568 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



SEA-LION ROOKERIES. 



There are 3 sea-liou rookeries oq Northeast Point. The third I did not see last 

 year. The largest oue is on Sea Lion Necii:. I counted 50 pujjs which had not taken 

 to the water, and seemingly did not like to go. Many of the larger ones were swim- 

 ming with tlieir mothers. 'I counted 27 dead pups which had apparently been 

 trampled.' One was freshly dead, and its skin was taken for a museum specimen. 



The sea-lion rookery on the point is the smallest. At the one midway between 

 the point and Hutchinson Hill 47 pups were counted in the water. Only 1 or 2 dead 

 pups were seen in these last 2 rookeries, though they were not as closely inspected 

 as the one on Sea Lion Neck. 



Along the beach portion of the rookeries of Northeast Point the harems were iii 

 many places very much scattered, and many were small. The single harems were 

 numerous. In a number of cases pups only remained with the bulls, the cows having 

 disappeared. 



At the killing this morning 1,322 skins were taken; 500 large and 2,047 small 

 seals were turned back. 



Mr. Adams reports 416 cows in 50 harems on the Amphitheater. There are 5 

 idle bulls. There were 219 cows in the 19 typical harems under Lukanin cliffs. It is 

 plain that there is a steady diminution of the cows. 



ME. LUCAS'S NOTES. 



A recount of the cliffs of Tolstoi gives 113 harems and 834 cows. The increase in 

 number of harems js due to the entrance of new bulls who force themselves in and 

 establish small, often temporary harems. On July 13 the majority of liarems 

 contained over 10 cows each; on July 22 the majority contained less than 10. At the 

 earlier date there were 21 harems with 5 cows or under: today there are 41 harems 

 with 5 cows or under. The massed portion of Tolstoi is to-day very sparsely occupied ; 

 at the same time there are very few animals in the water. This absence of the 

 swimming seals is one of the noteworthy evidences of shrinkage. 



The white cow on Tolstoi head is present to-day near the place she occupied 

 last season. 



JULY 23. 



POLOVINA. 



A force of men was left at Halfway Point last night to make a drive this morning 

 from Polovina rookery. Two hundred and seventy-four skins only were obtained out 

 of the drive; 101 large and 698 small ones were turned away. One hundred skins 

 weighed in tlie salt house averaged 8.5 pounds each. Tlie killing was made at the 

 salt house at Stony Point. 



Mr. Lucas and I went up to Polovina and made a count of the harems on the 

 main part of the rookery and on Little Polovina. A correct count of the main 

 rookery was not secured last year. The estimate given for it was slightly high, but 

 still not far out of the way. There are 139 harems this year where 138 were 

 estimated last year. The rookery is, however, plainly much reduced. Only a 



' They may have died of Uncinaria. This rookery in part occupies a sandy bed. 



