128 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Report of vessels of Hritish Coliiinbia sealing fleet in the vicinity of Copper Island, season tS94. 

 [From 27 Ann. Kep. Canada Dept. ITisli.] 



The pelagic sealing seasons of 1894 and 1895 are nicst notable for the excessive 

 number of skins taken during the migration and for the falling off in the catch on the 

 Cojiper Island feeding-grounds, indicating the approaching exhaustion of this locality. 

 But, in addition, the latter year is notable for being the first year in which pelagic 

 sealers have to any extent attacked the feeding-grounds of the Bering Island rookeries. 



It has been long known that seals occurred in summer in the waters northwest of 

 Bering Island, from Cape Kamchatka to Karaginski Island; but it seems as if in lS9o 

 the sealers repaired there systematically and with success. I am indebted to Mr. C. H. 

 Townsend for this information and for the following abstracts of the logs of the schoon- 

 ers Ida Etta, sealing off' Cape Nagikinski, and Jane Grey, sealing off' Cape Afrika. 



Schooner Jane Grey. 



