THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 107 



strict orders uot to accept a siugle skin under 8 pounds. During tliat year 50 per cent 

 more skius could easily have been taken, ))ut for business reasons the company wisiied 

 to reduce the catch as much as possible, and it was only after some strong pressure 

 was brought upon Captain Saudnuxu by Mr. Grebnitski that he agreed to take as many 

 as he did. 



It is a fact well worth mentioning that e\en in those days females and pups got 

 unavoidably mixed up in the drives. The percentage was uot very great, but great 

 enough to be a distinct feature of the drives on this island. However, as the drive 

 progressed they were pretty successfully weeded out, aiul comparatively few I'eached 

 the killing-grounds. Killable seals being plentiful, pods of females were allowed to 

 escape along the route of the drive, even though they might include a few bachelors. 



XOItTH EOOKERY, 1895. (I'lat.o 8.) 



Upon inspecting the North Eookery again last summer I found a great change in 

 many respects. Before reachiug the rookery itself the absence of fresh or decaying 

 carcasses on the killing-grounds was in marked contrast to the uoisome sight and smell 

 which used to form the tirst impression of the visitor arriving at the village. Nowa- 

 days every carcass is utilized. The choice parts of the meat are salted down in the 

 many boxes and barrels dotting the gi'ound in the rear of the killing-grounds, while 

 the rest, including the entrails, are x)ut in holes in the ground for winter food for the 

 sledge-dogs. 



On the rookery itself the lirst change whicli struck me was the fact that the 

 entire beach between Babiii and Kishotchnaya was depleted of seals — not a single 

 breeding seal between Babin and the creek, nor a bachelor — all the way to Kishotchnaya. 

 Later on I found that the hauling-grouuds south of the latter place were also deserted. 

 Instead of the imposing series of breeding and hauling-grouuds from Sivutchi Kameu 

 to Kisikof, I found only two patches of breeding-grounds, now forming almost two 

 distinct rookeries — the Ifeef and Kishotchnaya. 



I was prepared for a diminution of tlie seals, and it caused me, consequently, 

 no surprise. On the other hand, I was considerably surprised at finding (July S-10 

 and July 15-20) the hreedi iKj-ijrouHds of the Keef outlined very much as 1 had seen 

 them in 1883.' The bulk of the harems were located on the western side of the Reef, 

 rounding the point of tlie "sands" and extending in a long, narrow horn south along 

 the eastern edge of the latter. A uarrow band obli(iuely across the "sands" formed 

 a connection and separated off an oval bald spot of the white ground toward the 

 northern extremity of the "sands." It is a noteworthy fact that this "bald si)ot" was 

 an equally characteristic feature of the rookery in 1883 as in 1S95. But what I did 

 miss was another connecting band, viz, between the southeastern extremity of the 

 breeding-seals toward the one alluded to above. While thus the distribution on 

 the whole was the same as formerly, there was a perceptible shrinkage in the width 

 of the areas covered by the seals, and it seems to nie also in the density of the seals, 

 though of this I ca)i not be so sure. The rookei-y is looked at so much from the side 

 that it is very difficult to judge correctly of the space between the seals. 



'When I first saw the rookery ou July 4 it had not quite filled out yet, and I thought the depletion 

 very great indeed; there was then no sign of the oblique belt across the sands, and the seals at the 

 southeast corner formed a small, isolated herd. 



