1 .— THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 
By LEONHARD STEJNEGER, 
Of the United States National Museum, 
I.-INTRODUCTION. 
The following treatise is based upon observations gathered during two different 
visits to the Commander Islands, off the coast of Kamchatka, the first undertaken 
in 1882-83, during the palmiest days of the fur-seal industry, the latter being last 
year (1895), as a special attache of the United States Fish Commission, to study the 
recent decline and to compare the conditions as I knew them thirteen years ago with 
those of the present day. 
I undertook the trip with a full understanding of the difficulties awaiting me, both 
in the studies in the field and in the working up of the report. I was fully aware 
that, alone in an almost untrodden field, my work would of necessity be fragmentary 
and for that reason unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, I felt that I ought to do it for 
several reasons. In the first place I was in possession of a great amount of interesting 
information about the Eussian seal islands never published, or else very inaccessible 
to those concerned in the fate of the fur-seal, which it might be useful to bring 
together. In the second place, I felt convinced that but few men were in the same 
fortunate position as myself of having had the opportunity to study the Eussian fur- 
seal industry at close quarters while it was still flourishing, and that, consequently, 
I was in an excei)tionally good i:)osition for instituting the desired comparison. 
Finally, I reflected, having kept aloof from all the strife and controversy of recent 
years concerning seal matters, because I had no pet theories of my own to ventilate 
nor any personal interest of myself or friends to advance, I would be less liable to 
suspicion of being prejudiced or biased by any outside motive. I have earnestly 
endeavored to i)reserve this indeijendence, personal and scientific, in the investiga- 
tions which I have undertaken, and I claim that the conclusions I have reached are 
based uiion the facts as I have been able to discern them. It is my hope that the 
logic of my deductions will not be found lacking. 
SCOPE OF THE WORK. 
At the suggestion of Mr. Eichard Eathbun, in charge of the scientific inquiry of 
the Fish Commission, and with the approval of the Acting Commissioner of Fisheries, 
Mr. Herbert A. Gill, the scope of the report was extended so as to include all other 
obtainable information concerning the Eussian seal islands, and it has thus assumed 
somewhat the character of a monograi)h. But I wish it distinctly understood that it 
does not iiretend to exhaust the subject in any direction. Some of the chapters are 
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