THE RUSSIAN FUK-SEAL, ISLANDS. 53 



The mean temiieratiire of tlie surface of the water around Kobbeii Island is giveu 

 by Makarof as 13 degrees ceutigrade (middle of August). 



These teuji)eratures are considerably higher than the corresponding ones at the 

 Couimauder Islands, and lend color to the statements by Captain Blair and Cajit. G. 

 Niebaum, that the Eobbcn Island seals can be distinguished by experts from those on 

 the Commander Islands, and that they do not mingle with them, being a separate 

 and distinct herd (Fur Seal Arb., in, pp. 193, 204). 



Very little is known about tlie movements of the Ilobbeu Island seals, escept that 

 they migrate southward. I am informed by Capt. D. (inenberg, however, that sealers 

 who are said to have followed up the migrating herd assert that these seals come up 

 the (iulf of Tartary and pass through La Perouse Strait into the Sea of Okhotsk. 

 The feeding-grounds of the Kobben Island seals seem to be unknown. 



The knowledge of the condition of the rookery is also highly fragmentary. When 

 the tirst sealers arrived there they found the whole beach surrounding the island so 

 occupied by seals that there was no place to effect a landing without driving the 

 seals ott'. At present tlie few remaining seals congregate on the very narrow beach on 

 the southeast side of the island.' The bachelors are now hauling up on both sides 

 of the breeding females, and so close that many females are caught in the drives. 



The various estimates of the number of seals on this island may be somewhat 

 more accurate than similar hgures from the other seal islands, because of the small 

 extent of Kobben Ileef and the ease with which the rookery can be watched. Thus, 

 in 1S71, when Uutchinson, Kohl, Philip])eus & Co. took possession of the place, Mr. 

 Kluge found that " there were not over 2,000 seals to be found on the entire island." 

 Capt. G. Niebaum, who visited it at the same time as the representative of the firm, 

 states as follows: "The rookeries were also very small, and contained at that time, of 

 all classes, about 800 seals, as I ascertained by a careful count, and, in addition, a 

 small number in the waters adjacent.'" 



lu administrative respect Eobben Island is under the jurisdiction of the adminis- 

 trator of the Commander Islands and is included in the lease of the latter. In fact, 

 Kobben Island is regarded as a dependency of Kering Island, as the men of the 

 killing gang are taken from that island and the money for the Kobben Island seals 

 goes to the Bering Island natives. Since 188.J the government has stationed a force 

 of 20 sailors and an ofticer of the navy on Kobben Island, in order to protect it against 



'The breefUng-gronnd, according to Dr. Slunin (I'romysl. Bog. Kam. Sakh. Komand., p. 12), 

 occupies about 4-5 sazlieu by 70-100 siizhen (a sazhen beiug iMjual to 7 feet). 



' Dr. Siimiii (Proiiiysl. Hog. Kaiii. Sakh. Komauil., p. 13) has been able to utilize certain reports 

 by some of the naval officers in charge, from which a few interesting facts are noted: "According to 

 the reports of Lieutenants Kossct (1887) and Brunier (18'J2) the arrival of the lirst bulls depends upon 

 whethir the ice has disapi)ean'd along southern Sakhalin or not ; but whether there is any ice present 

 in the Bay of Terpeuia or at the mouth of the Taraika is .apparently of no significance. Thus, iu 

 1891, the bulls arrived very shnvly ; on .luue 5 (old style) there were in all 28 males, GS females, and 

 one pup; in 1892 the ice also remained late on northern Saklialin. and on May 15 (ohl style) there was 

 not one seal on the rookery, tlie lirst bull arriving on tlie llUh of May (old style). In 1893 the first 

 bulls appeared oil May 17 (old style) at the coast, although broken ice was lying along the eastern side; 

 the temperature of the water was 2 5 C. Ice was covering the deep water of Terpeuia Bay. » ♦ * 

 In 1891, at the end of the period of birth, there were on .Inly 3 (old style) 5,000fema,Ies and 4,000 pups, 

 showing one-fifth of the females to be virgin. Lieutenant Brumer notes the following special circum- 

 stance: In .luly and the beginning of August (old style) there were about 15,000 to 17,000 seals, but 

 in Septemlier the inhabitants of the rookery had increased considerably." 



Dr. Slunin himself, iu the beginning o'f May (old style), 1892, calculated the number of seals on 

 Tiuleni to bo from 13,000 to 16,000 all told, allowing 3 square feet to each animal, large and small 

 (op. tit., p. 17). In 1892 the first bulls arrived about May It! (old style), and the lirst females May 20 

 {op cil.. p. 27). This is contrary to what he states on p. 18, where it is said that in 1892 the bulls arrived 

 about June 15-18 (old stylo), and the females came ashore on June 26. 



