Pinniped Populations at Islas ae Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Natividad, Baja California, in 1968

In April and June 1968, the Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (POBSP) of the Smithsonian Institution conducted surveys on breeding marine birds and pinnipeds on various Mexican islands. Between 18 to 26 April and 21 to 29 June, pinniped populations were surveyed at Islas de Guadalupe, San Benito, Cedros, and Natividad off Baja California. Species observed were the California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi, harbor seal, Phoca vitulina, and northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris

Brominated flame retardants and biomagnification factors in marine species in the North-East Atlantic

BACKGROUND: Concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are reported to increase in marine ecosystems. OBJECTIVES: Characterize exposure to BFRs in animals from different trophic levels in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient from southern Norway to Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in the Arctic. Calanoid species were collected from the Oslofjord (59°N), Froan (64°N), and Spitsbergen (> 78°N); Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Oslofjord and Froan; polar cod (Boreogadus saida) from Bear Island (74°N) and Spitsbergen; harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) from the Oslofjord, Froan, and Spitsbergen; and ringed seal (Phoca vitulina) from Spitsbergen. Eggs of common tern (Sterna hirundo) were collected from the Oslofjord, and eggs of arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) from Froan and Spitsbergen. RESULTS: Levels of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) generally decreased as a function of increasing latitude, reflecting distance from release sources. The clear latitudinal decrease in levels of BFRs was not pronounced in the two tern species, most likely because they are exposed during migration. The decabrominated compound BDE-209 was detected in animals from all three ecosystems, and the highest levels were found in arctic tern eggs from Spitsbergen. HBCD was found in animals from all trophic levels, except for in calanoids at Froan and Spitsbergen. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the levels of PBDEs and HBCD are generally low in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems, there are concerns about the relatively high presence of BDE-209 and HBCD.

Muscongus Bay and Seal Harbor, Maine, Nautical Chart, 1776 (Image 1 of 2) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the untitled, historic nautical chart: [A chart of St. Georges River, Broad Bay &c.] (sheet originally published in 1776). The map is [sheet 34] from the Atlantic Neptune atlas Vol. 3 : Charts of the coast and harbors of New England, from surveys taken by Samuel Holland and published by J.F.W. Des Barres, 1781. Scale [ca. 1:50,000]. This layer is image 1 of 2 total images of the two sheet source map, representing the northern portion of the map. Covers the Muscongus Bay and Seal Harbor, Maine Region. The image is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the 'World Mercator' (WGS 84) projected coordinate system. All map collar information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows coastal features such as harbors, inlets, rocks, channels, points, coves, shoals, islands, and more. Includes also selected land features such as cities and towns and buildings. Relief is shown by hachures; depths by soundings. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from The Harvard Map Collection. The entire Atlantic Neptune atlas Vol. 3 : Charts of the coast and harbors of New England has been scanned and georeferenced as part of this selection.

Muscongus Bay and Seal Harbor, Maine, Nautical Chart, 1776 (Image 2 of 2) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the untitled, historic nautical chart: [A chart of St. Georges River, Broad Bay &c.] (sheet originally published in 1776). The map is [sheet 35] from the Atlantic Neptune atlas Vol. 3 : Charts of the coast and harbors of New England, from surveys taken by Samuel Holland and published by J.F.W. Des Barres, 1781. Scale [ca. 1:50,000]. This layer is image 2 of 2 total images of the two sheet source map, representing the southern portion of the map. Covers the Muscongus Bay and Seal Harbor, Maine Region. The image is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the 'World Mercator' (WGS 84) projected coordinate system. All map collar information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows coastal features such as harbors, inlets, rocks, channels, points, coves, shoals, islands, and more. Includes also selected land features such as cities and towns and buildings. Relief is shown by hachures; depths by soundings. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from The Harvard Map Collection. The entire Atlantic Neptune atlas Vol. 3 : Charts of the coast and harbors of New England has been scanned and georeferenced as part of this selection.

