100 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



should have survived. The difference between this number aud the 50,000 which we 

 have found to actually survive is accounted for by the starvation of pups in 1894. 



Treating in the same manner the approximate birth rate of 170,000 pups in 1895, 

 we find that, after making the deductions for loss through natural causes and from 

 starvation, probably 40,000 returned as 2-year-olds in 1897. 



Of the 160,000 pups born last year treated in like manner, probably 60,000 

 appeared in 1897 as yearlings. 



THE COMPLETE ESTIMATE FOR ANIMALS OF ALL CLASSES. 



This completes our estimate of the younger classes of seals. The figures are 

 merely rough approximations and are to be considered as such. They, however, 

 point in the direction of the truth and are probably not far from it. Putting these 

 various estimates in tabular form we have the following completed estimate of all 

 classes of animals on the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands for the season of 1897 : 



Animals present at one time or another, season of 1897. 



Breeding females 129, 216 



Pups born 129,216 



Active bulls 4,418 



Idle bulls (approximate) 5, 000 



Half bulls (approximate) 10, 000 



Three-year-old males (approximate) 25. 000 



Two-year-olds of both sexes (approximate) 40, 000 



Yearlings of both sexes (approximate) 60, 000 



Total '. 402,850 



Iii round numbers, therefore, there were on the Pribilof Islands at one time or 

 another during the season of 1897 400,000 seals of all classes. We wish to again 

 emphasize the fact that these figures, in so far as they refer to other classes of animals 

 than the breeding seals aud young, are mere approximations. 



DEDUCTIONS FOR LOSSES. 



These animals were of course not all alive at the close of the season. Their 

 number had been reduced from various causes, as the death of nursing pups, pelagic 

 sealing, and the filling of the quota. These losses to the herd may be estimated as 

 follows : 



Animals known to hare died from various causes, season 1897. 



Pups, from Uncinar ia, trampl ing, etc esti mated . . 7, 750 



Pups, from starvation do 14, <)<M) 



Bachelors (quota) ; 20,890 



Pelagic catch (Bering Sea) 16, 464 



Total .. 59,104 



Total alive during season 402, 850 



Total dead 59,104 



Total alive October 15, 1897 343,746 



