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Photographic

Sciences

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Frontispiece.

A WAITING BEACH-MASTER, LUKANIN ROOKERY, SAINT PAUL ISLAND.
Dniwii fiiiiii lil'(> liy Ui'istdW .Viliuiis.

'•'■~""^^'"--.

UL.S _ -■

,' iX «, . v,!l I 1.

\ I

«- ;*-A^ t

THE

FUR SEALS AND FUR-SEAL ISLANDS

OK TIIK

NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN.

DAVID STARR JORDAN,

/'lysii/ni/ of Lr/aiiu S/anfonf Jr. r,iiv,'r<;ity
COMMISS.ONHH IN CHAHOH OP FUR-SEAI. INVEST.OAT.ONS OP ,896-97.

WITH THK K()I.LO\VI\(; OKFiriAI. ASSOCIATKS:

LEONHARD STEJNEGER and FREDERIC A. LUCAS

CJl tl.c- II. ^s. X,,tlo,.,.l .M,.«c.,,M..

JEFFERSON F. MOSER,

I-ieiileiiaiil-Ci»iiiiuuulei\ r. S. X

CHARLES H. TOWNSEND,
or tiiu. 11, is. K,«,, co,>.,„i««iJ„.

GEORGE A. CLARK,

SSi;o,..^toij- ,,11.' St>..rioKraph»;r.

JOSEPH MURRAY,
WITH SPECIAL PAPERS BY OTHER CONTRIBUTORS.

PART 1.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFITCB.
I8q8.

\.Vo

\\^y

CONTRIBUTORS OI- PAPERS OX SPECIAL SUBJECTS.

iN!A.'riI-,\N I3y\TS:l<!S,
(>. KLIULliW COOK,

jJAXiKi. \v. co!Ji:illi::t,

\VILLI.\M II. HA1.U,

\vii.uiv\M K. in:nLiiv,

HAl-eWSOX (i. IJVAK,
KLMEW K. KAWMl-W,
flERFJE A.. KISH,
CHAWUE« H. OIUiaEI-eT,

alhickt hassaul,
maktim lixxei^u,
james m. macoun,

JK:>;NIIi C. MILLEK,
\V.\L riil< MILUKI-J,
^VIUUIA1VI r'ALMKK,

MAWv J. KA-riim;x,

NVILLIAX^I IC. l-;n TKW,
JOSEr-H M. KOSIC,
Ei:<'.EXE A. SSCMWAKZ,
KOMEKT E. S^NOllOWAiS)
WILLIAM A. (SXO\V,
CIIAWLES W. SXILE«,
WILUIIK \V. 'riioui:KM,
KWEDERICK W. XWUE.

23u

fi^

wifi mmmmmmmmmmmfmwmmmm^iim

\r+^=Fn^

1*AKT I.

Tin: HISTORY, COXDITIOX, AM) XEliDS Ol' Till-

HERD OF FUR SBALS RFSORTINX; TO

TH1-; PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

DAVID STARR JORDAN

AND

GEORGE ARCHIBALD CLARK.

ILMSTRATEI) BV PHOTOGUAFilS, AM) in I.KAW I.N.IS KKO.M XATl'

RK BV BRISTOW ADAMS.

15184 1

rRKASUKY 1 )i;PAUT.MIONT,

ocMiiii'iit No. L'Ol"

Itirision o/ Special .Igeiils.

■■^■■i^

q,„ . , , . , . I-'EBKUAUY 24, 1,S!)8.

Sm . I have tlu, honor to submit herewith my final report as com.ni.s.sio„er i > charge
oi tur-seal invest>j,'atio..s for the seasons of 1896 and 1.S97. ^

Very respectfully, yours,

David Staer Jokuan,

Hou.LvMAN.1. (lAGE, Commissio,,,,:

Secretary of the Treasury, Washinyton, JJ, C.

TABLE OF CC)N1^r]XTS.
PART I.

ClIAl'TKIt

CflAPTKIl

ClIAPTKK III,

1. — I.VTRODI'CTION:

Thf occasion of the iiii|uiry ''"*'"•

'I'lio act of Couj^reNs '"

Tbe cunniiiNMioii ^7

The Bcoi)o of the worl. '^

The irixcsti>,'atioii„ W

The report 19

Itinerary, iH'.m 1!>

Itiiicriiry, 1H97 20

11.— HisToitiCAi. >Skkt( II: 21

Discovery aijil exploration

Ileriug's second voyage -3

JMscovcry of Co.uMi:;:„lcr an<l l'ril",iV„f islamls ' " ^^

The Unssian-Aincrican Coinpany -^

Its organization 23

The ukase of IH'Jl - 1

The scconil and third charters ..."........ '^*

The company's luanajjenient ^4

lujunons methods -'">

I'lotcction of fomaies 25

The herd at the chjso of Russian control ^^'

J'he interregnum 26

I'rofessor I )air8 notes 26

The number of seals killed "''

Mr. Howes's notes 26

The trading companies 26

The work of scaling 26

Methods of driving 27

Russian methods 27

The killing not indiscriminate .."...' 27

American nianagemeni '-H

Th<- Alaska Commercial Company". 2«

The, first lease '2H

The North American ('ommeVcialCompanv "'9

The present lease ' 29

The decline in the bachelor herd 29

Land ,ind sea killing 29

The extension of sealing to Itering Sea ""

The Tribunal of Arbitration .... ^0

Theeffcctof the Regulations.... '^0

— TlIK HoMK OIC THE Flu 8EAI..S: •^>'

A. The Pribilof Islands

Their geography 31

St. Paul Island ..^.....[[[ 31

St. George Island 31

Otter Island ^1

Walrus Lsland 32

TAHI.K OK (;nN'n:NT8.

CiiAi'irit III.— I'm; IIomk or tiii: I'm Skals— ('(mtlmu'd.

A. 'I'lir I'l'iliilof IhIiiikIn— C'intliiilfil. Page.

Siviitcli Koik H2

'I'ho <liiiiii»o 3L'

No mMii). liMrliiirx ',VJ

Vo^^utiiiiiiin 3H

'I'lui iriiiininiilH Xi

I'lir hinlH Xi

liikiibitiuits 'Xi

C'onilitiiiiis in KiiNsiaii ilnyH 31

('oiiditions in Anipriniii iIh.vb 31

'I'll!' ImiidliiiK oC tlu) Hruls 31

'I'lio aiippoi't of fill) AliMitN 3.">

'I'hr (iovornni)'iit iiKt-iitN 35

H. Tlio fiir-Bciil rooliPrit'B 3(i

The l>r<'e(linn KroiiiidH 3<S

Tlie liiiiiliii){ uroiiiids 30

The St. I'liul roolsfi'ii'H 3(i

Vostochiii 36

.Morjovi 37

roloviiiii 37

Liikiiiiiii 38

Kitovi 38

Ueuf 38

Siviitih Kotk 38

(ioibiit.li 3!t

Ardiniieii 3!(

Spilki 40

Lngiioii 40

Tolstoi 40

/i.tpadni 40

Little Z:i|isidiii 40

Zupiulni IJft't' 41

.Maniiiiclit'ii 41

The St. (jeoi'fie rookeries 41

/iil)udni 41

Staniyii Artel 41

North VJ

Little Ka»t 42

Kast 42

t':iAi'TEn IV.— TiiK I'LK Seal oii ilBA Hkak;

Its relttlives 43

The sea bear and triu^ seal 43

The fur seals of the Antarctie 43

The fur seals of the Noi'th I'acille 44

Stoller's account 44

__-4%« three herds 44

The I'ribilof herd 44

The Koniandorski herd 44

The Robhen Island herd 45

T'hree distinct speries 45

Callorliiniis itlascauiis 45

Callorhiniis iirsinus 45

Callorhinus curilensis 45

The noiuenelature of the fur seal 46

The eutegories of seals 46

The male 46

Pago.
32
32
312
33
33
33
33
31
34
31
35

:».-)

3t>
3(i
36
3(!
36
37
37
38
38
38
38
3!»
3!»
40
40
40
40
40
41
41
41
41
41
42
12
42

43
43
43
44
44
44
44
44
45
45
45
45
45
46
46
46

TAIirj; OI' CONTKNTS.

(■.UnKU IV.-T„K. K, u S,:m. „n s,:, HkaI.-( n„,i„„...l,

I'lic catoKcri.H of hciiU— ( ■<.iil iiiiird. '"""

' Till' fi'iiinle

Tlir l>,'ii'li(tlor

j Tlio hull hull []

/ 'I'hc iillo hull ..' '

The y(iiirliii);N iinil vlr«hm

, I'ho |iu|i.M

'•'•' iKrntii.iiN <,f iIiuhuhIm .^. ...!

Tlioir Huiiiiiii'i' iiiovciiiniiM

The liiiiilH iiriiii;{iiiliiiii

'*» <<"ir8iMiii(l(|iirutioii ..

captk., v.-TnKiu.,.v.,„.K.„.T„KKuuKK,;;,;:;

I h(^ iiiil vhI ut thr islnnds

Till' iiiiiles

Mutt! o(t>inli,,^t, ,iiri\,ilH

Till' olilcHt riiiini liiHt

Tlio hiichi'liirs

Stilt istiiN of killiiiKs

-■ Ji.'KJiiriiii}; „r I h„ NualiiiK s''HN(.ii .'."'."....

I'ho .iriiviil of the cows

Their iiicomliijr jrijidiial.

Their HI rival not ih.. o.vuNion o, i|uhtV„",r

The iiicthcxl of liiiiiliiij; "

MaHNiMl lookiM-y foriijHii,,,

Diiily lookciy coiiiit.s

Syn.iimis o( Kiii>vi lookorv .,

The beifplil of tho woiiNon..'

Kluctiiiition of jmpiiliition

Aiiiiihithcatcr of Kitovi ]

Inrioase of fiiinilicH

What tb.' height of thoNeasonm..iuiN'..

Tho |H-iio«l ciiirciitly iiiiNiiii.hisiood ....

'I'lir birth of the ))ii|i •">

Tho feediiiji; of the cows ^'>

SwiiiiiiiiiiK Hi-als r>.">

Tho seal digests its food in the water' '"'

The evidenco of tli(! piip.s •"'"

The fastiM^of the sealH :"l>

The harcni 57

Kiirifo hareniN

Ilaieiii sizes

Harem diHcipIine

The departure of the eows

Methods of discipline

The tlshtinjrof tli,. Iiiills

The ..arl.v ligbtiiiH: ov.'restiiiiated

No (iKht iuK ov.r airivin;. cows

l''iKhtiiig inihienced hy sexual instjn.t

Manner of lightinjr

Keallljrhtiiig

The treatment of the rows '.

The wounds of the fur seal.....

16
Iti
47
47
47
17
17
17
IS

I!)
4!)

I!)
4!)
r.d

r.(i

53
53
53
5)
51
51
51

The instinct for tighlinff...
Th.' noise of the rookeries .
The sleeping se,<s..

.11
57
5M
5s
5H
5! I
5!l
5!(

(10

lid

)il

(il

(12

113

TAISI.K OV (CONTENTS.

■*^

CiiAiTKii V. — Till! Daily Likk ok tin-: Koukkiues— Coiitinnod. Pngo.

Tlxt arrival at the iHlaiuls — ('(intiiiiit'd.

Their atiitudcH ^ G4

The coloratiou 64

'! !■!' pelage )i5

The Htajiy season ti.')

Till' arrival of the younger seals (Mi

The hreakiiii; ui> of the lirfediii}; seaHOii 07

The eonditioii <>t the hulls (i7

The food and feeding ^'oin'ds (i8

^*<Uie a^eof the fur seals (»8

' The fur seal jiup (iS

The swiininiiig of the ptips 09

-The exeursions of the jjujis 09

, Mortality aiuoiig the seals 70

-— _L>eath of ])ups 70

The parasite, rncinaria 70

The count of dead pups, IH'M 70

C'oni)>arative counts 71

The departure of the seals 71

— ^fhc eiii'uiies of tlie sea's 71

The (ireat Killer 71

The dejiarture of the liai'helors and bulls 7U

The swiiuMiin;; of the seals 72

The rate of travel 72

Ha hits of the southern fur seals 73

Their nu)venients 73

* They do not inijtrate 71$

^"' ltreodiu<>' liahits 73

Breeding; ({rounds 74

The liithtinK "f the bulls 74

Ditferenee in time of birth 74

CHAl'TKlt VI. — TilK CoN'DlTiON oi' Till': VvK Skai. IIbiid:

A. I'ast ronditions 75

Ai'reage uieasurenients 75

Their ditliculty 75

Abseneo of reliable surveys 76

The irregular nature of the ground 76

(,'hiolly guesswork 76

Magnitude of the problem -. 70

Early estimates ^ 77

Captain Bryanfs estimate 77

The beginning of arreage ni<'asuren>ent» 77

KUiott's estimate of lM7l'-74 77

Important assumptions 78

The law of distribution 78

Assum))tious iniorri^ct 78

The true law of distribution 78

Stability of rookery conditions only apparent.. 78

Hesults of Elliott's enunn'ratiou 79

The tigures unreaHouable 79

'I'he methods of enunu'ratitm 79

The surveys can iu>t be \ erilied 80

The effei't of inaccurate survex s 80

Inadei|uato unit of space 80

A more rational unit 81

ClIAI'THK

VI,

TAHLK OF CONTKNTS. g

-TiiK CoNDiTiox ..I- Tin.: K.k S..:.vr. Ili.:K„-(onti.,Me,l.

