264 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



considerably less than formerly, and apparently less than sufficient.' The 1 and 2 

 year olds are fully represented. 



July Itl.— The sealing season is practically over; the remaining skins will be 

 taken for food. 



Jidy 23. — The schooner San Diego was captured ort' Otter Island by the Treasury 

 agent in a whaleboat. She had 1,600 skins and 1.") tons of salt on board. 



July 2.5. — the Reef was thoroughly examined, and the bulls on the breeding ground 

 were found diminished- on account of heat and exhaustion. Tlie reserves had nearly 

 all gone to take their places. The show of half bulls is less than on former years. 

 INlost of the females are absent, partly from effect of bright sunshine, but the number 

 of pups aftbrds ample evidence of the regnhir annual increase, though the average 

 time of the landing of cows this year has been about ten days later than former years. 

 There is a full number of 1 and 2 year olds present, but of the 3-year-olds ' and .")-year- 

 olds there is a decrease on former years. All the indications are that more have been 

 killed than should have been and allow a sufficient number to escape to make a full 

 supply of breeding males.^ 



August 4. — The Reef rookeries are broken up and many seals of all classes are 

 on the upland. The bulls have mostly left the breeding grounds. A full supply of 

 1 and 2 year olds, but a scarcity of 3, 4,"' and 5 year olds. 



August 6. — Zapadni rookery is in a good condition, showing a fair proportion of 

 killable seals."^ Lukanin rookery is in a fair condition as compared with former years. 



RECORD KEPT BY WILLIAM J. McINTYRE. 



August 10. — Owing to the heat few killable seals and females are on Lukanin 

 and Kitovi rookeries. 



August 11. — The seals on Reef rookery are reported in diminished numbers, due 

 to heat. 



August 21. — Two albino i)ups were brought from Zapadni. The bodies were a 

 lich cream color, the eyes and flippers pink, but in every other respect they were like 

 the ordinary pup. 



August 21. — Tolstoi, Holm (Middle Hill), and Zapadni rookeries are lessening in 

 population ; few bulls are present. 



August 30. — The hauling ground of Otter Island was found to contain 1,.500 

 bachelors. There is no rookery on the island. The island is 4,000 feet long with a 



' If tbero was an actual scarcity, which the history of the succeeding years does not bear out, it 

 Ih traceable to the eftccts of the close killing of ISfiS, when jiractically all males were taken. We 

 can not, howeviT, accept as more than mere opinions these statements regarding the scarcity of males. 

 If definite figures had been given it wonld be different. 



-This is a regular phenomenon of the breeding grounds. After July 25 the old bulls begin to 

 withdraw and the idle and young bulls enter the breeding grounds. It will bi' noted hen^ that there 

 are reserve bulls to take the places of the regular beach masters. 



'The scarcity of S-year-olds is not nnnatnr.al after the (piota of 100,000 has been taken. 



'See same record for 1896, and compare with that of 1S77 showing proportion of bulls rejeited 

 in the drives. From the irregular .and uncertain movements of the bachelors it is plain th.at no defi- 

 nite; determination of their relative condition from year to yiar can be m.ade. Their moveunnts .are 

 governed largely by the state of the weather. The subsei|Uent record shows no dearth of breeding 

 males when the reservi'S of this year came to enter the rookeries in 1880. 



''.See note 2 under date of .Inly 25. 



'Compare statement under date of August 4. 



