152 THE ASIATIC FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 



At tlie Stolp tliere were appareutly a few more seals than on August 1, last year 

 (1895). In the little corner at the north end of the Stolp, where last year only one old 

 bull with a few females was holding forth, there were now three harems of about 20 

 cows each, and on the rocks a little beyond to the north there was another harem of 

 about the same size. The females in the harems on the west side appeared also to be 

 somewhat more numerous. Several idle bulls and half-bulls were seen on the gravel 

 beach to the left. Pups were plentiful, and a few were playing in the water, the surf 

 being quite moderate on this side. 



We next went to photographic station 2. The same observations were made 

 tliere. The number of females on the beach was certainly greater than when I 

 inspected the place a year ago. Compared with pi, 40 (Euss. Fur Seal Isls.) it was 

 seen that they were thicker in the inner belt under the bluffs and that they extended 

 farther toward the lower margin of the picture (the creek), but it was also noted 

 that there were less at the water's edge, and that consequently the total difference was 

 comparatively slight. 



I counted one-half of the seals on the patch shown in pi. 40 between the margin 

 and the first bluff, and found 436 females in 23 harems, with scarcely half a dozen 

 idle bulls. This shows 19 females to the harem. In round figures the patch therefore 

 contained 900 cows. 



Only two small patches of seals ^ere seen sporting in the water at Bolshaya 

 Bukhta, less than a hundred in each. 



Arriving at station 4 and looking toward station 2 (Euss. Fur-seal Isls., pi. 38a) 

 similar observations were made; and as I had no photographic plate to spare, I 

 sketched the additional numbers in on a copy of the illustration cited. 



In passing along the edge of the bluffs toward station 3 I was very particular 

 to verify my assertion that the Copper Island rookeries can not be satisfactorily 

 counted, in view of my experience this year on the Pribilofs where we successfully 

 counted a number of rookeries, and I must reiterate my statement that a count with 

 any pretense at even approximate accuracy is impracticable at Karabelni. There are 

 places where the seals are absolutely concealed, and others again which can only be 

 viewed from such a distance that no count can be made. From a boat it would be 

 equally impossible because of the rocks and reefs which are fringing the rookery. 

 I do not believe that it will be possible to get at more than an approximate figure by 

 an estimate based upon a partial count. Basing my judgment on the size of the 

 patch I have counted as compared with my Pribilof Islands experience, I should 

 regard 10,000 female seals as a great exaggeration, the actual number being probably 

 nearer 6,000 than 8,000. 



Beyond station 3 (Nepropnsk) there were no more cows, and we only counted 16 

 bachelors on the cliffs below toward Vodopad. A few bachelors were also seen at 

 Staritchkovaya Bukhta, but none elsewhere. 



In comparing to-day's inspection with that of last year (1895) it is but fair to 

 remember that the days upon which I then viewed the rookery were sunny and 

 pleasant and that a great number of the cows were then in the water, while to-day 

 was an ideal day for the seals to stay ashore; just middling cool, a light fog, but no 

 rain to speak of. This difference in the condition dependent upon the weather was 

 also shown by the greater number of seals lying at the water's edge in 1895. The 



