FISH OF GUADALUPE ISLAND. 277 



pups were quite fearless aud crawled around our feet. We took cue skin and a 

 skeleton and two pups. On the rookery we found a cow that had been dead two or 

 three weeks, and evidently shot. There were everywhere signs that the island is 

 frequently visited, and the unprotected fur seal whose hide is said to be worth $15 

 has probably been almost, if not entirely, exterminated by those who visit the island 

 for other purposes. 



As to the presence or absence of fur seal on the island at the present time, I can 

 only say that if there are any left they are few. During the eleven days wc were at 

 Guadalupeparties were in various parts of the island, all on the lookout for specimens, 

 and none were seen. Mr. A. W. Anthony, of San Diego, who visited the island a few 

 months before our party, says that he saw two or three then, though he failed to 

 secure them. 



In this connection we may put on record certain notes furnished concerning these 

 seals. Mr. Anthony, under date of November 26, San Diego, writes: 



It would be impossible for me to give you any idea of the number of fur seal still left at Guadalupe 

 Island. That a few are left there I know, for I have seen two or three the past spring, and none have 

 been killed since. There are, however, very few left, and these are scattered and are only to be found 

 in a few caves that are exposed only at low tide. I can give you no landmarks whereby these cows 

 could be found; but I think they are confined to the weather (northwest) and eastern sides ' of the 



I have made several trips to the island, the first with Mr. Townsend in 1892. We failed to obtain 

 any specimens. The following year, however, 36 seals were killed there, and again 15 were taken the 

 second year after our visit. Since then the sealers have considered these seals extinct, but they are 

 again talking of sealing the island. 



In conversation with those who sealed there when the species was common I learn that the old 

 bulls left the females and pups as soon as the latter were a week or so old, and were not again seen 

 until the following year. It is thought that they go to sea, but it is far more likely that they resort 

 to caves opening below the surface of the water, since the species seems to be resident only on the 

 island, and has never been seen, so far as I can learn, east of the Los Benitos Island, not even hauling 

 on Cerros Island, 20 miles east of the Benitos, when they were common on the latter. 



I think all are gone from the Benitos, since I have called there four times in the past two years 

 and have not found any. I am, however, satisfied that enough are still on Guadalupe to restore the 

 herd in time ; but absolute protection is necessary and, for all I can see, impossible. 



Since learning that the Guadalupe seal belonged to the southern genus I fully expected to find 

 some about the Revillegigedo Islands, thus connecting them with the Galapagos species, but a careful 

 search about those islands failed to bring to light evidences of seals of any species. 



Jacks Bay, where Mr. 0. H. Townsend found four skulls of fur seal in May, 1892, 

 and Sea Elephant Beach, on the northwest side, were both visited by Professors Green 

 and Wing; but a careful search revealed neither seal nor elephant seal, nor did they 

 find any parts of the skeleton of either animal. 



The fish collected about the island were identified by Dr. C. H. Gilbert, and the 

 list is given below. Except in the tide pools, which were worked by Professor Green, 

 no thorough study of the fish was made. Bonito and yellow-tail were quite common 

 and were caught by trolling from the steamer. 



Gyrapleurodua franclsca Girard. 

 Carcharhinus fronto (Jordan and Gilbert). 

 Tracliurus symmetricus (Ayres). 

 Paralabrax clathratus (Girard). 

 Girella nigricans (Ayres.) 

 Hypsypops rubicundus (Girard). 



Pimelovietopon pulcher (Ayres). 

 Iridio semicinctus (Ayres). 

 Clinocottus analis (Girard). 

 Caulolatiliia prin.ceps Jenyns. 

 Bemora remora (Linnseus). 



'The eastern side was so thoroughly examined by our party that I feel justified in saying that 

 there were none on that side during the period of our visit. — W, W. T. 



