COUNTS OK DKAU PUPS. 585 



One pup auchored to a placenta among the rocks was released. A pup very 

 recently born and scarcely able to move about was seen, evidently deserted by its 

 inotlier, a thing not usual. lu most cases it has been impossible to drive tiie mother 

 away from ber newly born pup. 



On Ardiguen a young bull in A's place has a young cow. D is the tirst harem in 

 tiie slide which is occupied. There are 3 cows and 12 pups in it, and they have 

 evidently moved up out of the wet. E has 3 cows and several pups. Harems F and 

 G are wanting entirely. 



A count of Gorbatch gives .382 dead i)ups and 4 dead cows. That on Heef 642 

 jtups and 42 cows. Of the cows dead on Gorbatch 3, and of the pups 223, are on the 

 rocky portion of the rookery to the north of the cinder slope. For this rookery last 

 year 712 deail pups were found, and for Reef rookery 950. The falling off in numbers 

 is an added evidence of shrinkage in the number of animals. 



AUGUST 10. 



The day was spent in making preparations for departure. Various assignments 

 of work were made to the students left to assi-st with the branding and the herding of 

 the seals in the lagoon. The work of branding was left in Colonel Murray's charge. 

 It was arranged that ISlr. Lucas should remain to await the departure of the I>el Xorte. 



Arrangements were made for the removal of the dead pups on Lukanin and Kitovi 

 rookeries, so that a count of starved pups could be made in October. 



MR. LUCAS'S NOTES. 



I examined 3 dead pups and 2 dead cows on l!eef rookery. This rookery is thin 

 compared with last year, and the freedom with which one can move about is noticeable. 

 Two-year-old cows are ver}- numerous, and some regular harems are formed of them. 

 It seems likely that the gray -necked cows are the old ones, at least it is certain that 

 the few freshly dead cows we have been able to examine were old, large, and gray 

 necked. 



AUGUST 11. 



The Rush arrived this morning, and Dr. Jordan, Dr. Wood, and Mr. Clark 

 immediately sailed for Unalaska. 



MR. LUCAS'S NOTES. 



An old cow with a newly-born pup is held by a bull on Tolstoi. Both stand their 

 ground. Very few seals are on Tolstoi or Middle Hill, and still fewer of those present 

 are killables, showing that a clean sweep has been made of this class. Dissected 4 

 pups dead from Uiicinaria, showing that the disease is still running. 



AUGUST 12. 

 MR. LUCAS'S NOTES. 



The dead pups on Kitovi and Lukanin were pUed up and counted to-day. On 

 Kitovi there were 202 and on Lukanin 2.51. The Kitovi count is 7.5 more than that 

 made by Clark and Macoun, but in the eight days that have elapsed some deaths' 



' See note of succeeding day as to freshly dead pups. 