A. I'ast (•.piidiiioiis— Contiiincl. '"<■'"•

Thcfstiiiiiite Cor Kitovi and Lukaiiiii

A iiieasnro of tlio oviTcsliin.itc _

Tho rcmnts of Mr. Heaiiiaii ][\ '*"

( aptaiu Itrvaiit's note '*-

Spilki and I'oloviiiii ., ''. '*"'

I'fusoiiiil ('NtiinatesdifrBr ^ '*'^

Klliott's use of lifriircs ^'^

-Mr. Tiii^rie's cstiiiiatu ] ^'^

The I'stiniate inconeft **'

Klliott's 18E0 estimate.. ..!!^'''''".'.'^.\" '^

TliiNestiiiinteiiiiHiitisfactoiy [[[ **'

Iho True and Townsond estimate for mc, ^t

rill) .'stiinate must be donblod '*!'

It anticipated tlio season [\ ^^

Arl.itrary reduction f<,r massed rookeries *"''

riio estimate revised '^'*

Tlie important feature of the estimate ' ^'f

-Mr. Crowley's estinuite for 18it5 ^"

t'<iloneI -Murray's estimate '**'

Mefeetsof this estimate ^~

Contrast of estimates for lM)r> **"

Contrast of aereafjo measurements. ^'

Summary of j),ist eonditions '^

A rectmstrueiion of earlier estimates'. "'^

The earlier and later .piotai **'^

The Muota depemlent uj.on the bVeedinj? ""herd ''''

Estimates of Tum-breeilins seals ... ^

The reeouHtruetion still only an estimate ***'

Comjdeted estimate *'

1!. I'resont eonditions ><!'

The census "*'

Its diiriciilty '"•

Actual counts !•<)

Kitovi rookery taken as typical.!! "**

< 'cnsus of har.'uis and .ows '"

Orijriual counts for St. George . '"

Kstinmte for St. (ieorgo ...."... "'

This estimate un.siitisfactory "'

The great excess of pups "2

C'(Miutof pups itt!

Correction for alpsent cows **-

Sunun.iry of liree.Iiug seals...! "'*

Kevision „(• ,.,.nsu8 of l«9t! ";*

Corrections on St. (ieorge ', ''■•

(,'orrectioiis on St. I'aul "•'

Sivutch 1,'oik " 'M

The important error in the census" of' 18% "^

Kevised census of IS'IG 9-*

Tlio value of tliis census ,[/_ "•"'

The census of ijSiiT ito

Tho count of pups in 1897 !•«>

Comparison of counts of cow's nu.l p'n'ps *'

Proportion of cows to pups ""

Avera^'e harem of Kito\ i ^>

Ci'ususof 1897 )t7

" !>7

TAHLK OP CONTENTS.

(."HAi'TKB VI.— Thk Condition ok thk Fni Seal 1Ikhi>— Coiitinnml. Page.
IJ. rrcscnt couditiona — Continued.

Us value !t7

The ('niiiiieration of nonbret-ding seals 9(S

Idle and half bMlls 98

The liachflors !t8

Itejected seals !»8

The one and two year old females !()t

The losses nu\onn the yimufj seals itil

The estimates of nonbreeding seals }l!t

The completed estimate lor animals of all elasses 100

Animals present, season of tW' 100

Deductions for losses 100

Animals dead, season of 1M97 100

The value of the estimate 101

The true basis of enumeration 101

('HArTEK VII.— The Dkci.ixk or the IIekd;

Kussian management 102

(iradual improvement in methods 102

The equilibrium of the herd 102

The beginning of decline 102

The failure of the quota 103

The breeding herd 103

Till' quota since 18it0 103

Quota of 1894-95 103

The evidence of decline 104

Abandoned grounds 104

Their extent 104

( irass-grown areas 104

Time necessary to establish these areas 1().">

Photographs 10.5

Between sueeessive seasons inadequate 105

Their value covering long periods 105

Their record of the abandonment of territory lOt!

Their limitations 106

Their relations to daily rookery eouuts 106

The true value of photographs 107

Townseud's crosses 107

Shrinkage of breeding area 107

Tolstoi sand tiat, Ardiguen, etc 107

Decrease of dead jinps 108

Dead pups, 1896-97 108

Increased mortality among the cows 108

The diminished quota 108

The decline between 1896 and 1S97 109

Comparative counts 109

Actual I'ounts 109

Summary of percentages 110

Decrease in the average si/e of harem HO

The count of cows 1 10

The count of pups an absolute measure 110

Lagoon rookery Ill

The cpiotas of 1896 and 1897 Ill

The quota of 1896 fixed Ill

The (|iiota of 1897 iudelinite HI

Killings for the quota, 18!)6-97 112-113

Chaptei!

ClIAPTKH

Chaptku

TABLE OF CONTENTS. j^

VII.— TirK nECLiNK OF THE HERD-Continiie.l.

T\w evidence of decline— Contiiiii.d. ^'*^"

'I'lie (|iiota of 18!)7 harder to jjct

The (Hiota a direct nieasiiio of l.rcediiig herd

The,|uotaof 18!t7 and the I'aris regulations. .!.'.' ,,!

The total decline in the herd

VIII. -The Caise of the 1)e(i,ine: ^^'*

•Joint a<;recment of ]«02

No coMipctent natural lause ^''.'

Natural cause.s of niort.ility constant ....][[.[[.. ?'?

The real cauNe an artidcial one "

l-and and sea killinjr ^^^

A. Laud killing:— its methods ^^^

Auiuials killed " ^"|

Killing Neason ''*'

The driving '. ^It* ■

The drive ] ^"'

The killing [['' 117

The Aleuts .....]..[[. "'"^

The skiuniuK of the seals ^^**

Division of labor ' ^'*

Treatuientof the skins ........ ^^..' '^**

The effects of laud killinjf ^^^

Removal of snperlluous male llfi.'l.enehVia'l "'*

Possibility of overkilliuff ^■^"

A hypothetical case ." ..' ^^^

Such killing not practicabl.' ^'^^

Otter Island not driven '"^

Defective skins 1-1

Overkilling of males has not occurred '"'

Statistics of the quota '^l

Laud killing. 1870-97 ^'^'"^

^'oluntary reduction of quota. 187t;l-7 ^""

Voluntary reduction, 1882-83... ^--

No dearth of male life " " " ^'■i^

Killing of males not a factor in decline '^-

Prematuro killing 123

Antici|.aiion of quota ..^ ^^3

Tableshowingdateofiilling quota "etc ^"^

The killing of unchasizcd seals . . . . ' '^'^

Such killing did not allect the herd ^'^*

Premature killing wasteful but not inimious ,'^f

KUIiugof pups wasteful ' 1-^

Absence of injury to the herd.... ^-*

Methods on the Commander Islands '-•"•

I >r. Stejneger's observations 1-'"'

I\ Tm- T,,.. '^'"••^^'"•"'"'■■""lolil'M.u Iteriug Island;:: If

l)riviug and its suppo.sed results

The luocess of driving l-l'

The animal driven 12(1

The theory intangible 127

Its logical <onclu8iiui : 127

The drives and driveways ... 1^7

128

TAULK OF C0NTKNT8.

ClIAI'TKK IX.— TlIK TllF.OUV OK OVKIll>lll\lXli— (NllltillUOll. l>agc.

'rb<> KiiHsiaii <1riveH I'M

Tlic ilrivt! from Nortlienst I'niiit 12S

Tlif AmtTicau drives VJii

Tlie ilri v»'8 greatly Nliorteiicd 129

Kef driveway 12it

The cliarai^ter of the route 125)

The length of the drive VM)

C'onipariHoii of drives 130

The Commander driveways IHO

/apadiii ,. 130

I'ahit a 131

No evil results from these drives 131

Care exercised in driving 131

The fur seal not ill-adapted to land travel 131

The " carcass-strewn " driveways 132

Fatalities on the drives 132

Injuries to bachelors could not atVect herd 132

The impossibility of sexual injury 133

Voluntary movements of the males 133

Driving not a factor in the decline 133

ClIAPTEl! X. — Al.I.KCEl) TossniLK ClIANtiK OK HAHII'S:

Migration to Commander Islands 134

The tixity of habits 134

The seal's low intelligence 134

Contact with man has had no cti'ect » 135

Alteration of conditions i;tr>

The bachelors of Itering Island 135

Arbitrary solection of males 136

The effect of decline 130

I'ossibility of driving the seals elsewhere 136

The abandonment of Si.ilki 137

The presence of the villii not the cause 137

Kxposed condition of Lagoon rookery 137

The real cause of the ahandonuient 137

Origin of Lagoon and Spilki 138

Abaudimmeut of Maruuicheu 138

KUiott's theory for Sivutch rookery 138

Si vutch overlooked in 1S72-1S74 138

The notions of the Aleuts 139

These notions shared by (lovernnient agents 139

The policy of seclusion detrimental 140

Intelligent inspection not wanton iuvnsitui 140

Ins|>eetion not harmful 140

Relations of nmn have not aiVected the seals 141

t'HAPTKIl XI. — I'KI.Atili; SKAI.ING, OK KlM.INU AT SEA ;

The nature of pelagic sealing 142

The hunting of the Indians 142

Introduction of white nn-n and vessi-ls 142

The expansion of the industry 142

The use of firearms 143

The modus vivendi 143

The regulations of the I'aris a ward 113

The sealing vessels 143

Methods of sealing 144

The seals as fcmnd 144

Methods of capture — the spear 144

mmm

TAHLF, OF CONTKNTS.

CllArXKR XI.— I'F.I.AIilf Si'.AI.INd, OR Kir.l.INIi AT SKA— rontillUfd. ]•»)•«.

Tlio nhootiiiK of tin- seiils HI

Loss resultiiiK from sbootiiig M">

The spear loOHt wiistffiil 115

Northwest t' oast sf'iiliiijr 146

itoriug Seaseiiliii"; 110

I'elrtKic ciitcli Ut>

Does uot iiii'liide snils killed, lint lost 1 17

Karl.vseHliiiK eon lined to Pribilof herd 147

8u8|ieiision of land killinj; 147

Modus Vivendi transferred sealing; to Asiatie si(h' 147

Decline of the ciiteh 148

I'nfavoralile wciither not the cause 148

i'elagic killiuf; iind land killinj; roni|iared 14M

Statistics rej;ardin<; land and sea killin;f 149

The period from 18T1-1S8L' 149

Growth of the catch 149

Kelation of gains and losses in the herd 149

I'eriod snhsci|nent to 18M1' 150

Kx]ianBioii of iiela)i;ii'; decrease of lanil seal in j; 150

Cause of decline ti> bo soiiijht in breed ing herd 150

The beKiniiinu of the tied i no 151

Karly pelagic sealinj; a mere check 151

Irregnlar <|nota since 1890 151

I'elagic sealing and the Coniniander herd 152

Interrelation of pelagic and land catches 153

ClUI'TKR XII.— TlIK El'l KCT <)l PKI.AlilC SEAI.INC:

I'elagic sealing kills females 153

I'elagic sealing and the sealing of the South Seas 153

Methods of southern scaling 1,53

"Indi^!C^imiuate" uot "excessive" 154

The prepon<lerauce of females 154

Tho sealing captains' record of sexes taken 1.54

Cnstonis-house examination by experts 155

Contrast of sex retnrus 1.55

The sex of salted skins easily determined 155

Investigations of Alexander and Ilalkett 1.55

Females more easily taken 15()

The capture of males not important I. Mi

Possibility of eipiilibrium 15(i

Ki|uilibrium a theoretical fact 1.57

Death from old age 1,57

A hypothetical civse 1,57

I'ossiMe abstraction of females 1,57

.Secondary loss of pups 1.58

I'elagic catch still involves 1(! per cent 158

I'elagic catch unist still fall to one-thir<l before equilibrium I5«

The equilibrium could not be maintained 15)1

Equilibrium exists only far below commercial ruin 159

Destruction of unborn pups Itit)

Females pregnant and nursing 160

Pelagic sealing takes com]iound interest KM)

Destruction of nursing pups 160

Pups dependent upon milk until December 160

Tho absence of excrement 161

Tho supposed uoufceding of females 161

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ClIAI'TEk XII.— TlIK EkKKCI' ok PKLAUIC SKAI.INIi— Coiltilllled. I'Bge.

Almonce of food in Btomachs liil

The Heal dlKeatH its food in the water ItiU

Absurd tlieory of iiidiscriiiiinati' nursing 162

Fur-seal mother aud pup 162

MiHtakon olt.servatioiiN IC>'2

Supposed self-fctMliug of pups 163

The absurdity of the tlicory 163

Doterniinatioii of the luatter li.v killing pups U>3

Pups aliHohitely dopeiuleut upou mothers' milk 164

CitArTKK XIII.— The Stakvation of I'li-s:

The count of starved pups 1H5

l<o>rinning8 of starvation 165

Notes on starvinjj pups 16.">

The hungry pup 166

Tlu! lircakingdowu 166

Tlie death of the starveling 166

Difficulty of distinguishing early dead pups 166

Many early dead pups disappear 167

Starving puj)s 167

The work of the foxes 167

Dead pups, St. (ieorgc Island 167

■{ecoustruction of St. (ieorge estlniutes 168

The detailed estimate 168

Pup statistics 169

The count of starved pups in 18i>7 169

The removal of the early deiid 170

EstiMiute of stnrved pui)s for 1897 170

Importanci' of tliesc ligures 170

Destructive ett'cctsof pelagic sealing estahlislied 170

The cumulative clfoct 171

Total ell'ect of pelagic sealing 171

The effect since 1883 171

The etfect under the P.aris regulations 172

CiiAriKK .\IV.— Ki'i-Kcr or Pelacic Skai.inu on the .'^eai. Skin Indi'stuy:

International interest in the fur seals 173

I'nited States interests 173

Russian interests 174

The interest of (irciit liritain 174

Canadian pelagic sealing interests 174

Valuation of the lleet 174

Pelagic sealing suicidal 175

Ktiect of the declining catch 175

Legality of pelagic H<'aling 175

Pi ibitiou to Americans 176

Distinctly a Canadian industry 176

Chaitek XV.— Thk Uesii.ts of the Pauis Awabic

A. The arbitration 177

The origin of the fur seal question 177

The sei/.ure of vessels 177

Ertorts to secure intermvtional action 177

Proposed measures of protectitm 177

Objection by Canada 178

, l{eu<'wal of negotiations 178

The counter proposition unsatisfactory 178

Proposals for arbitration 178

TABLK OP CONTENTS. jk

CUnKH XV.-TMK Kks,„,,s ok ,„k P.k,s Aw.K,.-C.,„r„.,.o.l.

