22 



SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



Captain McCauley, of the sealer Beatrice, found seals plentiful 250 

 miles to tlie westward of the Pribilof Islands in 1891. Captain McLean, 

 of the sealer Favorite^ also reports a great abundance of seals to the 

 westward of the islands in 1891 (latitude 5(>o 50', longitude 173^ 30'), ten 

 canoes taking (with guns) 972 seals in three days. 



Cai)tiiin Guillanis, of the sealer Louis Olsen, having in former years 

 found seals in greatest numbers to the westward of the Pribilofs, 

 cruised persistently in that portion of Bering Sea during the past 

 season, taking only 84 seals. 



Many other sealers confidently expecting to find the bulk of the seal 

 herd to the westward of the Pribilofs cruised there at the opening of 

 the past season without success, but later made good catches to the 

 southeastward. 



While engaged in pelagic sealing investigations with the United 

 States revenue cutter Corunn in 1892 fur seals were plentiful to the 

 westward of tlie Pribilofs, the cutter Rush, cruising to the east at the 

 same time, meeting with very few. 



NOTES ON THE FOOD OF SEALS. 



Captain Todd says the food of seals taken near the mainland consists 

 largely of salmon, and that this is true of the Japan and Copper Island 

 sealing grounds as well as of the North American coast. 



Captain Magnesen, of the sealer Walter Earle. re})orts the seals taken 

 on August 25, 1894 (latitude 56° 13', longitude 172° 44'), as feeding on 

 salmon. « 



Capt. S. Balcom, of the sealer Walter Rich, reported taking salmon 

 occasionally from the stomachs of seals speared in Bering Sea in 

 August, 1894. 



Capt. H. F. Siewerd, of the sealer Mascot, in 1894, collected the 

 stomachs of three seals, containing pollock apparently, at the following 

 position: Latitude north 50'=' 10', longitude west 171° 45'; August 28, 

 latitude north 58° 01', longitude west 173° 29'; latitude north 58° 02', 

 longitude Avest 172*^ 45'. September 8. 



Captain Siewerd writes tliat other seals oi)ened at the first position 

 contained nothing but squid, and at the second position cod and squid; 

 but it is possible that the fish observed were pollock, wiiich closely 

 resemble cod. 



Contents of the stomachs of 33 fur seals' taken during the month of 

 August, 1894, at distances varying from 100 to 140 miles west and 

 northwest of the Pribilof Islands, along the border of tlie plateau, 

 collected by A. B. Alexander, with the schooner Louis Olsen, show 

 the following: 



Date. 



Aug. 4 

 6 



6 



7 

 7 



Contents of stomach. 



Fish, much digested, apparently pollock. 



Do. 

 Pollocl: or cod, with oneliiilf dozen .squid; healis small. 

 Fish, much digested, apparently ])ollock. 

 Full peck of red-tleshed lish resembling salmon; bones not 



determined. 

 Fish, digested, ]>robably pollock. 

 Pollock. 



' Fifteen stomachs contaiiiing fish bones were saved for further examination, others 

 thrown a way. 



