— 23 — 



skins; but it made provisions for the future, the Ame- 

 ricans made use of this increasing trade to 6 — 8ooo< 

 skins per year (1880 — 1881); this was the reason why 

 towards the end of the century the thousands turned 

 into hundreds. The Aleutian Islands, the nearest to our 

 dominions, lost their sea-otters entirely. On the boundary 

 of Russia the Kamtchatka sea-otter was extirpated, but 

 appeared again some years ago (a new-comer from the 

 Kurile Islands); measures are taken in view of prohi- 

 bitting the killing for three years; but this measure with 

 the exception of protecting the sea-otter on the Kuriles 

 will not be of any benefit. 



On the photographs are shown the principal sea-otter 

 dwelling-places on Copper Island near the N. W. cape, 

 the N. W. cape extends in the shape of a high border 

 (consisting of separate sea-otter rocks) far out into the 

 sea; the shore along both sides of the cape form deep 

 bays. The bay on the western part of the Island finishes 

 off with the Red cape, stretching far out into the sea, 

 as a stony border. The entrance into the bay from the 

 N. Western side to the Red cape is surrounded by 

 a broad bank, overgrown with sea-plants, during the day- 

 time the bank covered with weeds, is the favourite place 

 of sea-otters, the bay itself with the sandy beach is deep, 

 as well as the passage to the Red cape. On the sea-otter 

 rocks and the shore of the bay near the Red cape, the 

 sea-otters remain for the night-and this is, what the 

 natives make use of by putting up nets in the sea-otters 

 way. The nets are fastened to the sea plants and kept 

 up by anchors. The beach of the sea-otter rocks and 

 the bay, which in summer are entirely protected against 

 waves and are occupied by females, who feed their 3 T oung 

 ones. The sea-otter requires its mother's care for a very 

 long time. The place indicated is the principal dwelling 

 for the herds of sea-otters and convenient for feeding 

 and bringing up their young. The increase of sea-otters 

 made them look out for new places and they began to 



