92 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
THIS ESTIMATE ALSO UNSATISFACTORY. 
In the light of our experience of the present season, however, this estimate for 
St. George still proves unsatisfactory. It was found that in the first hasty view of 
Little East rookery on July 9, 1896, a considerable portion of the breeding ground was 
hidden from view by the cliffs, because the most advantageous observation point was 
not selected. The proportion of killable seals furnished by St. George in 1896 proved 
wholly misleading because in 1897 the island furnished only one-ninth of the quota. 
The observations of the present season also show that a count of harems after the 
25th of July gives no idea of the real condition of the rookeries at the height of the 
season. On rookery ground under inspection during .1897 for this purpose it was 
found that between the 13th and 25th of July, while the number of cows diminished 
one-third the number of families had been increased one-seventh through the ingress 
of young and idle bulls following the breaking yp of the harem system. 
But this information was not at hand when the census of 1896 was prepared on 
August 1, and the estimate seemed to represent as nearly as possible the actual 
conditioi of the breeding herd at the time known as the height of the season. 
THE GREAT EXCESS OF PUPS. 
As our observations on St. Paul continued, and especially when we came to enter 
the rookeries to count the dead pups, our attention was attracted to the fact that the 
pups seemed to be much more numerous than the estimates of cows in the height of 
the season would warrant. This was particularly noticeable on the sand flat of 
Tolstoi. 
To test the matter a careful count of the live pups on Kitovi rookery was made on 
August 15. This rookery bad been taken as the typical one in making up the census 
and the most accurate count of cows was made uponit. A total of 5,940 live pups 
were found. To this number 109 dead pups counted a week before were to be added, 
making a total of 6,049 pups for a rookery where 3,152 cows had been counted on the 
13th of July at the Guppaced inaximum of its expansion. 
COUNT OF PUPS. 
The counting of live pups was continued on all parts of rookeries where cows 
had originally been counted. In some cases the counts could not be made accurately 
because the pups were beginning to swim well and took to the water. Where the 
counts were most satisfactory the proportion of live pups to cows was about 1.90 to 1. 
The proportion on Kitovi was 1.91, and here the count was made under favorable 
conditions because a heavy surf kept the pups from going to sea. Where the lowest 
percentages were found the least accurate counts had been made. 
The following is a detailed statement of the count of live pups: 
Count of live pups, 1896, St. Paul Island. 
Rookery. Cows. Pups. 
WRIGOV, w ceie sig arsine sinteisicaisaisieieiais esp cre 22 edecidscidie pememe¥ inane c 3, 152 6,049 
‘Yolstoi (cliffs) . a 1, 498 2, 664 
Zapadni Reet . 3 2, 256 3, 862 
Lagoon ..... ...- 2 1,474 2,484 
Polovina (cliffs) .. = 1, 268 2, 496 
Vostochni (part) ..... 5 stedieseicisislayeis Liss bebe 2, 887 4,412 
Morjovi (part) ...-.--2...---2--.- ise ois 1,194 2, 289 
ROA inain satan we actinns Pewee eeenwen eeneiaay teANE Tey 13,729 | 24, 256 
