198 



THE ASIATIC FUE-SEAL ISLANDS. 



Fur-seal catch of American vessels on the Asiatic side, season 1894, 



a About. 



The pelagic sealing seasons of 1894 and 1895 are most notable for the excessive 

 number of skins taken during the migration and for the falling off in the catch on the 

 Copper Island feeding grounds, indicating the approaching exhaustion of this locality. 

 But, in addition, the latter year is notable for being the first year in which pelagic 

 sealers have to any extent attacked the feeding-grounds of the Bering Island rookeries. 



It has been long knowu that seals occurred in summer in the waters northwest of 

 Bering Island, from Cape Kamchatka to Karaginski Island ; but it seems as if in 1895 

 the sealers repaired there systematically and with success. I am indebted to Mr. 0. H. 

 Townsend for this information and for the following abstracts of the logs of the schoon- 

 ers Ida Etta, sealing off Cape Nagikinski, and Jane Orey, sealing off Gape Afrika. 