A. llieiiil.itiation— Contiiiiicd. '''"■'''

'I'lie modus viveiiili

Tho Joint coiuiiiiHsion <»( iiH|iiirv.. ''"

The tribunal '. ._ '^"

Tbe Joint report of the oonimission...... 'P*

The Aiiicriciiii couteiitioii '"'*

The Uritish conteution '' '^*^

Their coiiipiiriitiveiiieritN "^*'

li. The regulations "^"

Tlie minor provisions "***

The sixty -inilo zone '^"

The elo.se Neason "^'

KegulatioMsiHliipted to worli of sealers '**'

The cost ol' enCorcinjr the regulations. . !'.".' ||^^

The lailiireof the re;.ulationH '^

The ie.leen.inK lii.'tnre of the regulations .'.'.'; \f,

Ihe purpose of arbitrators "'-

CiivPrre Yvi c ''•''' '''••witi<'"t"l>r..t.TtMn.lpre'8e'rve;.' !^'^

Statements of fact.

CIIAPTEU XVII.-TIIE KkmeIJV ,.oU TIMO Dk.'UNk' iu' TME 'iIkuI. • '■ ^^^'^*^'

Revision of the regulations not ade(, Mate

I'elagic sealing ,,,„ not exist without th- UilVing of Ven'iVles '^^

Total proi l.iti.mof iii|.|,.i,. H....ii„,r fi. , '"'"''les 1^7

A ieeon,sideration of tlie .(uestion

A basis for the reopening of the .sul.jeVt '***^

bindings of faet— the deeline ' '««

Slow rate of increase in tlie herd ***^

Males tan be killed with impunity '««

K.\c<-S8ivo destruction of females." "**'

Compromise lindings '' I«!t

Tlie herd ('(unmereiallv ruined "<!*

Pelagic sealing incompatible with ■preservaii;;„ "*'*

Ihe skin ofthefcMuile to Im. contraband '^"

Ihe proposed extermination by slauobter o.Vh',1'.'. 'T ■' '*>*<'

Lnportaneeofthe fur seal heril . . "'^ ."..ker.es ,,,„

,, -^ "'''"I'Kiiiieleus remains li'O

LIIA1'TI:H XIX. — b'KCO.MMKNDATIOXs: 1<M>

Inadeciuaey of past knowledge. .

The (ioveniment agents m.t Civesti-aVoVs ""^

I'ailure to understand conditious ... l"l

The wild-animal poliey l!tl

l"iek of fait Ii in our methods....'" 'it»

U'as'efnl management ^ 1!»2

|n.o two vital .|i:,.8tioirs yet uiilvnown "'^

Ihe fixing of th,> .|uota ... 1(»2

Qiiestions whieh re,,uire eonViuiumsVtud v '"=*

A faxed quota not desirable " I!t3

The proportion of males needed"'' K't

Minor problems. .. 194

An.KMHx r.-«tatistS'':T!"''':'"r!!"''^'"'«^^ m

Table of killings ' I97

Summary of totals '. 1<J"-1'07

207

16 TAHLE OF CONTENTS.

Ai'i'KNDix I.— Stati8tic8— Contiiiiu'il. Page.

KillingH, North we«t. l'oiut-/ii{iii(liii 207

Total souIh killed — accepted, rejected 208-20!)

Killings, 18!»() '. ..."..... 209

KilliuK8, 1897 210

Svitistics of liiiid und hch killing 211

Daily counts ol' cows 212

Compurati ve I'ensiis 213

Pup BtiitisticN, IMilt; 213

Doad pups, 18H7 214

AniiTii'iiu I'lii-Hi'ul cjitcli, 1894 215

Canadiiiii I'ui'-hcuI catch. 1894 216

Ainericau and Canadian catcli. 1895 217

Amoricuu and Canadian cntch, 1X90 219

American and Canadian catcb. 1897 220-221

StatiBtics of pelagic catch 222-225

Per<'eutaKc of f<!nialeH 225

Value of pelajjic llect 226

Cape 1 loin seals 226

liObos seals 226

Ai'i'EKDix II. — Documents.

Modus Vivendi 227

Arbitration treaty 22f<-231

Award of the tribunal 2H1-234

The regulations 234

Declarations 236

Alaska Commercial Company's lease 236

North American Commercial Company's lease 238

The conference of fur-seal experts 240

.Joint statement of conclusions 241

Furriers' affidavits regarding sex. 244

The law prohibiting sealing by .Vmericans 246

Appendix III.— Illustrations 247

CIIAI'TKIf I.

INTRODUCTION.

THE OCCASION OF THE INQUIRY.

The pHiseiit iii(|iiiiy into the condition iuid nueds of the fur seal ht-rds of the Noitli
I'aciHe Ocean and Borina' Sea is the outgrowth of a belief on the part of tlie Tnited
States tliat the reguhitions forinuhited by tlie Paris Tribunal of Arbitration for " tlie
protection and preservation of the fur seal" iiad failed to aceompliah their avowed
object. The inadeciuacy of these regulations was apparent at the close of the lirst
season of their operation, and each succeeding season has only rendered it more
conspicuous. Failing to secure the cooperation of Great liritain in the immediate
revision of the regulations, the United States la the spring of IH'Mi accepted ilie
proposal of Great Britain for a scientific investigation of tlie whole subject, t(t be
made Independently by each nation, the results of such an Investigation to form the
basls.of a reconsideration of tlie regulations at tiio end of the specKied trial period ot
five years.

THE ACT OF CONGRESS.

Tlie act of Congress under which the present commission of investigation for the
United States was organized is as follows:

llenoliml III) the Stnalc ami lloiinr of lli'invsi iitaliivii of lliv I'nititi Sialea of Amirim in VoiiiirfnH
axiKitililed, Tliiit the Sccrctiiry of tliu 'I'loiisiiry be, and is licreby, authiiii/cil to expiuKl, fioiii ;iii.v
luoiK^VH ill the Tieasun not otherwise iipproiniatetl, a sum sufflcicnt to provide for the einploynifiil
of ])er80U8 to conduct a scioutilic iiiv<'8ti(fation, during the fiscal years I'ijihteen liiiiidred and
ninety-six and eighteen liiindr<'d and ninety-seven, of the present eondition of tlie fur-seal herds on
till) I'rihihif, Coniiiiaiider, and Kuril islands in the North I'acilie Ocean an<l IJeriiig Sea, said aiiiomit
not to exceod for lioth said years the sum of five tliousand dollars.

The Secretary is also antliorizod to employ a stenographer in connection with this investigation
at a rate of coni)iensation not exceeding one thousand live hundred didlars per annum, and to jiay his
conipeiisation and cxjienses out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

The President is authorized to detail, for tlii' purposes of assisting in this investigalioii, any
otlicer or otiicers or eniploycMS of the I'nited States Governnient. their actual ex|ienses and tlu!
expenses of the pi'i'soii or peisons em)doyed under the preceding [laragraph to lie paid hy the
Secretary of the Tn asury out of any luoiieys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

The I'li'sideut may detail a vessel of the I'nited States for the purpose of carrying out this
investigation.

THE COMMISSION.

In accordance with the above act, Dr. David Starr Jordan, president of Leland
Stanford Junior University, was appointed commissioner In charge of the Investiga-
tion, and with him were detailed as associates Lieut. (Jommaiider .Jefferson F. Moser,
commanding the United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross; Dr. riconhard

17
15184 2

THIi; FUH 8EAL8 OF THE I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

Stcjneger, curator of roptilcH, I'liitoil States National Museum; Mr. Frederic A.
liUcas, (Mirator of comparative anatomy, United iStiites National Museum, and
Mr. Cliarlcs II. Town.scnd, naturalist of the Albntrons. Mr. Oeorj^e Archibald Clark,
I>re8ideDt''s scciretary of Stanford Uirivcraity, was appnintod secretary to tlu^ coinniis-
sion, and Col. Joseph Murray, of Fort Collins, (Jolo., formerly United States Treasury
agent at Ht. i'aul Island, aiul reai)i)ointed in 1897 to the same position, was made
special assistant.

(Ireat liritain named as her commission of investigation Prof. IVArcy Wentworth
Thompson, «)f University College, Dundee, Scotland; Mr. (lerald K. H. Barrett-
Hamilton, of Dublin, Ireland, and Mr. James Melville Macoun, of the Geologi(;al
Survey of Canada. The Canadian goverununt detailed Mr. Andrew Halkett to
make special investigation of the oi)erations of the pelagic tleet.

THE SCOPE OF THE WORK.

In his letter of instructions to the commission, under date of .linic l.'i, liS9<i, lion.
Charles Sumner Ilamliu, then Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, outlined the
general scope and purpose of the investigation, as follows:

Voiir liiiiil I'oport will lie expoctcd tu itUatu inori! Hiiecilically to tlic Kroii]i of seiils wliicli resort
to the I'riliilof iHlaiidH, )iut tbit AHJutic hcnl niii.v \w invoHtigateil to hucIi extent as Ni'etiiB uilvisuMc
in order to att'onl the opportniiity for institntint; comparisons from wliich ini]>ortant (IvdnctionH niuy
lie readied.

Tlio |irin('i|ial object of tbls invcHtigat'oii is to deturniinc b,v prvcinc and detaib'd obHcrvalion.s,
fiixt, tilt- prcHent condition of the American fur-seal herd; Heiond, tbe nature and innnineneu of the
eauHes, if any, which ap])ear to threaten its exterrninatiou; third, what, if any, benefits have been
secured to the lienl throu>rh the operation of the act of ('ou|;ruHs uud act of I'arliamcnt based upon
tbe award by tbe I'ai'is Tribunal of Arbitration; fourth, what, if any, additional protective measures
ou bind or at sea, or chan>;es in the present system of re^culations as to the doseil season, prohibited
zone, prohibition of lirearuis, etc., are reipiired to insure the preservation of the fur-seal herd.

Your inquiries should furthermore be extended, in so far as the time and circumstances permit,
to embrace the cousiderution of all important iiuestions relalinj; to the natural history of the seals,
both at sea aud on the islands, with special reference to their bearing upon the sealing industry.

To this general plan of intjuiry was apitended the following list of sjieciHc
questions:

1. The effect of pelagic sealing \n the Xorth Pacific Ocean and llering Sea upon tlie fur-.seal
herd, due account being taken of the classes of seals killed.

2. What elVcct, if any, has the annual removal of bachelor seals, which has taken place on the
I'ribilof Islands, had upon the fur-seal herd f

The solution of these two ([uesticuis inv(dves a study of the entire subject of the regulations of
the two sexes and the ]iroporti()n of the uuile seals rei|uired to be preserved in order to maintain the
stability of the herd.

3. Whether killing on land or sea has interfered with tlie regular haliits uud occupation of tbe
islands by the held, or has o]ierated to reduce the strength of the seal race as a whole by a natural
selection.

4. The propriety of existing methods of driving seals from the hauling grounds to the killing
grounds, culling, aud other practices connected therewith.

5. The cause of the destruction of nursing pu]is upon the islands.

During the seasons of ISitt and 189.") about 20,000 and ;{0,000 dead pujis, respectively, were found
upon the islands. Yon should specially consider the causes of their death, whether from starvation
or other cause, preserving specimens whenever practicable.

(). The extent, date, and ouiise of mortality on the islands of seals of all classes.

SUII.IECT8 FOli INVESTIGATION.

lf»

7, 'I'hu liri'i'ilin){ liitliits ot thu huiiIh, with Hpot^ia) rolcrt'iicu to tho ii);r iit wliicli l\\p I'oiiiiiliM lir^in
or coaHi' to Itrt'iiil, and tlic frei|iiuiify of tlio brt'eilin^, wliutlirr iiiiniiully or iit Imi^vr iiitcrx^ilH.

X. Tlio I'onilition ol feiiiiilu senU taken iit xea, an to iiiirMiii); iiiiil |irt>)riiaii<'.v.

!). Tliu iliHtiiiii'e w liii'h tint scvitral claNrtuH of Hralx go from th<> iHlantlH iiinl tlio iliroctioutt wliicli
tliry take ill suarcli of food or rcHt at dilVemit tiiiiuM (luring the HeaHon.

10. Tlio actual (IcrrciiHc if any, In tlie niiiiilior of HvalH in uacli claxN on tlic I'riliilof iNlaiuU
wliii'li luiH ocnirrud during tin- piiHt yeiir, and also nIiu'o the yenr 18!H), iiiid Hiiici' tlii< yitur 1S70. A
rai'ofiil reuHiis of tlir I'ookorieH ahoiild liu taken tbis Huason fur roni|iariNiin with tlie onuiiicration
inadt' in I8!ir> and |ii'i'viouM vearN.

11. An uMiiiiination of tlio iiucHtion as to the cliaracter of the food of fur hiniIs.

12. Whotlior tlio I'rildlof iNlaiid liord of fur souls interminglo with tlio Asiatio herds of tliu
C'oiiiiiiauder or Kuril i.shinds.

IH. Whother uiirsiug soula niiiMit other tbuii their own |iu|m on I ho islands.

