148 



THE ASIATIC FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 

 of skins brought to the salt house at Glinka, Copper Island, August 8, 1895. 



Weight. 



TJnder 6i pounds (4J to 6i) 



7 pounds 



8 pounds 



9 pounds 



10 pounds 



11 pounds 



12 pounds 



13 pounds 



14 pounds 



15 pounds 



Total number of skins 



Ayerage weight of skins pounds . . 



Num 

 ber. 



35 

 108 

 40 

 17 

 11 

 6 

 5 

 2 



228 



I may supplement this accouut of the Glinka rookeries by adding a table derived 

 from Yenning's report (pp. 15-16), which shows the dates and sizes of the drives 

 during 1893. 



Number of skins taken on Glinka rookeries, Copper Island, during the summer of 189S. 



COMPAEATIVE CONDITION OF THE BERING ISLAND AND COPPER ISLAND ROOKERIES, 



1895. 



In what little there has been said and written about the seal industry on the 

 Commander Islands it has always been assumed that the conditions, aside from the 

 difference in the physical aspect of the rookeries, were the same on both islands 

 constituting the group. And this was actually the case not very long ago, at least 

 in 1882-83, and, so far as I could ascertain, up to 1890. In that year, it is said, the 

 bachelors were becoming somewhat scarce on Copper Island aud some active work 

 had to be done in order to secure the desired quantity, but inasmuch as this quantity 

 appears to have been the largest ever shipped from Copper Island, the falling off can 

 not have been excessive, though it may have been apparent on the hauliug grounds. 



In 1892, however, the decrease in the number of females on Copper Island became 

 serious enough to cause public comment, while on Bering Island difflculty was 

 experienced in obtaining the requisite, though not limited, number of bachelors. 



Whatever the cause of the recent disturbance of the equilibrium of the rookeries 

 on the Commander Islands, each island has been affected differently, and the conditions 

 to-day of the rookeries on Copper Island differ radically from those of Bering Island. 

 It may be useful to compare them point for point. 



