KOOKERY CHARACTERISTICS. 



359 



TIIK CENSUS FOR ST. GEORGE. 



The fact that Colonel Murray's count of the harems on North rookery of St. 

 George, as reported by Mr. Lucas, is '22~t, as against an estimate of lU.S for July 9, 

 leads us to conclude that for some reason our count of this island was too early to 

 represent the state of these rookeries in the breeding season. A count of Zapadni 

 rookery, also by Colonel Murray, increases the harems from 143 to 182, and on Staraya 

 Artel from 59 to 75. A count made so late in July as these are not truly representative, 

 as doubtless many of the harem bulls are already gone and their places taken by 

 others. On the whole, however, we feel that this latter count may be more near the 

 truth than oar own, and we are inclined to substitute its results as to harems for our 

 own, applying to the rookeries of St. George, as to those of St. Paul, the average harem 

 of Kitovi rookeiy. This is 17..3 cows to the harem. It will be remembered that for 

 the counted ])ortion of Xorth rookery, the largest on St. (xeorge, the average harem 

 was found to be about 17 cows. The following, therefore, is tiie revised census of St. 

 George Island:' 



Census of St. (iiorge Island. 



AUGUST 1. 



Dr. Jordan went to Zapadni in a boat this morning to investigate the seals reported 

 dead on the rookeries there. In the afternoon, with Dr. N'oss, Judge Crowley, Mr. 

 Adams, Mr. Macouu, Mr. Clark, and a force of natives, he visited Ileef and Lukanin 

 rookeries to determine whether the yearling males and females mix on the hauling 

 grounds. 



The day was bright, with no wind: the sea was unusually calm, witli occasional 

 drifting fog. 



A great snow bank is still visible on the southern side of the hill between Lukanin 

 and Little Zapadni rookeries, and furnishes a landmark by which vessels .steer. 



THE KINDS OF ROOKERIES. 



The Lagoon rookery is but an overflow from Tolstoi, as English Bay or Zapadni 

 Eeef is from Zapadni. The break between Tolstoi and Lagoon is larger, because on 

 the south side of Tolstoi Head the vertical clift's abut closely ou the sea. There is 

 not over 5 feet between the clitf and the high-tide mark, antl often when the surf is 

 running there is no space at all. On the west side of Tolstoi there is 30 to GO feet 

 under the cliffs, and this widens out northward to the broad concave slope of Tolstoi 



' After tUe iuvestigations of 1897 we are still more dissatisfied with the conut of harems made at 

 tlie oliise of .July tlmn witli tlii' early coiiut. We Lave attemjited in the complete revision of the 

 census of 18iK5, which will be found in the notes for 1897, to arrive at a mean l)etween the two. 