THE INVESTIGATIONS.

Acting uiidur thusu iiistnictiuiiH the cuiiiuiissiuii uf invustigatidii liavu made a
detailed inspection and Htndy of tiie habits, condition, and needs o\' the I'l-iiiilot'
Islands herd, with a conipreliensive and almost equally exhaustive study of the herds
of the Commaudia- and Kuril islands. The main results of our investiyutions lor the
season of 18!>G have already been published by the Treasury Department in the form
<»f a preliminary report.*

The work during the season of 1890 was sutlicieut to jirove the depleted condition
of the herd and to point out the cause of its threatened destruction. It, however,
showed clearly that all preceding calculations as to the number of seals resorting to
the Pribilof Islands were useless for purpo.ses of comiiarison, being grossly exaggerated
in the early years of American control, and as largely underestimated in the later years
through a misapprehension of the actual conditions of ro(»kery life. It therefore
became impossible to form an accurate estimate of the relatise conditions i)f the
breeding herd or of the rate of its decline. The work of investigation was therefore
continued during the season of 1S!>7, and its sui)plemental results have been embodied
in «M)ndensed form in a second preliminary report t which has recently been published
by the Treasury Department. It now remains for us to bring into the shape of a
final report the completed results of our labors. In accordance with th»^ broad scope
of our instrmrtions we have endeavored, so far as opportunity aflbrded, to consider
"all important questions relating to the natural history of the seals, both at sea and
on the islands,'' and the work has therefore become very voluminous.

THE REPORT.

This report naturally falls into four parts or divisions. In Part I tue main
phases of the fur-seal controversy have been taken up and discussed at length, such
historical matters as seem necessary for a clear understanding of the matter being
added. lu this general discussion the results of more detailed studies on special
topics, which appear in Part III, are freely used and the original studies referred to
for more complete information. Part I, therefore, becomes a complete report in itself
of the investigation so far as the general condition, needs, and possibilities of the
Pribilof Islands herd of fur seal are concerned.

• Oliservations on the Fur Souls of the Pribilof Islands, .Jordan, 1S96.

tSooond Preliminary Report of the Bering Sea Fiir-Seal Investigations, .Imiliiii, isit".

THE FUtt SEALb OF THE rRIUILOF ISLANDH.

Ill I'lirt II is (fivoii tlio niiiiiito and detiiilud joiiriml (/4' daily olmurviitiniis of tliu
iiiciiiliurs of the voiiiiiiissioii. This recurd, being the chief basis for the coiicliisiuiiH
ill tiif ^i'licral report, becoinos a most important part of the work. To it is appeiid«'<l
an abstract of the record in tiio loj? of St. Taiil Island for the pa><t twenty-seven
years, in so tar as it ]iei'taiiis to tlic life history, and habits of the seals.

The third divisiim of tlie report <;oiitaiiis the series of special papers and reports,
already referred to, which deal with varions jihasesof the life history, uioveiiicnts and
the surnmiidinKS of tiie seals, and which have been prepared by ditfcrent members
of the cominissioii and by varioaa specialists. These take up in miniite detail hucIi
phases of the Biibject as have important bearing on the fur seal question.

In Tart IV are included the reports for the seasons of 18JM) and l.S!t7 by Dr.
Stejneger on the Commander and Kuril islands, which form a continuation of his
more extended investigations in the season of 18!(5, the results of which have already
been published.* To the reports on the roninniiider herd such reference as has been
necessary to throw lijrht upon the condition of the I'ribilof herd have been made in
the general discussion.

ITINERARY, 1896.

The I'nited States Fish Commission steamer AllxttrusH, with the American com-
mission and Professor Thompson and .Mr. Macouii, of the Itritish commission, left
Seattle on the morning of June L'4, arriving at St. (ieorge Island, Bering Sea, on the
alternoon of .Inly 8. .Inly !>, 10, and 11 were spent in and about this island making
general observations, photographing the rookeries, and counting the breediii' cals.
The time between .July 12 and 18 was occupied in similar work on St. Paul I nd.

•Inly 18 the AUmttoss steamed for I'nalaska, leaving Mr. Towusend then- and
taking Dr. Stejneger to the Commander Islands. July 30 to August !> were spent
about these islands, August 2li to -'(> about the Kurils, and August 28 to September 2
about liobbeu Island, reaching Hakodate, Japan, September 10.

On July 28 Mr. Lucas, Professor Thompson, and < "oloiiel Murray visited St. Cieorge
Island, the tirst two returning to St. Paul on August 5. Mr, Towusend returned from
l-iialaska August s, and be and Mr. Lucas spent the time until the 12th at sea, on
board the Rush, boarding vessels of the sealing tleet,

August <S to 14, inclusive, was occupied in counting dead pups on St. I'aiil,
A similar ctmnt was made by Mr. Lucas and Mr. Macouii August 10 to 21 on St.
(Jeorge.

On August 10 Professor Th(mipsoii and Dr. Jordan left St. Paul Island in II, M, S.
Satdlite for the Commander Islands, siieuding August 24 and 25 on the rookeries of
these islands and returning to St, Piiul on September 1, bringing with them Mr.
liarrett Hamilton, another member of the British commission.

Mr. Towusend left St. I'aul on the company's steamer Homer for San Francisco
August 2.'i. Colonel jNIurray returned from St. George Sei»teinber 1 and on the fol-
lowing day made experiments in branding pups on Lukanin rookery. Messrs, jjiicas
and P.iirrett-Haiuilton spent September 2 to 5 at sea on the h'uHh, among the pelagic
>eaiers.

"The HiiBHiiiu l-'iir .Seal iHlaiiilH, Stojuo^fr; Itiill. V. S. MsU Com., 18!M>.

ITINEUAHY.

On SoptonilMT s Ih. •lordiiii, I'rorvssoi- Tlioiiipsoii, iiii«l Mr. Liu'iih sa*!*'*! witli tlio
li'iixli lot- Sitkii anil IliciKc to ^^ciittlc, Mt'SHiH. Clark, Miummiii, liairvtt liaiiiilton, and
Colonel Murray rt'niainin^' on St. I'aiil.

On ScpttMhltiM' 1 1 turtht'i' fxporiinuntH in hrandiii^f w(m-«i ina<lt>. Tlit- slarvod an*l
.starving pups on St. Paul \vim»^ ronntrd Si'iitiMnbcr 28 to October 1. A Hiniilar count
was nnidcon St. <l(jorj{c OctolM'rH. On October 7 .Messrs. Clark and Macoiin returned
to St. Paul, Mr. Ilarrettllaniilton remained on St. (leor^t'i and Colonel Murray went
to Cnalaska. On October '22 the reniainin<j: couiniissionerH left tlie islands on tliu
titar ami arrived in Pent Townsend Novoinber 3.

ITINERARY, 1897.

May 2J.— Mr. Clark sailed from San Francisco on the North .\inericaii Company's
steamer /'i7 Xorlr .May -'-. Mr. Ibistow Adams a*M-oiiipanied him as artist assistant
to the commission. Col. Joseph Murray, chief a^ent, Mr. .lohn M. Mortiui, assistant
a^t'iit, and Mr. James M, Macoun, Canadian commissioner, were also passen(;ers on
the vessel. The /><7 Xitrtr arrived at Wood Island, Kadiak, May .'U, and at Dutch
Harbor, Cnalaska, on the morning' of June I.

June 7. — The />e/ Xortr arrived at St. (ieorge IslamI, renniinin;; at am-hor «lis
charfjin^- carj;(» until the evening; of the llth, duriii}; tvhich time all tli« rookeries of
St. (Jeorfie were visited and daily visits were nnide to N'^orth rookery, near the villa^ic.

June IL*. — On the morning of June \2 Mr. Clark vas landed on St. Paid Island
and bejian ilaily observation of the breediufj rookeries.

.Inly 1. — Mr. Lucas arrived on the h'iinli at St. Paul July I, Dr. Stejne};er, who
ai'companietl him to Cnalaska, liavin^' sailed direct from that portfor the Commander
Islaiuls on board the (Iriint.

.July 7. — Dr. StejucKer was landed by the U>nnt on \Wv\\\\* Island.

.luly !•. — Mr. Lm-as examined the rookeries of St.deorjje Island. Mr. Chichester
accompanied him ami plioto^j^raphed the lookcries for the United States Fish Com-
miss'on.

July lli. — The eountiuK of the cows was be^run on the rookeries of St. Paul and
the series of photographs for the Cuited States Fish Commission made.

July -'5. — Dr. .lordan arrived at St. (ieorge Island and, after visiting theroo'.eries
there, was landed 011 St. Paul July l.'8.

JulyJM). — The count of live pups was begun on the test rookeries. Kitovi was
counted by Messrs. Clark and Macoun on August -. This was followed by a count of
dead pups on the "death tra|»s" of Zapadni and Tolstoi.

August.'*. — Professor Thompson arrived at St. Paul on It. M. S. h'aiiihoir from the
Commander Islands.

August 8. — Mr. Macoun left St. Paul on II. M. S. I'limmnt,

August 11. — Dr. .lordan ami Mr. Clark left St. Paid Island cm the revenue-<!iitter
A'h«/i, arriviU;:' at Seattle i,n the evening of th«^ L'lst.

August ir>. — Dr. Stejneger was transferred from Mering Island to Copper Island
on the Russian cruiser KoreHx.

August 16. — Professor Thompson left the Pribilof Islands on II. M, S. Amitliioii,

August 18. — Mr. Lu<;as left St. Paul on the Del Xortc, arriving in San Francisco
August .'U.

THK KUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

August 31.— Dr. 8tejiieger returned to IJeriiig Island by tiic Russian cruiser
Yakut, leaving immediately for retropanlski. where lie arrive«l on September 4.

Septembei- 2.— Seals were driven from Reef, Lukauin, and Middle Uill and retained
in the Lagoon inclosnrc until the 9th.

September 1).— Beginning with this date Colonel Murray, on St. Paul, and Mr.
Judge, on St. Cleorge, branded fur-seal pups.

September 11.— Mr. Farmer and assistants in the work of electrical branding h;ffc
St. Paul Island on board the revenue-cutter Perry.

September L'7.— Dr. Stejneger made a tiiml visit to Bering Island to investigate
the starvation of pups, returning to Petropaulski on October 20, sailing thence home-
ward by way of Japan.

October ir>. — Colonel Murray made a final counting of starved i)ups on Lukanin
and Kitovi rookeries of St. Paul Island.

A I'lore minute daily record of investigations will be found in connection with the
journal of daily observations kept by the commission, and wiiicli appears in full
elsewhere in this report.

CHAPTER TI.

HISTORICAL SKETCH.

DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION.

The early discoveries and exploratious in and about the waters of Bering Sea
followed as a result of tlie occupation of the eastern coast of Siberia by tbe Russians
in tlie latter part of the seventeenth century. The organized ettorts to explore the
unknown seas beyond were begun in the reign of I'eter the (Jreat and were roiupleted
after his death by Lis successor, the Knipress Catherine.

The first impo-.-tant expedition sailed in two vessels from Kamchatka in 17li8 uiuler
charge of Vitus Bering. One vessel discfovered St. Lawrence Island and sailed tiirough
the straits to the north; the other reached the continent of North America near the
mouth of the Hiver Yukon.

BERING'S SECOND VOYAGE.

Thirteen years afterwards Bering ^\!t out with a second expedition which reached
America at Kayak Island, in the vicis.ity of Mount St. Klias. I'pon the homeward
voyage the Commander Islands were discovered, and the ship on which Bering sailed
was wrecked on the island now called Bering. Here Bering died, and, after winterinf,
such of the crew as survived made their way to Kamchatka in the spring under the
direction of the famous naturalist, Georg Wilhelm Steller.

DISCOVERY OF COMMANDER AND PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

This second voyage in 1741, making known the valuable fur resources of the
Oommauder Islaiuls, stimulated the fur trade and led to many expeditions among
the islands of the Aleutian ciiain in search of other regions inhabited by fur seals.
During these voyages the herd of seals now known to resort to the Pribilof Islands
were encountered on their migrations through the i)as8es of the Aleutian Islands,
and eflbrta were made to ascertain the shore to which they belonged. They were
followed to the northward and to the southward for this purpo.se, but without result
until, in r'.S<i, Gerassim Pribilof, a navigator in the emplo" of one of the Kussian
trading coni|)anies, finally succeeded in finding the group of islands which now bear
his luime and are the home of the American fur seals. The island of St. (Jeorge, so
C'dled from tli;; name of his vessel, was the first land found. In the following year
St. Paul Island was discovered.

THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN COMPANY.

Immediately upon the discovery of the Commander Islands in 1741, and later upon
the discovery of the Pribilof Islands in 178r>, numerous trading companies began to
develop their lucrative fur resources. The rivalry and competition which naturally
arose nearly resulted in the destruction of the fur-seal herds. To prevent this, the
entire fur trade of the Russian colonies passed into the control of a single powerful

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

organization, t\w Uiiasian-Aiiiericaii Company. This coin])iiiiy Wiis created in the year
17!H), by (le(!ree of the Imperial (joveriiiiient, and was veste<l for a period of twenty
years with exchisivc i>rivileffes to trade along the shores of northwestern America,
between latitude rt'P north and Bering Strait, ou the Aleutian and Kuril Islands, and
tiie islands of the Northeastern or Heriug Sea.

ITS ORGANIZATION.

