344 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



back, and in the meantime has been taken in charge by a beach master. A i)np with 

 sore eyelids, piobably caused by the intrusion of sand, was also seen. 



The harem system is now largely broken up. Pictures of the rookeries taken 

 .July 25 and after show nothing of the real extent of the rookeries in the breeding 

 season, as the wandering of pups scatters the cows, and an increasing niunber of them 

 are in the water, while many new ones have come to form harems around the idle bull. 

 The cows can i)robably remain away longer now, as the pups become older. 



This e\eniug the guard reports 4 dead cows on shore of the breeding ground at 

 Zapadni. 



THE KILLING AT TOLSTOI. 



Mr. Lucas witnessed a portion of the killing from Tolstoi rookery. In nis 

 estimation it would hardly be practicable to drive up smaller pods to the clubbers. 

 Single seals are more courageous and fight worse than when in groups jiodded 

 together. Large droves of seals are readily intimidated; nothing can be done with a 

 single seal of any age when brought to bay. 



One seal among the killed has the fat of orange color. Natives ascribe this to 

 liaving fed on salmon. It may be due to having fed on crustacea. Dr. \'oss, the 

 island jdiysician, thinks the coloration is due to biliary trouble or jaundice. Nothing 

 was found in the animal's stomach. 



Mr. Lucas exanuned a number of other stomachs at Tolstoi, but found nothing- 

 save thick mucus, in one case nearly a pint. Professor Thompson also opened a 

 number with the same result. xVnd yet excrement is to be seen scattered over the 

 hauling grounds, appears on the drives, and is found in the large intestines of the seals 

 killed. 



THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE BULLS. 



Old bulls are hauling out on Middle Hill and thereabouts. Some of them look 

 pretty thin. Tliey go back from the water and sleep in the sands and among the 

 rocks. Tolstoi Sands seems to be a cemetery for old bulls, as many bones are to be 

 found strewn about. 



The guard has just brought down from Northeast Point the skins of 2 cows dead 

 from buckshot wounds, noted on the 2.5th, on ^Morjovi near Sea Lion Neck. The 2 

 .skins have been preserved as evidence of shooting in Bering Sea before August 1. 

 These 2 skins, together with the wounded cow on Polovina, seen on July 2.3 with 

 ai)i)arently 2 shot holes in her back, show pretty (^inclusively the presence of ])elagic 

 sealers even at this date. The wounded cow at Polovina was just out of the w.iter. 

 The two cows' at Northeast Point were found on the beach on the morning of July 24. 



ARDIGUEN. 



Harem B has 5 cows and many pups. Hai'eni C has hauled back on the grass out 

 of the muddy place where he belongs. There are 53 cows with him, evidently part of 



' It may be noted that tho sohooner Aurora, seized later by the Itiish for having shot slcins on 

 board, with unsealed guns and aniniunition, was in Horing Si-a at this time. She was released by the 

 courts, it not being proved that tlie shot holes in the skins liad been uiadc by the crew ol' the vessel 



in question 



