108 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
150. This year not a single cow located permanently on this territory, and the three 
bulls, corresponding to the harems of last year, remained idle throughout the season. 
Another point where the shrinkage was piainly marked was at a prominent 
observation point known as “Old John’s Kock,” about which during the summer of 
1896 a large harem clustered; the ground was fully occupied between it and the water. 
This year the breeding seals did not reach within 100 feet of this rock at any time 
during the season. Again the absence of breeding seals from the runways and breaks 
in the cliffs of Lukanin rookery, another observation point frequented during both 
seasons, was very marked. 
Similar examples might be cited from all the rookeries closely observed. Such 
abandonment of rookery ground can have but one explanation, namely, decrease 
in the breeding herd. 
THE DECREASE IN DEAD PUPS. 
A striking, though indirect, evidence of decline in the breeding herd is brought 
out by the marked decrease in the mortality among nursing pups in the breeding 
season. On all the massed rookery portions the population of breeding seals was 
much sparcer during the season of 1897. On the sand flat of Tolstoi and in the 
gullies of Zapadni only a small portion of the space occupied in 1896 was occupied 
in 1897. We are not, therefore, surprised to find the following contrast: 
Dead pups, August 10. 
| Rookery. 1896. 1897. 
Tolstoi Sand Flat and adjacent beach.........-..-..--------- 1, 495 593 
Zapadni Gullies and adjacent beaches .......-...----.------- 1,314 689 
GoOrbately aocc siscee sys eee'se micas eaminsmue meme daciated Serue: seiszsizs 712 382 
Reef: s..e.cceussvacs dexeeeeeweea ves jsiviet Suetewsiuhide wslewisiy yaaa 950 642 
These counts were made where the death rate had to do directly with the 
crowding of the seals on certain defective breeding spaces. 
THE INCREASED MORTALITY AMONG COWS. 
In this connection may bo cited one farther evidence of decline. On Reef rookery, 
where 25 cows were found dead in 1896, 42 were found in 1897. The diminished supply 
of cows led to fiercer struggles for their possession and consequently the death of a 
greater number. The deaths of cows on the breeding grounds are due chiefly, if not 
wholly, to the rough treatment by the bulls. 
THE DIMINISHED QUOTA. 
But the most clear and positive evidence of decline is found in the reduction of 
the quota of killable seals. The sexes are equal at birth. They must be subject to 
like natural enemies and hardship. Whatever tends to diminish the bachelor herd 
must in like measure affect the number of 3-year-old cows which each year take their 
places as breeders on the rookeries. 
For twenty years after the islands came into the possession of the United States 
it was possible to take each year a quota of approximately 100,000 young males. 
During at least thirteen years of this period this quota could be obtained easily and 
without exhausting the hauling grounds. This year it was more difficult to get a 
quota of 20,000 skius than it was in 1880 to get one of 100,000. The inference is obvious. 