The coini)any'8 chief place of business was originally at Irkutsk, but was after-
wai'.ls transferred to St. Petersburg. Its shareholders, exclusively Hussians, numbered
members of the Imperial family and the high i!obility. For purposes of administration
the Imperial (iovernment and the directors of the company jointly appointed a (thief
manager, who resided at Sitka, in Alaska, then called New Archangel. The powers
of this numager were absolute within the territory over which the company exeicised
jurisdiction. Under him were submanagers, overseers, and other agents, h'eports
of the (company's affairs were required to be submitted to the Imperial Government.
Under its charter the Kussian-American Company paid wo royalty or rental to the
(Iovernment, but as its trade consisted chieHy in the exchange of furs for teas on the
Chinese frontier, the (Iovernment received indirectly large sums through the resulting
duties.

THE UKASE OF 1821.

On the 4th of September, 1821, the Emperor Alexander I issued an edict known
as the ukase of 1821, which provided for a set of rules and regulations controlling the
boundaiies of navigation and trade on the coasts and waters over which the Itussian-
American Company exercised jurisdiction. These regulations provided for the
prohibition of all foreign vessels from landing on or approaching within 100 Italian
miles of the coasts and islands belonging to Russia.* Shortly after the issuance of this
decree the Emperor renewed for an additional term of twenty years the charter of
riglits and privileges of the Russian American Company.

The ukase of 1821 involved Russia in a controversy, on the one hand with the
United States and on the other hand with Great Britain, which resulted in the treaties
ot 1824 and 1825, the former between the United States and Russia aud the latter
between Great Britain and Russia. These treaties left undisturbed the right of stiict
control claimed by Russia "over all interior waters and over all waters inclosed by
Russian territory, such !'3 the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea or the Sea of Kamchatka,
as well as all gulfs, bays, and estuaries."!

THE SECOND AND THIRD CHARTERS.

The second charter of the Russian-American Company was revised in 182(t to
conform to the treaties of 1824-2") and its provisions recontiriiu'd. In 1842 it was
again renewed for a period of twenty years, with all its exclusive franchises and
privdeges. This third charter expired in 18G2 aud was not renewed. The con)pany,
lu .ever, continued to operate under it, pending a decision of the (juestion of reiunval.
lUit before a decision was reached the territory of Alaska was transferred to the
United States by the treaty of 1867.

* Ai)]U'ii(lix to oftsn of I'. 8., Fur Seal Arb., j). l(i (V.

t AppeuiUx to eiwe of l'. S., Fur Sual Arb., Letter No. 10, p. 03.

HISTORY OF THE VVU SHAL ISLANDS.

THE COMPANY'S MANAGEMENT.

.\t once upon assuiniiig foutrol of the Lslaiids the Kiissiaii AiMcricaii Coiiuiaiiy
put a .stop to tiic ruthless shiughter whicli tlireatened tlie fur seal herds witli destruc-
tion. Tliey, however, attempted to liuiit the extent ratlier tliaii to reform the charac-
ter of the shiughter. They still continued to kill males and females alike. The injury
to the herd naturally continued, and in lSO(i and 1807 ir was found uecressary to
suspend killing in order to give the herd an opportunity to recuperate. In 18(»H killing
was resumed, but still without proper regard for the conditions of seal life.*

INJURIOUS METHODS.

(Iradually, however, the habits and interests of the herd began to be better known
and cared for. In IS'M, Vanovskj', an agent of the Im])erial (Jovernment, after an
insi)ection of the fur seal rookeries, called attention to the practice of killing the
young animals, leaving <mly the adults as breeders. lie writes: "If any of the yonng
breeders are not killed by the autumn they are sure to be killed in the foHowing
spring."t From this course of action he concludes that the industry dciTcases every
year in volume, and may in the course of time be extinguished entirely. Probably as
a result of this, in 182li, as V'eniaminof tells us, provision was made for the reservation
of young seals for breeding puri)o.ses. This provision was hardly suflicient, however,
to accomplish the desired end so long as females of any age were killed. As a natural
result, another crisis in the history of the herd was reached in 18^U, Hut it is not clear
whether this was due entirely to indiscriminate slaughter or to the combimition of
this with disaster resulting from the continuance of the ice tloes about the islands far
into the summer, preventing the cows from landing to give birth to their young and
grinding them to pieces in the ice itself. This latter possibility exists as a tradition
among the AK^uts, though in their minds it may have been confused with a subse-
<iuent catastrophe of a similar character recorded by the manager of 8t. Paul Island
in 18.59.1 In any event, it seems very clearly established that in the year I8.'}4 the
herd was in a most precarious condition. The natives ■^.ere not even allowed to take
seals for food, and for a time all killing was suspended.

PROTECTION OF THE FEMALES.

At this time it seems to have become fully understood that if the herd was to
continue its feuuiles njust be protected.^ Accordingly from this time on the taking of
seals was limited strictly to the males. But the managers of the fur-seal herds had
still .something to learn. The retpiirements of the Chinese market weie the only guide
to the class of skins desired, and as all sizes were taken the killing of nudes included all
ages from old bulls down to the gray i)ups. Gradually this wasteful killing stopped.
The bulls were no longer taken aud the killing of gray pups was limited to sH«;h as
were needed for food and oil. II

'Veniaiiiiiiof, Trans. Elliott, Mouojfrapb, Fur Seal Isds., 1881, p. 110.
t Appuiidix to ciiae of U. S., Fur .Sfiil Arb., Letter No. 6, )>. .''•S.

t A|>|U!ii(lix to case of IT. S., Fur Seal Arb., Letter No. 2U, p. 87. The dire reHiilts here predicted
seem not i,«; !<iivo been felt by the herd.

* Aj)peiidix to eBNt> of U. 8., Fur Seal Arb., Letter No. 23, p. 82.
II Appendix to ease of U. S., Fur Senl Arb., Litter No. 21, p. 82.

THE PUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.
THE HERD AT THE CLOSE OF RUSSIAN CONTROL.

Under tliese {fnulually perfected inethod.s of operation the lierd seems to have
prospered and increased so that in the year 1804, as we learn from the instructions*
to the agents of the Itussian American Company on the ishinds it was considered
possible to take annually 70,000 seals on St. Paul Island alone. The number for
St. George Island is not given. This in brief is the condition of the fur-seal herd as it
came into the possessioiUof the United States. In definite facts and data there is but
little; but it may be taken for granted in the light of subsequent events that the herd
was in a condition of normal increase,

THE INTERREGNUM.

The year 18(38, or the season following the transfer of Alaska from Russian to
American control, is generally known as the "interregnun>." It was impossible
immediately to provide an administrative system for the Territory, and a period of
lawlessness reigned on the islands. The state of affairs is thus described by Prof.
William H. I)all,t who visited the islands <luring tlie year:

PROFESSOR DALL'S NOTES.

Durinj; my visit to St. (ieorijo Islnud in 1868, thin vast territory of Alaska had Just fallen into
the iiossessioii of the United States, and the Cioverninent had not yet fairly established more than a
l(efj;iuuin;j of an orijanization for its management as a whole, without mentioning such details as the
I'ribilof Islands. In consciinence of this state of att'airs private enterprise, in the form of companies
dealing in furs, had established numerous sealing stations on the islands. During my stay, except on
a single occasion, the driving from the hauling grounds, the killing, and skinning was done by the
natives in the same manner as wlien under the Russian rule, each competing party i>aying them so
mucli per skin for their labor in taking them. Despite the very bitter and more or less uuscrupnlons
competition among the various parties, all recognized the importance of preserving the industry and
protecting the breeding grounds from molestation, and for the most part were guided by this
conviction.

THE NUMBER OF SEALS KILLED.

During this year a very great number of seals were killed on the islands. Estimates
vary, but it is evident that the number amounted to not far from 300,000. As this
subject has been freciuently referred to and strenuous ettbrts made to connect the
heavy killing of this year with the subsequent decline of the herd, we feel Justified
in (juoting here at length the statement of Mr. Osborne Howes, now editor of the
Boston Uerald, who spent the summer of 1808 on St. (leorge Island as agent of one
of the companies. He says:

MR. HOWESS NOTES.

I left Sun Francisco early in March on board a schooner cleared by Messrs. Parrott & Co., of
that city, for a trading voyage in Muring Sea and the coast of Kamchatka. Our schooner put into
Hitka on the way up and took on board a number of natives, sailing from Sitka to the Sliumagiu
Islands and thence into Hering Sea. It was the first vessel to reach the island, arriving at St. Oeorge
in the latter part of April. I was landed with the goods, and the schooner continued her voyage
toward the coast of Kamchatka. I immediately secured possession of the salt house and the services
of the natives for the season.

•Appendix to case of U. 8., Fur Seal Arb., Letter No. ,31, p. 89.
t Fur Seal Arb., vol. 2, p. 132.

METHODS OF TAKING FUR SEALS.

THE TRADING COMPANIES

In a few days a schooner ropreHcntin>i tlie firm of Hutchinson, Kohl & Co. also landed repre-
sontativi's on St. Goorj^o Island. Not lou;; after tlir arrival of this second schooner a third, in the
interest of the firm of Williams & Haven, landed men on the opposite side of the island, at /.apadni
rookery. This lirm had headi|Uarters on St. I'aul Island. It was inipossilde for these separate
interests to carry on their operations independently, and tliey therefore placed their bnsiness nnder
my charge. Drives wore inude alternately for the different companies and the natives employed
in turn.

Hefore the season was well under way a fourth expedition was landed on the south side of the
island across the point from Kast rookery. There were three men in the party, and they sot aliout
killing the seals on the rookery without driving them. The natives objected to this because it inv(dve(l
the killing of females. The men were remonstrated with, but -were obdurate. One was brilied olf l)y
the promise of double wages, but the other two continued their work. They wore linally taken
prisoners and sent otf to Sitka by the lirst schooner that touched at the island. With them were
returned the men brought from Sitka, who were found to be unsuited for the work. When the
cajitain of tlu' schooner whose men wore interfered >.ith arrived in the fall for his cargo of skins he
was pacified by being allowed to take the results of one big drive made by the natives for his bouefit-

THE WORK OF SEALING.

Tho work of sealing was carried out by the natives under the direction of their chief. Repre-
sentatives of tho different companies did not c<mcern themselves with the work of driving or killing.
They simply jiaid the natives so much per skin — 30 to 35 cents — payment being made in trade goods.
The natives evidently followed the traditions of earlier days in their work. They seemed very jealous
and careful of tho seals, avoiding any disturbance of the breeding grounds. Their objec'tion to the
methods of killing on East rookery was based upon the ground that if the females were killed there
w<mld be no seals in tho years to come. It is my belief that not a single female wax killed on St.
George Island during the season, except by the three men above mentioned. Occasionally a female
was included in the drive, but it was quickly detected by tho natives and released.

Most of tho seals killed were taken from North rookery and Zapadni. No drives were made from
Staraya Artel. Only occasional drives wore made from East rookery. All the animals were killed on
the ground below the village.

METHODS OF DRIVING.

The method of driving was to gather up the pods of bachelors from the dift'erent hauling grounds
and drive them back from the rookeries, dividing them into pods of 150 to 250, and bringing them
thus into the village. As tho pods were being formed and driven in, tho small and large soiils
unsuited for killing were worked out and released. Each man knocked down his own allowance of
seals and skinned them afterwards. Sixty was considered the usual day's work for a man. Practi-
cally all the seals driven up were killed. Not more than one seal in ten was reiecte<l. The rule of tho
companies was that skins too small, too large, or cut would not be aecei)led or paid for. The
sealers were therefore very careful in the work. A day's killing averaged from 800 to 1,8(K). There
wore about thirty available men among the natives.

Of the conditions on St. Paul I hoard only indirectly through the representatives of Williams
& Haven, who in their work were evidently directed by instructions from the head station on St.
Paul, where the same methods were probably employed. The Williams A Haven and Hutchinson,
Kohl & Co.'s interests were supreme on St. Paul Island, and they divided the rookeries between them.

To the best of my recidlection 115,(XX) were taken on St. George and 250,000 on St. Paul during
the season. Prior to this season it was understood that for several years no seals had been killed. In
186it no skins were taken, except a few from seals killed for Ibod for the natives. The privilege of
taking these skins was given to Hutchinson, Kohl &. Co., who. owning the principal salt bouses and
stores on tho islands, wore allowed to visit them to care for their property. Parrolt & Co. sent a
schooner to St. George to take off the skins which had been loft over, but they took no new skins.

RUSSIAN METHODS.

The testimony of Mr. Howes, corroborating tbe evidence of Professor Dall, is
valuable for a doable purpose. It gives us an idea of the ilnal metliods of handling

THK FUR SKALS Ol' TIIK PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

tlie seals wliicli tlio Itiissiiiiis liad evolved. It is evident tiiat in these operations of
liS(i8 tlie natives were eanying out rules and metliuds which had become traditional
with them. One of these rules, as we learn from instructions to the olUcer in tdiarjic
of th«' islands in the year 18"),'], was the strict protection of females.*

THE KILLING NOT INDISCRIMINATE.

We are alsojustilled in assuming' that the killing as jnacticed in ISfiS did not in
any way injure the herd, being confined as heretofore to the killing of the bachelors.
That so large a number were killed is in part accounted for by reduction in killing
in the years immediately prior to the transfer of the islands to the United States. A
surplus of the larger animals thus saved remained to be gathered in. It is further
evident that the killing extended down to the younger seals, doubtless including all
or most of the two-year-olds. This latter fact is given support by the absence of any
regulai' killing for tlie year 18C9 and the small (piota of li.'J,000 only which was taken
in 1870. We are not aware that the usual number of seals could not have been
obtained in these years, but it may well have been that the (juota for 18(5!> and 1870
had been anticipated to large extent in the year 1808. This mucili, however, remains
certain, that the absence of large killings in 1809 and 1870 removed any jjossible
injury which might have resulted to the herd from the too close killing of bachelors in
1808, and the fact that for fifteen years subsequent to 1870, 100,000 and more males
were to be obtained on the hauling grounds of the islands shows conclusively that not
only were the breeding females not disturbed in 1808, but furthermore that the supply
of male life was not so reduced as in any way to affect the life of the herd.

