KARABELNOTE, 1882-1883. 143 



his double picture (pi. 31a) a series of smaller rooks in the water extends from the 

 beach to the outer end of the west reef. This series of rocks will be recognized 

 toward the lower left-hand corner in my photograph (pi. 29), and will serve to orient 

 the reader. It will theu be seen that the entire beach, which in ray picture of 1895 

 is absolutely bare of seals, is covered with thousands in Voloshinof's picture of 1885, 

 and that the compact body of seals then extended even a good distance beyond. To 

 complete the comparison I add another photograph of mine (pi. 28) looking in the 

 opposite direction (toward the waterfall), which shows the utter desolation of the 

 entire beach beyond the little black patch.' 



As for the proportions of the various classes of seals on this rookery, I found the 

 conditions to be similar to those on the north rookery. It was reported in Mkolski 

 that there had been only 1 bull on the rookery in 1895, but upon inquiry at the rookery 

 I was informed by I^ikanor Grigorief, the native in charge, that the actual number 

 of sikatchi had been 5. This number may be considered exact, and the number of 

 females to each bull was, therefore, probably nearly 100. There were plenty of pups 

 when I visited the rookery, and no barrenness of the females was suggested. 



By dint of hard scraping no less than 564 skins were secured in 1895, 159 of 

 them, however, between August 17 and September 9. 



Copper Islaito. 

 KARABELNOTE KOOKJEEY, 1882-83. (Plate 99). 



The distribution of seals on this rookery, as I found it during the week July B-10, 

 1883, is shown on the map (pi. 99). Every available space under the cliff's was occu- 

 pied by breeding females. Even the ledges at the foot of them and the lower portion 

 of the steep ravines were full of them. The bachelors were obliged to be satisfied 

 with the outlying reefs and rocks, with the beach on the east side of Karabelui Stolp, 

 and the rocky beaches at Vodopad and beyond. The rookery was in excellent condi- 

 tion, all classes of seals being well represented. In fact, there was unquestionable 

 proof that the rookery was increasing. 



Curiously enough this fact was brought home to the natives located at Karabelni 

 by the circumstance that they were unable to obtain in good season the number of 

 skins required from this rookery. When I arrived at Karabelni in the beginning of 

 July the natives' were deeply concerned because of their failure to obtain the last 1,000 

 skins. As the families are i>aid for eacii skin brought to the salt house, this meant a 

 serious loss to those stationed at this point. They iiually decided to go to Glinka, 

 where the season was already over, and there got all the skins they wanted. In answer 

 to my inquiry as to the cause of their failure to obtain the skins at Karabelni I was 

 told that it was because the rookery was increasing. Self contradictory as this state- 

 ment appeared, it was nevertheless easily explained. The main hauling ground of the 

 bachelors, i. e., the one yielding most skins and from which the seals could be driven, 

 was the Karabelni Stolp. Looking at the map (pi. 99) it will be seen that at the base 

 of the neck there was a large breeding ground. The breeding seals were increas- 

 ing here to such an extent as to occupy the whole space along the beach, actually 

 shutting off the hauling ground, thus making it impossible to drive any seals from 



'PI. 67, taken in 1897, affords even a better opportunity for comparison witli 'Voloshinof's 1885 

 picture, since it was taken ftom the identical standpoint. 



