THE RUSSIAN FUE-SEAL ISLANDS. 117 



COMPAEATIVE CONDITION OF THE BEEMG ISLAND AND COPPER ISLAND ROOKERIES, 1895. 



In what little there has been said and written about the seal industry on the 

 Commander Islands it has always been assumed that the conditions, aside from the 

 difi'ereuce in the physical aspect of the rookeries, were the same on both islands 

 constituting the group. And this was actually the case not very long ago, at 

 least in 18S2-S3, and, so far as I could ascertain, up to 1890. In that year, it is said, 

 the bachelors were becoming somewhat scarce on Copper Island and some active 

 work had to be done in order to secure the desired quantity, but inasmuch as this 

 quantity appears to have been the largest ever shipped from Copper Island, the falling 

 oft' can not have been excessive, though it may have been apparent on the hauling- 

 grounds. 



In 1892, however, the decrease in the number of females on Copper Island became 

 serious enough to cause public comment, while on Bering Island difficulty was 

 experienced in obtaining the requisite, though now limited, number of bachelors. 



Whatever the cause of the recent disturbance of the equilibrium of the rookeries 

 on the Commander Islands, each island has been attected differently, and the condi- 

 tions to day of the rookeries on Copper Island deviate radically from those of Bering 

 Island. It may be useful to compare them point for point. 



In Bering Island the number of females in proportion to the mature males is 

 very much greater than on Copper Island. This results in an apparent deliciency 

 in bulls on Bering Island and a corresponding superabundance of them on Copjjer 

 Island. 



In Bering Island the killable males are of great size, as proven by the weight of 

 the skins, which in 1895 averaged over 10 pounds. The greatest deficiency was 

 consequently in the younger seals, while yearlings were almost entirely absent. The 

 proportion between the ages of the killables was (juite reversed on Copper Island, 

 where a lack of the older bachelors was seriously felt, while the great bulk of the 

 skins taken were from the younger classes, the skins averaging probably less than 

 8 pounds. 



As for the pups, it may be stated that they were abundant in proportion (o the 

 females on both islands, and no ditt'erence could be discovered in that respect. On 

 Bering Island I found a considerable mortality due to starvation among the pups. 

 On Copper Island no such thing was observed, but this negative result must not be 

 taken as a proof or even an indication that no such mortality took place. It must be 

 remembered that most of the breeding-grounds on Copper Island are inaccessible, and 

 that it is almost an impossibility to distinguish the dead bodies of the pups from such 

 a distance as it is necessary to watch them on Copper Island. 



It was by the merest accident that I myself discovered the sad state of affairs 

 on Bering Island, for if I had not gone over the rookery after the wholesale raid of 

 the breeding-ground I should have remained in ignorance of the fact. The natives 

 themselves were either concealing it, out of fear that they would be blamed, or, more 

 likely, they were ignorant of the extent of the calamity. After the season is over the 

 natives keep aloof from the rookeries, as they are strictly enjoined from disturbing 

 the breeding-grounds without necessity. The simple fact, therefore, that I can report 

 no unusual mortality on the Glinka or Karabelui rookeries proves nothing one way or 

 the other. 