AMERICAN MANAGEMENT.

In the spring of 1809 Dr. II. 11. Mclntyre, the representai /e of the United States
(lovernnient, landed upon the island, establishing the authority of the Governnjent,
and taking the necessary steps lor the protection of the rookeries.

The period of lawlessness which marked the season of 1808 was thus terminated
in 1809 by Dr. Afclntyre. He was aitpointcd in 1808 and endeavored to reach his
destination in the fall of that year, but on account of the lateness of the season he
was forced to winter at Sitka.

THE ALASKA COMMERCIAL COMPANY.

In the meantime the (rovernment had under consideration the most advantageous
method of managing its fur seal industry. After a thorough consideration of all
recommendations and suggestions bearing upon the matter, it was decided to lease
the islands to a single reliable company under the immediate supervision and control
of agents of the Treasury I)e})artnient, duly commissioned for that purpose. In
accordance with this decision in July, 1870, Congress passed an act authorizing this
course of procedure, and immediately afterwards the Secretary of the Treasury
advertised for bids for the lease of the seal fisheries for a period of twenty years.

Of the numerous offers received from various companies and associations, that of
the Alaska Commercial Company, with a capital of $2,000,000, was accejited as the
one most likely to promote the "interests of the Government, the native inhabitants,
the parties heretofore engaged in the trade, and the protection of the seal llsheries."

Appemli.K t(i Case of U. S., Fur Seal Arb., Letter \o. 23, p. 82.

LEASES OK THE FUIt SEAL ISLANDS.

21)

THE FIRST LEASE.

Under llie terms of tlii.s lease tlie compiuiy were f-iveii tlie riglit to take 1(K),(HM)
male seals over «me year of age duriiiff tlie months (»f June, .luly, September, and
October of each year. In 1874, by act of Congress, the number of seals to be taken
and the time of sealinj;' was made subje(;t to the control of ollicers of the Treasnry
l)ei)artment, and killing after August 1 was linuted to the necessities of the food supply
of the natives. The use of tirearnis or of other methods of killing, tending to diive
the seals away, was prohibited, as was also the killing of the aninuilK in the water.

In (ionsideration for the skins so taken the lessees agreed to pay to the Treasury
of the United States an annual rental of $")5,()00 lor the islands, and a revenue tax of
$2.G2jl on each skin taken and shii)ped by them. In addition they were to furnish
free of charge to the inhabitants of the islands each year '2'»,(H){) dried salmon, 60 cords
of lirewood, and a snilicient quantity of salt and preserved uu'ats. The company was
also to nniintaiu a school on each island for at least eight months of the year, and
were forbidden to sell any distilled sjiirits or si)irituous ]i(|uor8.

THE NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL COMPANY.

Under the provisions of this lease the alfairs of the islands were ionduijted until
the close of the season of l.SS'.t, when it exi)ircd. The Treasury Department again
advertised for bids and again leased the islands for a term of twenty years to a new
company, the North American Commercial Company, their ottV-r having been accepted
as most advantageous to the (lovernment.

THE PRESENT LEASE.

The new lease differs from the old to the advantage of the Covernment in Iho
following points: Tlie rental of the islands is tixed at *()(>,0U0. The tax of each skin
is .'!*9.()2A. Eighty tons of coal are furni.shed the natives. The (piantity of salmon,
salt, sind other provisions to be furnished can be tixed by the Secretary of the
Treasury. The company furnishes free dwellings, churches, physicians, niedicMiies,
employnuMit to the natives, and cares for the aged, the widows, and the orjthans.
The quota was (ixed at «i(),<K)0 for the first year, and has since been subject to the
regulation of the Secretary of the Treasury.

THE DECLINE IN THE BACHELOR HERD.

During the closing years of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company a
market.' decrease in the fur seal herd had begun to be noted. In the opening year of
the new com[»auy*s lea.se the depleted (iondition of the herd became upparent in the
reduction to onetifth in the original ((uota of 1(K),()0() skins. N'arious fa(!tors entered
into this decline, which it is not necessary here to discuss fully. These, as well
as the original cause of decrease in the herd, were at best but imperfectly understood
at the time.

LAND AND SEA KILLING.

To make the matter clear in the briefest possible space, at this point it is nei-essaiy
to review .somewhat the history of the herd. Conjointly with the killing on land, as
practiced by the Russians and Americans, there had been going on from time imme
oumal killing of another sort now known as pelagic sealing. This was carried on at

THE Fl.'U SEAr.S OF TIIH I'KIIIILOF ISLANDS.

tirnt hy the IiuliaiiH otV the Northwest Coast, goiiiK out in their canoes to capture tlie
seals in the course of tlieir winter ini|;ration. The number of animals so taken was
at tlrst merely nominal, and it was not until about the year 1>S7!), when schooners were
first introduced to trans|>ort the canoes to tln'ir held of operations and care for them
there, that the industry hej^ao to make itself felt on the herd. The rise of pelagic
sealing theieafter was rapid, and in 1880 it was extended into Bering Sea. From
this time on the killing at sea steadily increased, and as the bulk of the catch was
composed <tf fcnniles tiie oi)erations of ])clagic sealing necessarily i)roduced an
injurious effect on the herd, which disclosed itself tirst in the diminished product of the
hauling grounds already noted.

THE EXTENSION OP SEALING TO BERING SEA

At the tirst (Mitry of sealing vessels into Jiering Sea the I'uited States acted on
the precedent established by Russia in the I'kascof 1821, seized a number of the
sealing vessels and conliscated them. I'elagic sealing being largely a Canadian
industry, this action at once started a controversy with Grea<^ Britain which extended
over the iieriod from 1880 to 1890. Meantime the injurious effect of the slaughter (»f
large numbers of females was more and more evident in the herd, until in 181)0 it became
alarming, the number of killable seals having decreased to one-fifth the usual number.

From tlie discussion of the seizures of Canadian vessels and the efforts of the
Tnited States to secure protection to its fur-seal herd, resulted a treaty, in the spring
of 1802, remanding the whole matter to the consideration of a tiibunal of arbitration
which should pass upon the legal questions inv<»lved, and if need be provide such
measures as were necessary for the proper protection and preservation of the herd.
As a basis for such action, provision was made for a thorough investigation of the
condition of the herd by a Joint commission of experts.

THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION.

This Tribunal of Arbitration met at Paris in the summer of 1803, and as a result
of its labors a set of regulations was formulated, the essential features of which
were the establishment of a closed zone of 00 miles in Bering Sea about the islands
and a closed season, from May 1 to August 1, within which all sealing was i)rohibited.

THE REGULATIONS.

During the pendency of the deliberations of the Tribunal, pelagic sealing was in
part suspended. The season of 189-t witnessed the first operations of the regulations,
and the resumption of pelagic sealing under them showed an increased catch over the
unrestricted killing of 1891. The United States became convinced at the close of the
first season that the regulations were inadequate. A protest was entered and Great
Britain was asked to consider their immediate revision. At the close of each subse-
(|uent season this protest and request were again renewed. Failing to obtain such
reconsideration the United States early in 1890 accepted the ])roposal of Great
Britain to prepare for a reexamination of the regulations at the end of the five-year
trial period, by subjecting the whole question to independent scientific investigation
on the part of the two Governments. The i)resent report is the outcome of this
investigation so far as the United States is concerned.

h
a
o

CII A I'TKK I I I.

THE HOME OF THE FUR SEALS.

A. THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.
TIIKIR OEOUUAIMIY.

The. little yroup of rouky islets known as the Pribilof Islands, from the name of
their discoverer, is situated in the I'>ering Sea, in latitude 57"^ north and lonj^itude
170'^ west. They are isolated from other land, the nearest point to the south beinji
Unalaska Island, at a distance of 214 miles. Capo Newenham, on the mainland of
Alaska, at a distance of 30!> miles, is the nearest point to the eastward, while 8t.
Matthew Island, -'20 miles away, is the first land to the northward.

The islands are of volcanic origin, and are live in numbei' — St. Paul, St. George,
Otter, Walrus, an<l Sivutch Hock. The first two only are of importan(;e. The last
three are small islets lyin^' about St. Paul Islaml and within about 7 miles of its
shores. The main islands are separated by about 40 statute miles of water.

ST. I'AUL ISLAND.

St. Paul, the larj^est island, lies in latitude 57° 07' north and longitude 170'^ 17'
west.* It has an extreme length from northeast to southwest <»f 1,'iA miles. Its
maximum width is 7i| miles. It has a shore line of about 4r>i miles and an area
of 4.'J s(|uare miles. The surface of the island is in the main low. Itocky plateaus
alternate with low valleys, son>e of which contain ])ouds of fresh water. One of
these covers a space upward of 2 miles in length by half a mile in width, but is very
shallow. It is shut in by sand duues, and lies along the narrow neck which Joins
the rocky headland called Northeast Point with the main body of the island. In the
southeast end of the island is a salt-water lagoon, covering some 100 acres in extent,
and connected with the sea by a narrow channel some 75 to 100 feet in width. The
average elevation of the upland areas is not more than 150 feet, but a number of cinder
cones and volcanic craters rise to varying heights in the interior portion of the island.
Bogoslof attains* an elevation of 590 feet, but Rush Hill on the west shore is the
highest, 005 feet. A number of shallow bays indent the coast line, bordered by long
stretches of sandy beach, behind which are areas of shifting sand dunes; but for the
most part the shores are bowlder-strewn and rugged, rising in sheer clifls at the
headlands.

ST. GEOR(tE ISLAND.

St. George lies to the southeast of St. Paul at a distance of about 40 miles, in
latitude 50° 36' north and longitude 109° 32' west.* It has a total length of 12 miles
and a width of 4.^ miles. The area is about 35.9 square miles, and it has a coast line
of 30 miles. The central portion of the island is composed of an elevated ridge
containing one peak over 900 feet in height. The general altitude of the island

"Latitiulu and lougitudu of tiie villaj;o.

THE FUR SEALS OK THE I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

IH about thruu times ii.s great as that of iSt. I'aul. Tliu coant line is tor tiiu most part
a succossion of Htecp, rocky (jlitt'a, l»reai{iiig at Intervals into sliort stretclies of rocky
slope. High Hlutf, on tlie north shore, with an elevation of over 1,000 feet beiut; tiie
highest. The ])erpen(licular clift's and crevh-es among the bowlders in the upland
portions of the island are the homes of innumerable sea birds. There are practi(;ally
n«> sand beaches on the island, and the shore space available for rookery purjwses is
limited. By blasting ort' the clitls it might, however, be greatly extended.

OTTKK ISLAM).

Otter Island is situated on the south of 8t. I'aul Island and about ti nules distant
from it. It is said tut be the only island of the group which shows evidence of recent
volcanic a<'tion. Itsareais very small, being le.is than llfi acres in extent. Its shores
are for the most part inaccessible. At the western end a cinder cone rises in a grassy
slope to the luMght of .{OO feet and drops off in a sheer clitf ou the seaward side. At
the eastern end is the i)it of a crater, connected by a subterranean i)as8ageway with
the shore. On the northern face the surface of the island .slojtes down into a low,
rocky beach of limited extent, the only one on the island.

WALlirS ISLAND.

Walrus Island lies about 7 miles to the east of St. Paul. It is a nariow ledge of
lava rock about half a mile in length. It reaches no degree of elevation, and in
stormy weather the breakers wash over it. It is the home of countless numbers of
sea birds and was formerly freciuented by walru.ses. Sea lions occasionally land there.

SlVUn.'H ROCK.

Sivutch Hock is a little crescent-.shaped ro«;ky islet about a third of a mile oH'tlie
southern shon; of St. I'aul. Its area is insignificant, but the i.sland attains some
degree of importance through the presence of a snmll fur-seal rookery, which fills its
available space.

NO (iOOD HAKItORS.

Tliere are no harbors of any kind about the islands of the Pribilof group. The
bays are small and very shallow. In calm weather, however, there is anchorage for
small vessels at various points. In stormy weather it is impossible to load or unload
vessels of any kind with safety. Dangerous reefs are found about both islands, and
navigation in their viciuity is subject to many risks.

THE CLIMATE.

The climate of the Pribilof Islands in summer is damp and chilly. Dense fogs
almost constantly envelop them, rain falls freciuently, and the sun is seldom seen.
The summer temperature ranges between 40'^ and 4.5'^ F., reaching its highest point in
August. During June, .luly, and August but few clear days occur. In September
the cold winds sweep away the moisture from the atmosphere and bright days become
more numerous. On a clear day the islands are extremely pictures«|ue. Toward the
end of October the storms become more violent, and iu November winter begins, the
change of season being very rapid.

I.IKE (»N THE rUlltlLOF 18hAN')i4.

nuriiig tho winter imu'h snow fiillH, but it is swept away l»y llie iii|;ii winds wliicli
prevail tiirciKlioiit the season. The winter tcinperiiture ranges IVoni --^ to '_'»} K.
Tile waters about the inlands do not freeze, but towaril the end of tiie winter tlie drill
ice from tlie north fl' tts down aiul incloses the islands, piling hi^'h upon the Ixsutlies
and in the bays > uler the action of the surf. It remains packed about the islands
until about the ist uf May, when it gradually disappears under the ap[)roaching
(change of season.

VKOKTATION.

