BERING ISLAND SEAL ROOKERIES. 65 



From the western side of the "Eeef Rookery," the base of which is here marked 

 off by a detached rock, called Babin, or Babinski Kamen, the coast trends south- 

 southwest. The beach shows the same characteristics, viz, an inner grass-covered 

 belt, followed by a narrow, pebbly belt more or less whitened by broken shells and 

 fringed by an outer rocky reef, which by low water embraces innumerable very 

 shallow lagoons. 



The grassy belt is widest (fully 400 feet) toward the reef, and the escarpment is 

 here nearly obliterated by a little creek coming from the south. Its mouth is usually 

 dammed up by the pebbles and gravel thrown up by the sea, and the grassy belt iu 

 this locality is therefore intersected by numerous connected pools of nearly stagnant 

 water. 



Farther south the escarpment again assumes its precipitous aspect and approaches 

 nearer to the beach. 



About five-eighths of a mile from the base of the " reef" the rocky beach projects 

 again a little and, as the coast line beyond takes a more southerly turn, a corner is 

 formed which the natives designate as BlizJini Mys. Just before this " cape" there is 

 an expansion of the gravelly part of the beach which, like " the sands " of the reef, 

 serve the seal hauling up in this neighborhood as a " parade " ground. This portion 

 of the beach is now called Kishotchnaya, The patch of breeding seals located here 

 are known as Kishotchnoye lezhbishtche or (rarely) Blizhnoye JezhMshtehe. 



Beyond Blizhni Mys the reef fringe, as well as the grassy belt, again expands, 

 the escarpment retreating from the coast, only to reapproach farther south at another 

 promontory which is well marked by two high, grass-covered, mound-like masses of 

 rock, the so-called Great Maroshishnik, or Maroshnik, and Little Maroshnik. Beyond 

 this point the coast forms another slight bay, fringed with reefs, like the foregoing, 

 but not so wide. This is Tizihof, and as this is the last point where seals are known 

 to have hauled up regularly, it may be regarded as the southern end of the great 

 North Rookery. 



The Mlling grounds are located on the gentle slope (about 3 in 100) above the 

 escarpment, about 600 feet southeast of the base of the reef. The ground is here 

 smooth and covered with a short, fine grass. The upper end is pitted all over with 

 holes dug 4 to 6 feet deep and about 6 feet wide, used by the natives as " silos," into 

 which they place the seal meat, intestines, etc., destined for winter food for the 

 sledge dogs. In addition, boxes and barrels are likewise scattered over that part of 

 the ground, and in these the natives salt the seal meat for their own use (pi. 19a.). 



The driveways on this rookery are short and easy. From the reef the drive is 

 scarcely three-eighths of a mile long, for the least part over the rocky beach, and for the 

 greater portion through the shallow lagoon at the base of the reef and across the fields 

 of rank grass. The ascent up the escarpment is scarcely 30 feet high, with an incline 

 of about 35°. The road there is worn perfectly bare of vegetation and in wet weather 

 is somewhat slippery, but not enough so as to cause a serious inapediment to the drive. 



The driveway from the southern end of the rookery is considerably longer, from 

 Kishotchnaya, for instance, nearly three-fourths of a mile; but as it is partly over the 

 same beach upon which the seals themselves haul up and travel about with ease, and 

 partly over the inner grassy belt of the beach, no special hardship is involved. . The 

 killing grounds are reached from the west side, where the escarpment is locally inter- 

 rupted, and the gentle slope beyond extends down to the water. 



