10 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRHilLOF ISLANDS. 



THE ROOKERIES IN 1894. 



letter of transmittal. 



TTnited States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 



]Va,shin<jton, J). 6'., February 23^ 189'). 

 SiK: In accordance with yonr verbal request, I have the lionor to 

 transmit herewith a report 111)011 the condition of the seal rookeries^ 

 Pribilof Islands, Alaska, durin»- the seasou of 1804, the same being^ 

 based upon observations made by one of the assistants of this Commis- 

 sion, Mr. C. If. Townsend, in compliance with the reiiuirements of the 

 act approved March 3, 1893. 



Very respectfully, IIerueut A. (Jill, 



.1 fix n (J Co m m issio ner. 

 The Secretary of the Treasury, 



W((shin(ifo)t, J). G. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The report herewith submitted is based upon observatious made ou 

 the Pribilof Islands between July 12 and August 1, and again between 

 September and 13, 1891. It is accompanitnl by 11 charts and 3S pho- 

 tograi)hic views, the former showing the outlines of the rookeries, the 

 latter illustrating the (condition of the most (characteristic portions of 

 each rookery, at the time of making the observations. The ])ositions 

 from which the photographs were made are identical with those from 

 which similar views were taken in 1892 and 1893, while the dates of 

 both charts and i)hotograplis correspond as closely with those of pre- 

 ceding seasons as the conditions of weather permitted. This report 

 should be (considered in connection with those [)reviously submitted^ 

 as being one of the series intended to present the yearly changes in 

 the conditions of the rookeries. 



The steamer Albatross arrived at St. George Island on the morning 

 of July 8, 1891, and remained there at anchor until the 12th without 

 being able to etlect a laiuling on account of stormy weather. Not wish- 

 ing to detain the ship longer, it was decided to begin the work upon the 

 rookeries of St. Paul Island, where the opportunities for landing are 

 better, and, accompanied by Mr. N. B. Miller, laboratory assistant of 

 the Albatross, and Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, I landed at Northeast Point 

 on the evening of the 12th, the Albatross sailing for Unalaska at once. 



July 13 was spent in examining and photographing Northeast Point 

 and Polavina rookeries, and we reached the village by wagon in the 

 evening, our baggage having been taken there from the Point on the 

 U. S. S. Ranger. On the 14th we examined and photographed Zapadnie, 

 Upper Zapadnie, and Tolstoi rookeries. On the loth, clear weather 

 continuing, we examined and photographed Peef, Ketavie, and Lukau- 

 non rookeries, thus completing the necessary pliotographic work for this 

 island in less time than we had ever been able to do it before. I made 

 a further examination of the rookeries of Zapadnie, Upper Zapadnie, 