The surface of the elevated portions of both islands is in sunnner elotiied with
moss and grasses, in which are surprising numbers of showy wild flowers. Conspic-
uous among them are the Iceland poppy, monkshood, species of lupine, betoiiy,
chrysanthenuun, seuecio,* saxifrage, harebell, aiul many others. The lower parts
of the islands are covered with a soil of black lava saiul, in which tiourishes a coars(>,
rank, useless grass — the wihl rye grass (fc7//»J»<s moUin). Mingled with it is the coarse
pntvhkh a spc(!ies of ArclKdujdica, used by the Aleuts as a s[tice. The abandoned
hauling grounds of the fur seals are rapidly invaded by two species of slen<ler,
light green grasses, (iUjirrhi ungitHtata and Desvhtiiiipnia cwspitimt, known as "seal
grass." These contrast sharply with the coarse, dark-green rye grass and a luxuriant
species of wormwood, neither of which grow on land where seals have regularly
hauled. About the rookeries themselves the movements of the animals virtually
destroy all vegetation. There are no trees or shrubs. A small, dwarfish willow and
a species of crowberry are the only approach to them that are to be found.

TIIK MAMMALS.

The principal mammals of the I'ribilof Islands are the fur seals, which have
their breeding grounds on the rocky beaches of St. Paul and St. (leorge islands. At
certain points on the islands are .sea lion rookeries, and numbers of the animals are
at all times to be seen lying about among the fur seals. A snudler number of hair-seals
also frequent points about St. Paul Island. Formerly sea otters and walruses were
not uncommon, but they are now practically extinct. The blue fox is common to
both islands, aiul mingled with the blue foxes are a limited number of white ones.
Lemmings are found on St. (reorge and shrews on both islands.

THE UIBDS.

Myriads of sea birds breed on the rocky cliffs of St. George Island. Among these
are the cormorants, niurres, and chutchkis, sea parrots and gulls. Walrus Island
is literally covered with these birds in the nesting season. Their eggs are gathered
by the natives in boat h>ads in the spring. About the little poiuls in the interior
of the islands sandpipers abound. Phalaropes are luimerous in the summer. Teal
and mallard ducks are found in the fall, (leese in limited numbers alight on St. Paul
to feed on the berries near north shore. White owls have been found on both islands.

INHAUITANTS.

At the time of the discovery of the Pribilof Islands, in 1786, they were uninhab-
ited. In order to obtain laborers to handle the seals, natives were brought over from
15184 3

:{i

rilK Flit SKAI-S OK TIIK rUIHILOF IHLANDS.

tli(* Alt'iitiiiii Isliiiids, and tliu IIi'h^ colony was cstiiblislicd on St. (iiMti-K** l.slan<l, near
kStiirayu Artel rook*>ry, so nilloii IVoin this t'a«'t, tiiti nanio meaning "old ^oild" or
association. OtiuM- viliaf^tts \v(>n! at'tofwai'ds establiHJiud on this island at Zapadni and
at (iardcii ('ove.

In tliu coiirst^ of tiniu nii>n woi-u carried in similar nninner to St. I'aiil Island, the
Aleutian settlements at (Inalaska and Atka bein^ ebiolly drawn iiiion. The first
settlement on St. I'anI was established at tlio foot of the hujio. shallow IMishalke Lake
at the northern end of thu island. Later .scttlunicnts were hutatud at INdovina and at
Zapadni of St. I'aiil.

(JONDrriONS IN ttl^SSlAN DAYS.

When, in I71M), the Itnssian-Amorican Coin]>any came into control of the islands,
the various settlements on St. Paul were grouped into one at Polovina. Afterwards
they were Irarisferred to the present location of the vilhijiji', in order to be near the
most advantageous hmdiiii; places, in like nuinner, the villages at (larden (<ove,
Zapiidni, ami Staraya Artel were gradually broken up and the inhabitants {jronped
on the present site of the village of St. (leorge, on the northern face of the island.

Of the condition of the Aleuts in these early days of Uussian control Mr. Klliott
says:

'I'lioy went mere sliives, without the Bli((htoat redress from tiny iiiHolcnnt or in.jiirioN wliicli their
iniiHlcrM nii^ht seo lit in iH<tiiliiiice or hnitul or^rit^s to inllict niion thnin. Iloro they liv(til and diiid,
iiniioticoil iiiid iinciinMl for, in hir^u biirracoons, hiilf uudefKroiind and dirt roofoil, cold and lilthy.

This is probably not an extreme jucture of the condition of the natives in l{n.ssian
times. The Aleuts ;it the i»resent time look back to tiiese as their halcyon days; but
this feelinjx may «'\ist as tlu^ memory of indulgences which they are forbidden now.
It is certain that but little thought or care was bestowed ni)on them by their Kussian
niauiigers beyond seeing that they did the required work.

CONDITIONS UNDKU AMKUICAN CONTHOL.

lender Amerii'iin (iontrol matters (dianged. The Alaska Commercial Company
early in the ])eriod of its lease erected suitable frame cottages, furnished with the
substantial comforts of life, which took the place of the cheerless and insanitary sod
houses, oi barrabaras. A physician with the necessary medical supplies was stationed
on each island to care for the wants of the people. Churches were erected and pre-
sided over by priests of the Russian-dreek faith. Schools in which the lOnglish
branches are taught were established. Wood and coal took the place of the filthy
seal-blubber and driftwood fuel. The former exrliisive diet of seal meat was supple-
mented by many of the stai)les and even luxuries of civilized living.

TUK HANl)LlN(r Ol' T'KR .-fKALS.

All the work of driving, slaughtering, and skinning the seals, as well as the curing
of the skins, is done by the Aleuts under the direction of the agents of the lessees.
They are paid by the lessees for this labor at so much per skin. Under the old lease
this was 40 cents, and for the 100,000 skins regularly taken this gave a fund of
$40,000 for the support of a total population of between 400 and 450, of both sexes
and all ages. At the present time the price is 50 cents a skin, but the number
of skins taken has greatly decreased.

THE ALEUT PKOPLB.

Tliti iiiiniiii^rsut' tlic natives iiru treated uh a coiiiiniiiiity fiiiul, wliicli is distribiitt'il
to tlie workers in several classes, aceontiiifj; to tlieir skill or experifiice. The aiiioiiiit
due to eat'li I'amily is credihd (o Iheiii on tlie hooks of the lessees and is drawn npoii
by them through the island stoio as it is needed.

rilK SIIIM'OBT (IK TIIK, AM'.I'TS.

When, ill ISttO, the <|U(ita of seal skins fell to about ono-llfth its former number, and
when it was still further reduced under the modus vivendi of l.S!»l-18i»;{, the income
of the Aleuts became so H:reatly reduced as to l»o inadc(|uate to meet their wants. To
cover the dellciency the (iovernmeiit has each year since that tinie appropriated an
atlditional sum of money for their support. The liberal, not to say prodigal, character
of this allowance can be judged by the fact that for the season of 1800 these peojde
exhausted, in addition to their eaniinjrs, of about |10,(»00, fronj the taking of seal and
fox skins, the full (congressional a]>propriation of i!*19,r)0(>. They pay nothing for rent,
taxes, or for medical attendance, and during the greater part of the year their meat
is free. There are few laboring communities whose peojtle can boast of such generous
conditions of su|>port.

The original colony of Aleuts transported to the islands numbered, according to
Mr. lilliott, l.'iT souls. To these additions were made from time to time. In 1871
Captain Hryant tells us that the i^opulatiou of the two islands numbered •12(» persons,
of both seres and all ages. No new accessions have been made lately, and the
])opuhiti(>ii has dwindled to slightly less than 3(M> at the present time.

The Aleuts are a gentle and tractable class of jieople. They are courteous in
their manners and unusually skillful in their work. They have the usiuil aboriginal
weaknesses for rum and the vices of civili/.ation, but as a result of the isolated
position of the islands, and the strict control which the (Jovernnient is able, through
its oHicers, to exercise over them, the [teoide of St. Paul and St. (ieorgo are a
respectable and orderly class.

THE GOVEUNMKNT ACKNTS.

The interests of the (rovernmcnt on the islands are in charge of agents of the
Treasury Department, who sui)ervise the work of the natives, look after their wants,
and enforce the authority of the (iovernment. The natives are allowed, in largo
measure, nominally to govern themselves. They hsvve a head chief and second chief,
who deal directly with the people, and are in turn dealt with by the Government
agents. The relations of the people with one another are contr(dle<l by a council of
the wise men, chosen, like the chiefs, by the |»eople themselves.

On the whole, the lot of the Aleut on the Pribilof Islands is an unusually favored
one. Ho works but a few months in the summer and is liberally fed and clothed by
the Government. If the seal herd is again restored to its former capacity, he may in
time even become wealthy. Tlie chief social drawback in his relations lies in the want
of consecutive work. The lack of anything to do through the long winter induces
laziness and gambling. Kven useless work if continuous would be a real boon to the
Aleut.

Mi TlIK KUK SKALS OK THK I'UIIMLOF ISLANDS.

B. THE FUR-SEAL ROOKERIES.

THE IlllKKDINti flUOlNDS.

Wlion'vtT tluMCi is a rocky luiadi of sonic bicaiUli or a slopiiijif rocky liill on llic
l*-i!»ilol' Islands tlic (ur soals liave located tlicir brccdiiif;- {jronnds. or "rookeries.'' as
tiicy arc called. Tiic best type of rookery jirroiind is a moderate slo]»e covered with
coarse rocks and descendinjj to a beach of siiiii;r|(> oj- ntiinded bowlders. On these
beaches llieir {jrejiarious habits cause the animals to crowd tofjether in dose set
masses. The limits of the rookeries are defined by abrupt clill's or headlands, which
entofVthe beadu's, by inaccessible cliffs that rise in the rear and by interveninj; santl
beaches. They .-.eldom extend far ba(;k from the sea under any condition, as access
to the wafer is an essential feature.

THE lIAULIN(i (iK(»UM)S.

Adjoiniiif; the breediufj grounds and an essential part of each rookery are what
ar»' known as the "haulinjj {i;ronnds" of the ba(!helors, freipiented l)y \\'.^ youiif? males
of the a^es of") years and under, these classes beinjf strictly excluded from the breed-
iiij:; jjrounds. These hauliufj grounds are usually located on sandy beaches bfuiMing
t lie breed in, !>• grounds or on the flat "parade" grouiuls above and in the rear of the
harems. In most cases the bachelors are forced to encircle the end of the breeding
grounds to reach their locations in tlio rear, but in sonu> cases neutral 8trii)s or run-
ways are left atmmg the iiarema through which the bachelors haul out unmolested.
Not iiilre(iuently the bachelors seek to use runways wliidi are not recognized as
luMitral.and they are summarily thrown cut by the harem uiask'rs. This leads to
confusion ami figliting among the bulls, and the conse(pu'nt tlestruction of females
and young pui)s. In many cases the hauling groumls are at a considerable distance
from the breeding grounds, but even where tiu'y are located immediately in the rear
of the liarems. a buffer of idle or reserve bulls keeps tlu'in at a safe distance. The
young nmles have a wliolesoi.ie and well defined fear of the bulls, which experience
ami)ly justifies.

In tlie present deplctetl condition of the fur-seal herd much ground once oceui)ied
has been abandoiu'd. The tendency of the animals, in obedience to their gregarious
instincts, is i) crowd togetiuM". and as their numbers decrease the rookeries shrink
u]). With t'lie restoration of the herd these abandoned grounds will und(ml)tedly be
reoccujued. It is probable that the occupation of absolutely new ground could only
result from an overcrowded condition of t!ie rookeries. Not all the available si)ace on
tiie islands was ever occupied even in the time of greatest expansion, as tliere are
long stretches of suitable beach line on which seals Imvc never been ki.own to breed.

THE ST. I'AIM, KOOKEKIKS.

The following is a brief description of the itreeding rookeries of St. Paul Island,
beginning at Northwest Point :

/. \'i>si<K'lnii* (rustcni). — This rookery lies on tiie northern face of the i)eninsala of
Northeast Point. It extends from tlie vicinity of Cross Hill, nt the termination of the

*Tlio(lift(>ri'iit I'lir s.'al rnoUerii's liavc for tlic most ,);iit iflttiiied tlu-iv ])ictiiresi|iu' I{iis,si.aii iiiiir..'s.
It is vrry ilcsiiiilili' th;it they dlioiilcl coiiHimi' ti> «li> so, iiiiil it woiilil bo ii)i|)roiiriiilt' if Uiissiiiii oi|uiva-
Iciits wore siilistitiitod for tli«! lew I'.Uitiish iiiimos wliicli liavi" coiiin into use. In tlic Npcllinj; o( tfio
Hiissiiin naiui'8 ^^t■ Iiavo followed tin; prosont avceptrd muthods of trutulitcrivtioii midiT tlio advice of

rirK UOOKEUIF.S OF ST. I'Al'L.

jjreiil sand bcadi known ns "Xortli Slioro," to tlio. tip of tlic point itself. It occnpios
for tilt' most jiart IkmicIuw of coarse, howlders, witii occasional ontcro|>pinj;s of liiirciiis
on tlic tiat jjjmund above. The lino of liarenis is freipiently broken by short siretclms
of sand lieai'li, wiiicli are used by the baciielors as runways to reacii (heir haidinf^
urouiids. On the seaward slope of Mutch 'ison Hill, whieli forms the hif^hesl part of
the jjcninsula, the rookery becomes greatly widened and closely massed. Late in the
seas<Hi harems were even foiiiul at the summit of the hill.

Krom this point to the end of tln^ rookery the harems scatter alon;; the bowlder
beach in a narrow bainl. About midway to the end is a small sea lion rookery. At
the eastern angle of Hutchinson Hill ami on the sand beach behind Cross Hill are the
most important haulin}; grounds of the rookery, though at the jnesent time, owing t()
the numerous breaks in the lines of breeding seals, small pods of bachehns are to be
found at a large number of otinu' places.

