NOTIONS REGARDING THE SEALS. 139 
Says it did not exist then at the earlier date.! Inspection of this rock on several 
ocvasions during the seasons of 1896 and 1897 shows that it has probably always been 
occupied as a breeding ground. It is certainly well adapted as such. It is not wind 
swept or dangerous to breeding seals. The high ridge of Reef peninsula protects it 
from the northern and western storms, while Otter Island breaks the force of the 
storms from the southwest. Furthermore the drowning of pups by storms is one of 
the rarests of accidents. 
The occurrence of a breeding ground on Sivutch Rock is perfectly natural. The 
ground is adapted for rookery purposes. It is within a few hundred yards of the shores 
of Reef rookery, and lies directly in the line followed by the seals in approaching it. 
There is no need of seeking a more complex explanation. It would be a matter of 
greater surprise if it did not contain a rookery. 
THE NOTIONS OF THE ALEUTS. 
Most of the absurd notions current regarding the seals have their origin in the 
minds of the Aleuts themselves. At least they possess such notions now, though 
originally they may have adopted them from the earlier restrictions which were once 
in vogue on the Pribilof Islands, and some of which are still enforced on the Com- 
mander Islands. Some of these rules are the following: The prohibition of the use 
of tobacco on the rookeries, of the wearing of hobnailed shoes, or of the lighting of 
fires when the wind was in such a direction as to carry the smoke into the vicinity 
of a rookery. , 
The Aleuts may be excused for their beliefs. Their training and experience is 
limited. They have had nothing to do with domestic animals, and have never had 
opportunity to test the theories they hold regarding the seals. It was plainly the 
belief of these people that direful results would follow our work of the past two 
seasons on the islands. One intelligent native declared that the scarcity of the seals 
was due to the tramping of investigators about the rookeries in recent years. Another 
complacently declared that the rookeries were all right, because the old bulls came 
back regularly and in large numbers. , 
THESE NOTIONS SHARED BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS. 
That the fears of the natives have been shared in to a certain extent, at least, in 
the past and are still held by the agents in charge of the islands, is evident. Thus, 
we find recorded in the log of St. Paul Island, under date of June 11, 1891, the opinion 
that the “constant and persistent running over the rookeries of Elliott last year at 
this time may be charged with a large part of the falling off of seals driven.” Again, 
under date of November 11, 1895, the opinion is recorded that the “daily scientific 
and photographic investigations” of the summer have demoralized the rookeries. 
During the season of 1897 serious objections were made to the experiments in electrical 
branding as conducted in the vicinity of the rookeries because of supposed injurious 
effects which might result from the noise of the gasoline engine, yet the animals 
themselves paid not the slightest attention to the engines or to the branding operations. 
Most of them have not even yet noted the existence of man. 
1 See extract from log of St. Paul, Pt. II, under date of August 18, when Captain Bryant reports 
many seals hauled out there. 