Topography near the summit of Ox Hill. Ford Estate. Seal Harbor, Maine

Red and black pencil on blueprint. Duncan Chandler, architect. Residence, drive, walks in pencil over topo plan. Unsigned. 105 cm. x 88 cm. Scale: 1"=8' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

General surroundings of the estate of Edsel Ford, esq.; Seal Harbor, Maine

Blueprint with pencil notations. Roads, residence, some contour lines. Duncan Chandler, architect. Unsigned. 94 cm. x 83 cm. No scale [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

House for Edsel Ford, esq. ... Southwest elevation; Seal Harbor, Maine

Blueprint with notations. Note: Suggested treatment for living hall windows and living room arbor. Duncan Chandler, architect. Unsigned. 78 cm. x 30 cm. Scale: 1/8"=1' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

House for Edsel Ford, esq. ... General plan; Seal Harbor, Maine

Blueprint with pencil annotations. Markings on portions of grounds. Duncan Chandler, architect. Unsigned. 77 cm. x 70 cm. Scale: 3/32"=1' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Planting plan for the garden. Estate of Mr. Edsel B. Ford; Seal Harbor, Maine

Ink on linen. Location, type of plantings, notes. At lower left: number 2 in ink. Signed. 82 cm. x 44 cm. Scale: 1"=5' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Planting plan for the estate of Mr. Edsel B. Ford; Seal Harbor, Maine

Ink and pencil on linen. Plan and several section elevations. At lower right: number 4 in pencil. Unsigned [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Survey of Lawrence cottage. Estate of Edsel B. Ford; Seal Harbor, Maine

Ink on linen. Location of ledges, trees, boulders, paths, walls. Dimensions of cottage. Note under title: Made by hand level. At lower right: numnber 5 in pencil. Unsigned. 63 cm. x 36 cm. Scale: 1"=10' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Planting plan for the picking garden. Estate of Mr. Edsel B. Ford; Seal Harbor, Maine

Ink on linen. Location, type of plantings. At lower right: number 7 in pencil. Signed. 61 cm. x 36 cm. Scale: 1"=10' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Revised planting plan for the picking garden. Estate of Mr. Edsel B. Ford; Seal Harbor, Main.

Yellow and black ink on linen. Location, type of plantings. At lower right: Number 6 in pencil. Signed. 61 cm. x 28 cm. Scale: 1"=10' [from photographic copy by Lance Burgharrdt]

Comparison of survey methods for estimating abundance of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in glacial fjords

The importance of glacial ice habitats to harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in Alaska has become increasingly apparent. However, enumerating harbor seals hauled out on ice in glacial fjords has been difficult. At Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier Bay, Alaska, we compared a shore-based counting method to a large-format aerial photography method to estimate seal abundance. During each aerial survey, shore-based observers simultaneously counted seals from an observation post. Both survey methods incurred errors in double-counting and missing seals, especially when ice movements caused seals to drift between survey zones. Advantages of shore-based counts included the ability to obtain multiple counts for relatively little cost, distinguish pups from adults, and to distinguish mobile seals from shadows or glacial debris of similar size. Aerial photography provided a permanent record of each survey, allowing both a reconciliation of counts in overlapping zones and the documentation of the spatial distribution of seals and ice within the fjord.

Herpesviruses including novel gammaherpesviruses are widespread among phocid seal species in Canada.

Little is known about herpesviruses in Canadian pinnipeds. We measured prevalence of antibodies to herpesviruses in the sera from Canadian phocid seals by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Wild harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and captive harbor seals were positive for antibodies to Phocid herpesvirus 1 (PhoHV-1) at prevalences of 91% and 100%, respectively. Sera from wild hooded seals (Cystophora cristata), harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandica), and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) were positive for antibodies to PhoHV-1 antigenically related herpesvirus antigens at 73%, 79%, and 96%, respectively. We isolated new herpesviruses in cell culture from two hunter-harvested ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in poor body condition from Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada; one lethargic hooded seal from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Québec, Canada; and one captive, asymptomatic harp seal from the Magdalen Islands, Québec. Partial sequencing of the herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene revealed that all four virus isolates were closely related to PhoHV-2, a member of the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily, with nucleotide similarity ranging between 92.8% and 95.3%. The new seal herpesviruses were genetically related to other known pinniped herpesviruses, such as PhoHV-1, Otariid herpesvirus 3, Hawaiian monk (Monachus schauinslandi) seal herpesvirus, and Phocid herpesvirus 5 with 47–48%, 55%, 77%, and 70–77% nucleotide similarities, respectively. The harp seal herpesvirus and both ringed seal herpesviruses were almost identical to each other, whereas the hooded seal herpesvirus was genetically different from the three others (92.8% nucleotide similarity), indicating detection of at least two novel seal herpesviruses. These findings are the first isolation, partial genome sequencing, and identification of seal gammaherpesviruses in three species of Canadian phocid seals; two species of which were suspected of exposure to one or more antigenically related herpesviruses based on serologic analyses.