' X.— REPORT OF AN EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF THE FUR SEAL OF 

 GUADALUPE ISLAND, LOWER CALIFORNIA, JUNE, 1897. 



INCLUDING A SURVEY OF THE ISLAND AND NOTES ON THE ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE 

 ^ OF THE REGION. 



By Wilbur Wilson Thoburn, Ph. D., 

 Professor of Bionomios, Stanford University. 



June 8, 1897. 



My Dear Sib : You are hereby appoiuted assistant to the Commiasion of Fur Seal Investigations, 

 to take charge of the expedition to Guadalupe Island. 



It is understood that yourself and assistants are to serve without salary, but that all necessary 

 expenses of the trip will be paid by the United States Treasury. It is understood that Prof. E. L. 

 Green shall be assistant in charge of the topographic survey of the island and that Prof. Charles B. 

 Wing shall have chaxge of the photography. 



You are directed to take the steamer Gedney, of the United States Coast Survey, at San Francisco 

 on June 16; to provide yourselves with instruments for topographic reconnoissance ; with material 

 for the collection and preservation of specimens of natural history, and with apparatus for photo- 

 graphing all objects of interest which you may find on the island. 



You are directed to give special attention to the fur seal rookery which is supposed to be near 

 the middle of the western side of the island. Should you find such a rookery actually present, you 

 are directed to count the seals in the different categories; to take photographs of the individual 

 animals and of the rookery as a whole; to preserve in formalin three pups and three young male skins, 

 and, if possible, the skin of an adult male ; and skeletons of three adult males and of as many young 

 males should be procured, if possible. In general, you will ascertain all that can be found out in 

 regard to the natural history of the animal, with special reference to the comparison between it and 

 the fur seal of the north. 



Further, as full an investigation of the natural history of the Island as is practicable should be 

 made. This should include the collection of any reptiles and mammals that may be found; of the 

 fishes and marine invertebrates in the tide pools, and as far as possible the birds and plants. 



To this end you will utilize all the facilities which may be given by the officers and crew of the 

 Gedney, and your stay on the island is at your own discretion unless orders to the captain of the 

 Gedney, Lieutenant-Cbmmander Osborn, require him, to leave at any particular time. On leaving 

 you may proceed back with the Gedney to San Francisco, or, if the reasons for doing so justify the 

 expense, you may proceed to San Diego and return by rail. 



Any Information concerning the past or present occupation of the island by the sea elephant 

 should be carefully noted. 



In general, the first work of the expedition is to secure information in regard to the fur seal and 

 to secure specimens of the seal, which is an undescribed species.* 



Yours very truly, David S. Jordan, 



Commissioner in charge of Fur Seal Investigations, 



Dr. W. W. Thoburn, 



Assistant to the Commission of Fwr Seal Investigations, 



Stanford University, California. 



* This fur seal has since been described by Dr. C. Hart Merriam as a new species, Arotpcephalus 

 townsendi. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., July 1, 1897. 



275 



