THE TOLSTOI DEATH TRAP. 583 



The pups here, as elsewhere, seem infested with Uncinaria, and many have died 

 of the parasite. 



On the way home a count of the dead pups on Zapadui Reef was made, and 70 

 found. A dead cow was found on the sands of English Bay. Her death was probably 

 the result of rough treatment by a bull. The bones of the pelvis were broken. 



DEAD PUPS ON TOLSTOI. 



The animals were cleared off the sands of Tolstoi, and a count of the dead pups, 

 made by Macoun and myself, finding 593 dead pups; there were 5 dead cows found. 

 Of the pups, 66 were washed up on the sands at the foot of the bay, where 231 were 

 found last year. This season there has been no surf until within the past three days. 

 For the sand flat and the beach below, last year 1,496 pups were found. The decrease 

 seems not to be due to any changed conditions in the flat itself, but in the sparse 

 occupation of it. Only a narrow strip was this season occupied by the seals, and 

 this ground was quite as thickly covered as it was last year. More than three-fourths 

 of the western part of the flat was bare, not only of living seals, but of dead ones 

 also. The line bordering 07i the eastern side had shrunk back. The rocks of the 

 beach were full of dead pups. This space was closely filled with harems. 



The pups seem for the most part to have died from the attacks of Uncinaria. The 

 infection is doubtless taken from the sands. The bulls on the sand flat are unusually 

 fierce. Many of them are young, and some are of the idle-bull class. Many cows 

 were held singly by biills. The cows were approaching heat and could not be moved, 

 and the bulls fought valiantly for them. One case of copulation occurred. The pups 

 are not yet able to swim well, and do not take to the water readily. 



The rocky slope behind the sand flat is full of piips and cows which have drawn 

 back within the past few days. In a week or so the sand flat will be deserted for the 

 slope. 



AUGUST 8. 



Dr. Jordan and I went to Lukanin rookery to look for branded 2-year-olds. The 

 hauling ground had a large drove of bachelors. Most seemed to be 2-year-olds, with 

 many yearlings. No branded animals were among them. The rookery was then 

 passed over with a view to determining whether any were on the water front, but none 

 were found, either on Lukanin or Kitovi. Dr. Jordan found a 3 year bachelor 

 apparently choking to death. He poked a cane down the animal's throat, which 

 appeared to give it immediate relief, for it walked ofi". 



In the afternoon H. M. S. Pheasant came in and Mr. Macoun went on board for a 

 cruise among the pelagic sealers. Later on the company's steamer Del Norte arrived 

 from St. George. The fencing and branding apparatus were found to be deep down 

 in the hold, and it will be a day or two before they can be got out. 



AUGUST 9. 



DEAD PUPS ON KBBF. 



A count of dead pups on Eeef and Gorbatch rookeries was made this morning by 

 Dr. Jordan, Dr. Wood, and myself. Professor Thompson spent a short time on the 

 Eeef, but took no part in the count. 



