278 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



RECORD KEPT BY H. A. GLIDBEN. 



September 25. — The rookeries at Tolstoi, English Bay, and Northwest Bay are all 

 occapied by cows and pups hauled out upon land, in many places quite a distance 

 from the shore. 



October 14. — The seals have left the breeding rookery (Lagoon) opposite the 

 Warehouse. Most of the seals have disappeared from Tolstoi ; none are left at English 

 Bay. 



December 31. — No seals are visible except on Sea Lion Eock. 



1883. 



April 30. — The ice is still firm about the island. 



May 6. — The chiefs report the appearance of seals on the Eeef and Lukanin. 



May 8. — Seals reported on Tolstoi. Some ice still remains. 



May 16. — Several bull seals are on the Eeef. 



June 4. — The first regular drive of the season gave 592 seals from Southwest Bay 

 and Tolstoi. 



June 10. — But very few small seals have arrived as yet upon the island, a 

 considerably smaller number than at this time last year. 



July 10. — Owing to the small number of large seals, the work at Northeast Point 

 was suspended and the sealers returned to the village. 



July 13. — A drive from Southwest Bay yielded 2,444 seals. Seals are arriving 

 late at St. George; only 7,500 secured there to date.' 



August 2.^-There are 400 skins yet to be taken to fill the quota of 15,000 for St. 

 George. 



October 26, — Seals are leaving the island very fast; the rookeries and hauling 

 grounds show that more than half have left; at Northeast Point but few remain. 



November 2. — The quota of pups for food, 3,000 in all, was completed to-day. 



November 18. — But few seals remain on the rookeries; more are on the Eeef than 

 anywhere else, 



November 24. — About 2,000 large young seals have hauled up on Southwest Bay 

 within the last two or three days. 



December 4. — Trapping of foxes has been suspended, because the setting of traps 

 near the rookeries tends to frighten the seals into the water. 



December 5. — Seals have left Tolstoi, English Bay, and Halfway Point. A few 

 are still at Southwest Bay, mostly cows and itups. A few small seals are on the Eeef, 

 but so near the water that it is impossible to drive them for food. 



December 12. — A food killing from the Eeef gave 420 seals. Seals are hauling 

 out again at Southwest Bay and Northeast Point. 



December 26. — Natives report many seals hauled out at Northeast Point. Great 

 numbers are seen daily in the water (m the east side. A few hundred are on the south 

 end of the Eeef and many on Sea Lion Eock. 



' In this and other entries during this season we see evidence of a growing scarcity of seals on the 

 hanling grounds. This is in part doubtless due to the growing pelagic catch, but must in part also 

 be due to peculiar seasonal conditions. 



