46 



in September. A fisli boue had lodged in lier throat and pierced one of the veins 

 of the neck. Her stomach was fnll of blood. She might have drowned or may have 

 bled to death. 



iSrO SPECIFIC DISEASES. 



There is no evidence of any specific disease, epidemic, or malady among the seals. 

 All recorded deaths of seals, old or yonng, are dne to violence, starvation, or drowning. 



XVIII. MORTALITY OF PUPS. 



A. TKAMPLED PUPS. 



The nursing pnjis found dead on the islands fall into two distinct categories : First, 

 those which perish early in the season very soon after birth; second, those whicli 

 starve to death after the middle of Angnst because of the loss of their mothers at 

 sea as a result of pelagic sealing. 'I'he deaths from other sources are so few as to 

 cut no figure. These two grouj^s may be separately treated. 



Of the first category, those dying early, 11,045 in all were found on the two islands. 

 Before the first week in August the ferocity of the bulls was such as to make it 

 impossible to enter the rookeries or even to obtain a dead pup for dissection except 

 on rare occasions, when, by means of a fish hook attached to a long pole a few out- 

 lying specimens were secured. On August 5 it was found possible, though with 

 considerable difflculty, to enter the breeding grounds. On this date the count of 

 dead pups was begun, and completed on August 12. The bulls, cows, and pups were 

 driven off and every part of each rookery walked over and carefully inspected. The 

 counting on St. Paul Island was done for the most part by Mr. Macoun, Mr. Clark, 

 and myself. Mr. Lucas and Professor Thompson followed after to dissect and exam- 

 ine such ciircasses as were in condition fresh enough to handle. The count of dead 

 pups on St. George Island was made on August 16 and 17 by Mr. Macoun and Mr. 

 Lucas, assisted bj- Colonel Murray. The count was extremely thorough, but must 

 fall somewhat below the actual total for, while none were counted twice, some must 

 have been overlooked or lost in crevices of the rocks. 



Below are the counts of the two islands by rookeries : 



St. Paul : 



Kitovi 109 



Lagoon 78 



Lukanin 205 



Tolstoi 1,895 



Z apadn i 3, 095 



Little Zapadni 134 



Zapadni Reef 104 



Gorbatch 712 



Ardiguen 2 



Reef 950 



Sivutch Rock 50 



Polovina 635 



Little Polovina 47 



Vostochni 1, 808 



Morjovi 485 



Total 10,309 



St. George: 



Korth 259 



Little East 31 



East 112 



Zapadni 199 



Staraya Artil 135 



Total 736 



Grand total 11,045 



This number found dead in early August on St. Paul was about 8}; per cent of the 

 total number of pups (123,048). On St. George it was about 3f per cent of the total 

 (20,023). The dilTerence between the percentages on the two islands arises from the 

 fact that the rookeries on St. George are smaller, less crowded, and contain fewer 

 death traps. A greater number on St. George may have been carried off by the 

 blue fox. 



