260 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PEIBILOF ISLANDS. 



187 4:. 



January 20. — Seals are reported in two places at Southwest Bay; 100 in one and 

 25 In the other. 



January 31.— About 1,000 seals are reported at llJortheast Point on the north side; 

 none were females, pups, or bulls ; all were bachelors. Many seals were in the water. 

 It is a surprisingly mild winter. 



February 10. ' — Natives at Northeast Point report seals on the beach and in the 

 water. 



February 21. — A few seals are in the water at Northeast Point; 6 on shore, seem- 

 ingly very shy, smelling the rocks, and returning soon to the water. 



March 1. — Tbe chief reports seeing about 12 middle-class^ seals in the water and 

 on the beach at Zapadni ; no bulls have been seen since the beginning of January. 

 The middle class seals have not left the island this winter — something not remembered 

 to have occurred before by even the oldest people. 



March 5. — About 30 seals are reported, some in the water, some on land, at North- 

 east Point. A single seal is on the beach at Polovina. 



March 19. — Four middle-class seals are reported present on Zapadni, Tolstoi, and 

 English Bay rookeries. 



March 27, — Natives at Northeast Point report 10 middle-class seals in the water 

 and on tbe beach near Hutchinson Hill. 



April 1. — The chief reports 5 seals in the water at Southwest Bay; no bulls are 

 seen as yet. 



April 10. — The first large half-bull seal was seen in the water to-day at Tolstoi, 



April 19. — Tbe first landing of bull seals was noted on Southwest Bay, This 

 seems to be three weeks earlier than last year. 



April 23, — One bull reported landed on south side of the Eeef to-day. 



May 1. — Two bulls have landed on Gorbatcb, and several middle-sized seals are in 

 the water. 



May 3, — Tbe first bull of the season landed on Lagoon rookery to-day. 



May 4. — The chief reports from Southwest Bay a few seals landed on all of the 

 western^ rookeries, especially on Zapadni, where about 200 middle-sized seals and 20 

 bulls are out. 



May 7. — Natives returning from Northeast Point report about 1,000 middle-sized 

 seals on those rookeries, but only two bulls landed. . Two bulls were seen at Polovina, 



May 10. — About 1,000 middle-sized seals repotted in two places on Zapadni, and 

 a large number of bulls. 



May 19. — (Notes from oflftcial instructions): 1, The number of fur seals from St, 

 Paul shall hereafter be 90,000, and from St. George 10,000. 2. Tbe time for taking 

 seals shall extend from June 1 to August 15, and through September and October of 

 the same year. 



May 23. — The western rookeries are reported in good condition, especially 

 Zapadni, where there are a large number of bulls and about 1,000 middle-class seals 

 hauled up. Tbe general condition on the rookeries is about fourteen days earlier 

 than last year. 



' The bachelor seals probably did uot leave the vicinity of the Islands this winter at all. 

 = This term probably means bachelors of three and four years' age. 

 ' Zapadni and Tolstoi. 



