SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 2-7 



THE ROOKERIES IN 1895. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 



Office of the Commissioner, 



Washington, Fehriiary 1, 1896. 

 Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith copies of two reports by 

 Mr. C. H. Townseud, naturalist of the United States Fish Commission 

 steamer Albatross, entitled as follows: 



Eeport npon the condition of the seal rookeries of the Pribilof 

 Islands, Alaska, in 1895. 



Eeport on pelagic sealing in 1895. 



The former is illustrated by 11 charts and 42 photographic views, of 

 which only the charts have been completed, and are now transmitted. 

 The photographs are in course of printing and will be furnished at an 

 early date. 



Very respectfully, Herbert A. Gill, 



Acting Commissioner. 

 The Secretary of the Treasury, 



Washington, D. G. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In the present rei>ort are recorded the results of observations made 

 by the writer on the fur-seal rookeries of tlie Tribilof Islands, Alaska, 

 during the summer of 1895, in continuation of the annual inipiiries 

 respecting that subject, beginning with the seasou of 1892. It is 

 accompanied by 11 charts and 42 ])hotograi)hic views, duplicating those 

 of previous years — the former indicating the outlines of the breeding 

 grounds and those of the hauling grounds in ]>art, the latter illustrating 

 the condition of the more iin})ortant portions of each rookery at the 

 heiglit of the breeding season. The stations from which the ])hoto- 

 graphs were taken are the same as those ])revi<>usly occupied for that 

 purpose, while the dates of both the charts and i)hotograplis correspond 

 as closely with those of ])receding years as the conditions of weather 

 permitted or other circumstances, explained below, made advisable. 



pribilof ISLANDS. 



The steamer Albatross first reached St. Paul Island, of the Pribilof 

 group, on June 24, 1895, being then en route to the Commander Islands, 

 Siberia, and remained at the former place until noon of the 2(Jth. Mr. 

 F. W. True, curator of mammals in the United States National Museum, 

 together with an assistant, was landed on St. Paul Island for the pur- 

 pose of making a series of indei)endent observations respecting the 

 rookeries, as was also lAIr. N. B. Miller, assistant on the Albatross, the 

 latter being provided with the necessary outtit for beginning upon the 

 season's photographic work in case of any unforeseen delay in the return 

 of the ship. 



