian Islands, the seals continue their 

 migration in a southerly or south-easterly direction, and do not follow 

 the coast in its north-easterly sweep, round the border of that part of 

 the ocean which is sometimes called the Gulf of Alaska. They are not 

 seen about Kadiak at this season, and only rarely in the autumn and 

 winter oft' Sitka. Nearly two degrees of latitude south of Sitka, how- 

 ever, the Indians of Klawak, in the Bucarelli Gulf, take a number of 

 seals every winter, generally about Christmas, most of these being grey 

 pups or yearlings. 



177. About the northern part of the Queen Charlotte Islands, some 

 young seals are seen every winter toward the end of January and in 

 February. These are chiefly grey pups or yearlings, though a few full- 

 grown males and seals of other ages are seen as well. Hunting is not 

 carried on at this season, but considerable numbers of such seals 

 30 have sometimes been taken close to the shore. Between the 

 latter part of February and the third week in April, it is stated 

 that no seals are seen here. 



Abreast of, or somewhat further north than, the Queen Charlotte 

 Islands, a considerable body of seals is often met with at sea by the pe- 

 lagic sealers in May or June. These seals are then moving northward. 



In the northern part of Hecate Strait and its adjacent waters a few 

 grey pups are said to be often found in November and December, but 

 persons giving information on this point mention the end of December 

 as the time of arrival. Seals are more plentiful in January, February, 

 and March, but particularly in February. The entrance to Wark Inlet 

 is specially noted as a locality at which grey pups are often obtained 

 at this season. A few adult seals are sometimes taken in winter off 

 Banks Island, but no regular hunting is attempted there before the 1st 

 March, when Bonilla Island is occupied for this purpose by Kit-katla 

 Indians, and the 1st April, at which time Tshimsians resort to Zayas 

 Island for the same purpose. The hunting, as at present practised, 

 extends over April and the greater part of May; oft" Bonilla Island it 

 is continued through the gTeater part of June, but this diti'erence is 

 due rather to the option of the Indians than to any diversity in dates 

 in the arrival and departure of the seals in the two places. 



Seals of both sexes and all ages are killed during the hunting season, 

 and a few full-grown bulls are seen, but are seldom taken. There is, 

 in this region, no interval between the arrival of seals from the north 

 in the early winter and their departure for the north, which occurs in 

 the main about the end of May. 



Mr. B. Cunningham states, that about twenty-three years ago, he; 

 was personally cognizant of the fact that for several successive years 

 a small colony of adult seals stayed all the winter about Somerville 

 Island, in the entrance of Observatory Inlet. These seals appeared to 

 be following and feeding upon the ulachan or candle-fish. 



