486 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



wounds freshened np. There is, however, a manifest narrowing of the size of the 

 wound. 



There are 27 old bulls along the water front sleeping. 



No trace can be found of the castrated pup. A close search has not been attempted, 

 but one will be made before long. Very few starving pups are seen on Kitovi and 

 Lukanin. 



In the afternoon I went to the Eeef to search for starving pups. The great, 

 majority must be dead. Zoltoi sands are almost bare of bulls. There are more 

 bachelors, many yearlings. More seals are in the water than usual. 



The hauling ground of the Eeef is full of bachelors so that one can not get down 

 to rocky observation point. The rookery still maintains its appearance of the first 

 week of September. 



AEDIGXJEN. 



Bull A is not on his shelf and is not anywhere to be seen. The other bulls are in 

 position and 6 fresh arrivals are seen lying on the rocks at the foot of the slide. There 

 is one gray pup plainly starving near the water's edge. He is trying in vain to nurse 

 sleeping cows. 



BEEP. 



I go down to the tip of Eeef Point and pass along the shore as far down as the 

 southeast point, about three-quarters the extent of the rookery. Looked carefully for 

 starving pups. Found only eighteen that could be certainly said to be starving to 

 death. Four of these, large gray fellows, are knocked in the head and brought up for 

 specimens. Two of them were unable to walk ; none of them would have lasted over 

 till to morrow. 



Many very small pups were seen along the water front, certainly born to late- 

 arriving cows. They can not be more than a month old. These pups must 

 undoubtedly have been born late in August. I counted over 20 of them. Similar 

 pups are plentiful on the Amphitheater of Kitovi. 



Numerous old bulls are to be seen lying on the rocks just up from the water's 

 edge, and many are spread all over that portion of the Eeef originally occupied by 

 harems. They are even back among the cows in their x^resent position. These bulls 

 were not in the position they occupied a week ago. Some of them will stand their 

 ground. 1 had to back out and go round one or two. Those nearest the water's edge 

 go off, but those back from it simply look and roar. 



KILLEES. 



As I approached the extremity of the Eeef to the east my attention was attracted 

 to two killers which were emerging from the mass of seals between the shore and Sea 

 Lion Eock. The seals had parted, leaving the neighborhood of the killers, and were 

 either making toward the shore or standing up in their customary stupid manner 

 looking in their direction. The killers moved up in a leisurely fashion, following the 

 coast toward East Landing. As they passed along the seals could be seen standing 

 up and watching them. There was no evidence of stampeding among them. The 

 killers were evidently feeding, as a long train of gulls were following in their wake 

 and lighting at intervals. I did not see them catch any seals. 



