4 SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS. 



steamer Albatross likewise secured several excellent iicf^atives of some 

 of the rookeries from otlier jjood ])()sition.s in 189L*, I considered it 

 important to duplicate tliem also, and prints from these negatives of both 

 years have been included amonj>' the photograjtlis transmitted. From 

 the appended catalogue of photograi>hs, giving the dates upon which 

 the negatives ^ere made in each y«'ar, it will be seen that, with one 

 exception, corresponding negatives were taken on tlu' same or very 

 nearly the same date, foggy weather sonietimes interferiug with the 

 "Work, but not sufficiently to allow of any material change in the con- 

 dition of the rookeries. The exception was at Kortheast Point rookery, 

 on St. Paul Island, which the wiiter was unable to reacii until the seals 

 had spread slightly. Tht^, difference in perspective observable in the 

 photographs of the two years is owing to the fact that the photographic 

 lens used in 1803 had a somewliat different angle from theone em])loyed 

 by Mr. J. Stanley-lirown. 



Jn comparing the corresponding photographs for the two years, it 

 will be observed that only a few of them show any appreciable differ- 

 ences in the abundance of the seals upon the rookeries to which they 

 relate; but my personal observations clearly demonstrate that a moder- 

 ate decrease in the number of seals and slight changes in their distribu- 

 tion did occur between the summerof 1892 and thatof 189.»,as described 

 below, these facts being also moie jjlainly biought out by a comparison 

 of the charts. 



In this connection, it seems jiroper to explain that my ac(iuaintance 

 with the seal rookeries of the Pribilof Islands has not been limited to 

 the investigation of last summer. 1 lirst \ isited these islands during 

 June and September, 1885, at which time the rookeries were in their 

 prime, pelagic sealing, just then beginning, having produced scarcely 

 any effect upon the islands. Compared with the vast herds then ob- 

 served, the body of seals now on the rookeries appears as a mere remnant. 

 As the naturalist of the steamer AIb<(tross, I also made observations on 

 these islands from July 28 to August 10, 1801, and again between June 

 30 and August 14, 1802, during a part of tliis latter period having been 

 temporarily attached to the revenue-steamer Coricin, then engaged in 

 following the breeding female seals out to their feeding grounds, on 

 which, up to distances of 200 miles from the islands, specimens obtained 

 by means of firearms were found to be in milk and to have undigested 

 food in their stomachs. 



Pecogniziug the importance of designating the photographic stations 

 l^reviously referred to, so that they may be found without delaj^ in 

 future years, I have marked many of those located near ])eimanent 

 rocks or bowlders with their numbers in white lead, and 1 would respect- 

 fully suggest that this work be completed next season. The rookeries 

 at which the stations have been so designated are Great East, Little 

 East, North and Starry Arteel, on St. George Island; and Keef and 

 Zapadnie, on St. Paul Island. 



ITINERARY FOR THE SEASON. 



Accomjianied by Mr. N. B. Miller, photogra])hic assistant, I was 

 landed on St. George Island by the steamer Albatross on the morning 

 of July 11, and remained there until the loth. Zapadnie rookery was 

 photograplied on the 13th; North rookery in the morning and Starry 

 Arteel lookery in the afternoon of the 14th; the East and Little East 

 rookeries during the morning of the loth. The areas covered by the 

 seals at each of these rookeries were plotted upon the charts on the 

 same dates. 



