TABLE OF OOE'TEIiTTS. 



Page. 



A. — The Russian Fur Seal Islands, 1741 to 1897 — 



I. — Introduction 9 



Scope of the work 9 



Itinerary , 10 



Acknowledgments 13 



II. — The KuBsianSeal Islands 15 



1. The Commander Islands 15 



Hydrographic notes 16 



Meteorology 21 



Fauna and flora of the Commander Islands 27 



Native population ^ 36 



a. Bering Island 50 



General description 50 



Seal rookeries 53 



North Rookery 54 



South Eookery 56 



6. Copper Island 57 



General description 57 



Seal rookeries 59 



Karahelni 60 



GUnka 62 



2. Eobben Island 66 



Description 66 



History 72 



My visit to Robben Island in 1896 79 



3. St. lona Island 81 



Other islands 82 



III. — Seal life on Commander Islands 84 



Historical and general ' 84 



Latitude in the phenomena of seal life , 86 



Proportionate number of sexes and ages on rookeries 88 



Virility of bulls.... '. 91 



Do all bachelors haul out? 92 



Food of seals at the islands and excrements on the rookeries 93 



Effect of driving 95 



Description of a drive on Pribilof Islands 96 



Description of drives on Commander Islands 97 



Does the female seal nurse her own pup only? 102 



Mortality of pups 103 



Alleged changes of habits 107 



Feeding grounds 112 



5 



