316 THE PUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



sufiBciently near to count from land, and from the water only those on the shingle 

 beach can be seen, while those on the Hat above can only be guessed at. 



On the western side counting was begun at the most southern patch, and was 

 done from the whaleboat. The first patch contains 47 harems and 527 cows, an 

 average of 11.21 per harem. Few idle bulls are noted here. The second patch 

 contains 104 harems, 1,366 cows, an average of 13.13 per harem. Twenty idle bulls 

 are counted. The third patch contains 73 harems, 994 cows, an average of 13. There 

 are no idle bulls. 



The extreme southern patch of seals indicated on Townsend's map has entirely 

 disappeared. These are the only portions of the rookery that can be counted. 



It is interesting to note the recurrence of the averages, 11-13 cows to the harem 

 on some breeding areas, and about 17 in others. When harems occupy the narrow 

 fringe of rocky beach tlie smaller average holds true, while the larger average holds 

 where the harems have no opportunity to spread over a wider area. 



On Sea Lion Neck were 2 dead seal pups among the harems. Many pup bones 

 were seen in the rear of the breeding grounds, representing deaths of former years. 

 Among the bachelors hauled up just north of the Neck was 1 dead jiup, with the 

 hair worn completely off the lower part of the back, and 1 live pup, both near 

 together, and a considerable distance from the breeding grounds. They were 

 probably brought there by the bachelors. On the sandy beach just south of the 

 southernmost patch of breeding seals on the east side 9 dead pups were counted in 

 the uppermost wave of the recent gale. In the same place were 11 dead sea-lion pups, 

 and 14 more lay in a similar position on the south side of Sea Lion Neck. All the 

 dead pups were fresh (except 1 sea-lion pup), and apparently died at the same time. 

 From their position and appearance one would naturally suppose them to have been 

 drowned in some recent gale,^ probably the one of July 10, which blew from the 

 northeast. On the western side 1 dead pup was seen at the posterior line of the 

 hauling ground to -the south of Hutchinson Hill, with its placenta still attached. 

 Another puj) very badly bitten and torn was seen still walking about, although 

 apparently quite sick. 



A dead seal was found on the beach just north of Sea Lion Neck, only a few feet 

 from photographing station 6. It appeared to be a rather large yearling just getting 

 its permanent teeth, but was too much decomposed to make it possible to ascertain 

 sex or cause of death. 



In the patches on the western side excessive fighting was going on among the 

 bulls, and the females were consequently highly excited and nervous. Many cows 

 were cut; many bulls were also torn and bleeding. The animals seem insensible to pain 

 and pay no attention to their wounds. 



The total number of cows ami harems which could be counted on Northeast 

 Point rookeries was 336 harems, 4,032 cows; an average of 12 per harem. Only the 

 scattering and unmassed portions were counted. The character of the ground is in 

 these cases very similar to that in the Lagoon and Zapadni Reef, and the average is 

 practically the same. 



1 This is not probable. More likely botb sea-lion pups and seal pups were tbe victims of 

 Undnaria, as they were evidently washed from the rookery on the tip of Sea Lion Neck, which is 

 sandy and well adapted to the development of the worm. 



