6 



elongated along the shore in a northerly direction. At this date the region close to the 

 water was in both photographs almost unoccupied, and in neither case did the harems rise 

 up above the sloping tract to the level of the higher ground. They had to some extent 

 spread out backwards by the time of our second visit on the 1st August. 



The south end of the rookery is of greater extent and much more populous. It 

 commences where the level ground meets the cliffs. The harems .ascend the slope, on 

 which a broad shelf or "bench" gives a convenient habitation for many, and a small 

 number of harems run along the beach for a short distance below the first stretch of 

 ascending cliffs. Reference both to the map and the photographs tends to show that this 

 rookery has diminished in recent years. We must make some allowance for the fact that 

 our first photographs of this year were taken (llth July) before the spreading of the 

 rookery had begun, and that my second series were made (1st August) when many cows 

 had begun to go to sea ; but, nevertheless, it is evident that Mr. To;vnsenu's photographs 

 Nos. 39 and 40 (18th July, 1895) depict a larger body of seals, both on the slope of the 

 hill and in the distant patches of the rookery, than do my corresponding ones, No. l.'i 

 (llth July) and No. 98 (1st August). Mr. Macoun's photograph No. 50 of the 

 29th July, 1892, shows also a decidedly larger mass of seals on the slope of the hill than 

 <lo Mr. Townsend's pictures of 1895. 



This reduction of numbers on Zapadnic is, 1 think, unmistakable, and it deserves to 

 be pointed out that there seemed to be no particular circumstances attending our 

 inspection of this rookery, no special facilities for our close examination of it, such as 

 might account for a decrease being here more easily demonstrated than on other rookeries 

 where we failed to observe it. 



On the other hand, while the photographs undoubtedly give indications of a 

 diminution, its extent must not be exaggerated. On comparing my photographs above 

 quoted of the llth July and 1st August, we see that on the slope of the hill there were 

 far fewer seals present at the latter than at the former date, while a very large number ave 

 congregated below the cliff. In this latter situation there appeared to me to be at least 

 1,000 pups. The day was exceptionally bright and warm, and ] think the rookery was in 

 part deserted. Moreover, Colonel Murray's actual count gives us for ]89b' 182 harems 

 and 100 idle bulls, against 110 and 50 respectively for 1895. For this reason I can lay 

 little stress on the apparent indications of decrease since last year, although I think that 

 in the longer interval since the taking of Mr. Macoun's photograph of the 20th July, 

 1892, the diminution in this particular locality is distinct and considerable. 



East Rookery. 



East Rookery lies along a convex shore near the extreme end of the north side of the 

 island. In the eastern portion of the rookery, as at Zapadnie and Staraye Atil, the low- 

 lying shore merges into a line of cliffs, and the harems are in part scattered upon the 

 connecting slope and in part distributed further eastward beneath the cliffs. The open 

 part of the tract, on which are four or five patches of seals, is divided by a small point 

 and terminated by another. A little lake intervenes between the first point and the sloping 

 hill. On the rough face of the latter, as at Staraye Atil, is the main body of seals, thinly 

 .scattered and not nearly covering the whole face of the hill. On this portion and on the 

 beach below are about sixty bulls with harems. On the more inland portion of the slope 

 and around and behind the little lake, are congregated the bachelors. On the shore in 

 front of the lake, and again between the two western points, are colonies of sea-lions, the 

 first including about 150 individuals, the others much smaller. Still further to the 

 westward is yet another point occupied by sea-lions; and between this and the former one, 

 well up beyond the beach, are bands of bachelors. 



On the beach between the lake and the first point were about twenty harems, between 

 the two points thirty-three, and below the cliffs to the eastward of where our joint count 

 began Mr. Lucas counted nineteen. 



Little East Rookery. 



This little rookery occupies a rough stretch of very rocky shore, about 400 to 500 

 yards west of East Rookery. We found it to contain forty bulls with harems. 



In the case of the small rookery of Little East, the photographs give an adequate picture 

 of the breeding herd. I think that a comparison of Mr. Townsend's photograph No. 39 

 (18th July, 1895) with mine No. 2 (9th July, 1896) or No. 84 (29th July, 1896) shows 

 very clearly that the rookery was at least as well filled last year as the year before. 



