42 



1 he invertebrate ftiuna of the shores is abundant in individuals, but sparse 

 in littoral species. Fish are abundant to the eastward, but more and more 

 scanty west from Atka Island. Sea-birds are everywhere found in myriads. 

 The sea-lion, the sea-otter, fur-seal, and varieties of hair-seal, once very 

 abundant, are now scarce or even entirely extinct in some localities. 

 There is yet an abundance of small whales ; some land-birds, including the 

 ptarmigan {Lagopus alhiis) ; the blue fox has been introduced into many of 

 the islands, and flourishes ; lemmings of small size are said to exist on 

 Kreesa or Rat Island to the westward, and, from Unalashka eastward, 

 are, with Si)crmophilus Parryi, abundant. This comprises the indigenous 

 vertebrate fauna of the present day. 



Wood is not abundant on the beaches, but is more plenty to the 

 eastward, where the westerly current throws it on the eastern and northern 

 shores of the islands. From an examination of the drift-stuff, it is evident 

 that the larger portion of it comes from the east and south. The Sitka 

 spruce, cedar and fir, Panax Iwrridmn, cocoa-nut shells, and acacia-nuts 

 are all from the western shores of America, either indigenous or as refuse 

 thrown overboard by the merchantmen. The Yukon spruce, willow, birch, 

 and poplar are much less common and rarely occur. 



The islands are washed by two seas, both notoriously stormy and foggy. 

 There are no currents, on their north shores, proper to Bering Sea. In the 

 Pacific, the great easterly current passes entirely to the southward of the 

 islands, not grazing them, and not affecting the water north of latitude 50°. 

 It strikes the northwest coast of America at or near Dixon's Entrance, and 

 here a strong but narrow branch is deflected to the northward, and, follow- 

 ing the trend of the coast, finally to the westward; passing south of the 

 islands, and being evident as a current as far west as Atka, when it gradu- 

 ally spends its force, and is not perceptible in the extreme western islands. 

 The tide in this region rises in the east and sets toward the west, adding to 

 the force of the current during the march of the tide. It rushes into Ber- 

 ing Sea through the numerous passes and straits, carrying its burden of 

 di-ift-wood, and generally forming a severe rip or tide-bore during its pas- 

 sage ; this, with the set of the Bering Sea tide, tends to form an occasional 

 westerly drift or set, north of the islands. The northerly branch of the 