','. Mi)>jori (of the. imlnis). — The line of division between this and the preceding
rookery is a purely arbitrary one. At the point there is a (!oiisiderable break in the
line of harems and behind is a small hauling ground. The harems resume and follow
along the bowlder beach as before for a short distance. Tlien a break occuis, with a
runway for the bachelors and another sea-lion rookery. Heyond this is the juintipal
]>orti(m of the rookery. It consists of a large body of harems closely nnissed and lying
back on the Hat at the angle of the sand beach at VValins, Hight. ISehind and to the
west of this mass is the great hauling ground of Morjovi rookery. Beyond the sand
beach scattering groups of harems occur on tlie sides of a long, narrow, tongue of land
Jut ting. 'Ut to (he eastward, called Sea Lion Neck. Another sand beach intervenes, and
the rookery ends in a considerable mass of harems gr(iui)cd about a rocky point nearly
opposite Webster Lake, on the eastern side of tint peninsula. An nnimportaiit hauling
gnmnd lies at the extreme cud of the rookery.

Vostoclini and Moijovi combined furnish the greatest continuous I'l leal rookery
on the two islands. Along their .'! miles of coast line are upward of l(H),(t(l(( fur seals
of all classes, about onelburth of the total number on the I'ribilof Islands, h'rom
the summit of Hutchinson Hill a bird's eye view of the two rookeries can be had, and
the sight is a most impressive one. A greater number of fur seals (or tor that matter
any other animals) is to be seen here than for any other ]toiiit in the world.

.7. I'olorina (hdlfwinf). — This rookery, as its name indicates, is located halfway
between Northeast Point and the village. The main part of the rookeiy lies massed
upon the beach and the Hat above the elitVs that rise fnuu the h»w re«'f of I'olovina
I'oint and shade down with a gentle slope to the great sand beachwhii'h stret(;lies
away - miles i>r iiKne to Stony Point. At tlm aisgle (if the sand beach the bachelors
make their way to the hauling ground in the rear of the massed portion of the rookery.

It i'oiii)iotuiit UuhHi:iii scliolar, Mr. Aliv's \. KmIijiio. lilinirlaii ol' Mii< I'liiviTHity <il' liiiliniwi. .Mik^Ii
ctiiil'iiHion ill the rci'iinlH Iimh itriscn HiriiUKli iIk' I'lirriMit iiKr cit' ii KiiHsi.iii and KiikIi^Ii iiaiin' for tli(t
sniiio |ilai'i', as i'cir oxiiiiipK', /ai>.'iilni anil Siiiitliwost May, Foloviiia and llalt'vvay I'liiiit. Wo liavo in
oarli caso trii d to Nidurt llru nioHt Hiiilaldc naiiio lor llio piirposc, nnd it is In Im> liopi'd Unit in Mie
l'iit.iu'o afjontcandolhorsroiicoriiod will cunform totlio iisiini' lirro ailoplcd. \Vr liavo {fivrn a Hcparato
liaiiio ti^ onidi of tlio llirro parts of what Inm beiMi {{I'ln-rally kiinwii as /.apailni. 'I'lio grual ;'(ioUcry
lyins; alioul tin' Hhorrs of N'ortlicast I'oint has Immmi dividi-d lor roiivriiiciMi' at tin- lip of tin- point.
It has lioen tlimiglil licst. hiiciiimr <d" tlio iniportaiiro it liaw olilaini'd throii^li tlio trrc|nrnt olisiMvatioim
iinidi* upon it dnriiii; tliis invi-stiKation, to ilesignato ao Ardi^iii-ii rookery, a snnill dctarlii'd liruudiiig
aicu oil lit'i'l'|iuiiiiiHiilii.

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Above Polovina Point extend gteep dirts with a narrow bciicli of shingle, along
whicli harems are 8(!attered in detached groups. Occasional breaks or runways in
the cliff wall give access to the flat ground above, and at one or two points the harems
overflow on the level. At the last break iu the cliff is a large hauling ground.
Tiie cliif tiieu doses in, and for a half mile leaves no room for the seals to lie. Again,
as at the southern end, the> cliff' shades off" in a gradual slope to the sand beach, whicii
continues to the northward as far as Northeast Point. On this northern rocky slope
of tlie clitt' is situated the small but picturesque rookery of Little Polovina, in reality
an overflow of tiie greater rookery. The Polovina rookeries have a population of
about 2(»,0()(> seals of all classes.

■J. LuhtmH [name of an eayly seal hunter). — From Stony Point to the southward is
the great sand beacli of Lukanin. At its end rises the rocky slope of Lukanin Hill,
alon<^ viUich the rookery of the same name lies. At the northern end is the hauling
ground of the rookery. It is a favorite resort for the very young bachelors, a greater
jn'oportion being found here than on any other rookery. Part of the breeding ground
lies at the foot of clitts, which are easy of approach, and as the rookery is near to the
village it has been made the subject of (;lose study by numerous observers.

5. Kitov'i [ofihe whale), — This rookery is merely a continuation of Lukanin, from
which it is sep.arated by the purely arbitrary boundary of Lukanin Point. The
rookery lies along bold rocks, basaltic columns, and slopes of cinder and lava. I*
is an ideal rookery ground, as the slight mortality of pupn indicates, only about 10!)
dead pups being found in 18% in a total of 0,049. The hauling ground of this
rookery is unimportant, probably because the bachelors haul out with those from
iiUkanin. The few which haul out at Kitovi proper are Ibund at the southern end of
the rookery, back of Kitovi 15ay. Kitovi and Lukanin are in reality one great
rookery. They repiesent a total population of about 2."),000 seals.

II. h'erf ( Russian, rifovoye). — At tiie southern end of St. Paul Island another long
narrow neck of land Juts out, known as Kecf peninsula. On the southern shore of this
]>eninsula is the great breeding ground known as lieef rookery. The harems lie along
the irregular beach for a distance of nearly a mile, in the <'entral portion the seals
extend back in long, wedge shaped masses for a ( onsiderable distance over the gentle
slope strewn with large bowlders.

In the rear of tiie central portion of this rookery is the great hauling ground,

which lies in a hollow between two rocky ridges. Connecting this hauling ground with

the sea are four runways, whicli divide the rookery into iive large masses. In two of

I! 'se runways occur ponds of water, which All by the surf in the winter and become

r :il< cribably foul in summer, as the bachelors wallow through them.

Keef rookery is one of the hugest on the islands. It is separated from its fellow
^♦lorbatch) on the other side of the peninsula by a broad Hat upland, known as the
"liarade gnnind." This parade ground occupies the highest part of the jieninsula.
It extends back from the perpendicular dirt's at the westward end in a long easy slojie
to the eastward, where it falls to the water's edge at the beginning of the rookery.

This space was a favorite playground for the bachelors of the two rookeries in the
jialmy days, and the wandering bands of seals kept its surface bare. A few bachelors
still haul across it, but for the uu)st i)art it is to-day overgrown with grass anil weeds.

7. Siruteli (sea lion) Rovk, — About a third of a mile off' siiore from lieef rookery
i8 u small crescent-sh»j)ed rocky islet. Its southern side is au abrupt cliff, but to the

THE ROOKERIES OV ST. PAUL.

3!>

north it .slopes back {gradually to the water. IMiis iio;therii slope and such other
points on its surface as are accessible, are occupied by a small rookory ot thieeor four
thousand seals. At either end of the islet is a hauling- ground. On ihe southernmost
one the returning bachelors are said to haul out first in the spring.

8ix miles farther off to the south lies the larger islet called Otter island. T!:i.s
is not a rookery proper, but contains a hauling ground, and is resorted to by bachelors,
])r()bably from the rookeries of Reef peninsula. A few seals still haul there, and
(luring the season of 18!)G a single liaren) of live cows with their pups was found
among them. This is the first record of breeding seals having occupied Otter Island.
><<> trace of the harem was found during the season of 18!t7. The hauling ground,
which lies on the northern face of the island, is one of considerable extent, and in
former times a large number of seals evidently occupied it. About -00 were found
there at the time of our visit in 18()(!, and upward of a thousand in 1S'J7.

8. Ardit/iirn (piic of .stones), — On the western edge of Jieef peniusida, and just
north of the ultimate point, is an isolated cioncave rocky slope and beach overlooked
by high i)anii>et-lik(' clitt's, above the genenil level of Ueef rookery, to the sniface of
which the breeding ground ascends at one point in a "slide." The rocky beach, the
slide, and, in 189(», a part of the flat above were filled with harems. Other harems
extended along the narrow beach at the foot of the clitt', which everywhere rises sheer
from the western end of the peninsula. The wall-like rocks above the slide portion of
th(^ rookery make it possible to watch the seals at close range without disturbing them,
"^t is the best point on the island for the observation of rookery life. Almost daily
obscrvatiiMis. a record of which will be found in the Daily .Journal (I 'art 11), were made
upon it during the summer of 180G, and on this account it has been given a separate
name. It has heretofore been included in lieef rookery.

.9. (htrbtitvh {the Inimi)), — This picturesque rookery lies on the north shore of Reef
peninsula and faces Zoltoi Hay. The steep cliffs on the western end, iit (lorhatch
Point, break down in a long cinder sh)pe, which rises rather steeply from the
shingle beach to the parade ground above. Along the bowlder beach and the foot
of the slope the harems lie close together, extending back at one or two points in
wedge-shaped masses. On the flat rocks at the point nnirking the beginning of the
bay is a favorite sleeping place for a few sea lions, and near by is an isolated rock (tn
which a small group of hair seals are usually to be seen hauled out.

To the iu)rthward the cinder slope shades into a slope of smooth rock, and this is
succeeded in turn by a slope covered with great irregular bowlders. At the end <tf
this an abrupt dilV begins, and the rookery terminates in a long belt of harems on the
narrow beach at its foot. At the angle, where the clilf breaks down suddenly into
the sand beach of the bay, is the faruiuis hauling ground known as Zoltoi, (golden)
(more correctly spelled Zolotoi), I'rom its yellowish lava sands. This is the only
hauling ground for (lorbatch rookery, and in the days when the shores uf the Reef
r<»okery were p. eked with harems it was practically the only hauling gnnind for the
two rookeries. Across the neck of the peninsula, which is here very narrow, is a small
<!(»ve like beach frecpiented by biuihelors, probably from th»^ Reef rookery.

The nearness of Zoltoi to the village (about one fourth of a mile away) has brought
its herds under constant inspection. The earliest and latest drives are always made
from this point.

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS.

Keel" iind (iorbiitch rookeries are in reality one great breeding ground. They
r('i)resent a total iK)i)ulatiou, including Ardignen and Sivutch Hock, of about 70,(M)0
seals.

10. Spilki (thf points). — This is the abandoned rookery Kitace, which formerly
occupied the slope and beach of the hill back of the village of St. I'aul. The
ground was occupied until about ten years ago as a rooker'-, when it was gradually
abandoned.

//. Liujonn, — This rookery is separated from the site of Spilki by a short stretch
of sand beach and the narrow channel connecting the sail lagoon with the village
t'ove. it is situated on a long reef of coarse bowlders, which has been gradually
pushed up by the ice until it iias almost completely shut ol!' the lagoon from the sea.
The rookery is a small one, having a population of only about G,()00 seals. There is
a small hauling ground on the rear or lagoon side of the reef, but no drives are nnule
from it.

lii. Tohtoi {thick). — From the angle of. the reef on which Lagoon rookery is located
the dill's rise abruptly, leaving but little beach. At the bold point of Tolstoi Mys
or headland the rookery of s s ' tir • begins, extending along the southern curve of
English l>ay to the great san( 'i at its foot. For a considerable distance the

harems lie on the narrow beach i ho foot of steep clift's. About the middle of the
rookery the clifts break down in a long concave sloi)e strewn with angular bowlders.
Hack of this are sand dunes, and the wash from them has produced at the loot of
the slope a broad sand flat, just above the bowlder beach.

This sand tract of Tolstoi has a denser population than is to be found on any other
rookery groui\d on the island. In the height of the season the crowded area is the
scene of constant ligntiug among the bulls because of the crowding of the harems.
The breeding mass extends i)art way up the slope, and in the latt-r pf;it of the season
the seals move back from the sandy Hat, leaving it bare.

At the back of the slope among the sand dunes is a hauling ground for the
bachelors. To reach it they must encircle the end of the rookery. A more important
hauling ground is situated on the sand <»f Knglish Day, just beyond the rookery.
Halfway along the curve of the bay is another hauling ground, known as Middle Hill,
which is removed from any rookery ami is i)robably more or less common to all the
breeding gr<»unds about English liay.

On the whole Tolstoi is the most interesting of the rookeries, and oilers the
greatest diversity of conditions of life. It is also famous for the great mortajity
among the young pups born there. The view of the rookery from the sand dunes
to the eastward is exceedingly i)icturesque.

13. Zapiithii (ii'csterhi). — This rookery, begins at the rocky cliffs of Zapadni
headland ami extemls along the convex shore to the sand beach of Southwest ]>ay.
It occupies the usual bowlder beach and extends back along the gradually sloping
upland. The seals are in many jdaces massed in shallow depressions and gullies
which seam the rocky slo|»e. in these places, as on the sand Hat of Tolstoi, many
pups are killed. At dili'ureiit places in the course of the rookery are runways through
which the bachelors haul out to their grounds in the rear. The principal hauling
grouiul, however, is it the angle of the rookery with the sand beach of Southwest Bay.

11. Little Zapailii, — The sainl beiMih of Southwest Bay intervenes between this
rookery and Zapadni proper. It occupies a similar but smaller convex beach and

'I'HK KOOKEBIES OF ST. GEORGE.

liillslopc toward tlic east. The siuftice of this little rookery is iiigs:e(l iind broken in
the extreme, iiiiikiiiy it iiii iileal breeding yrouiid. At its (^astern end is tiie single
liiiuling ground, readied through tiie open space that lies between this and the
narrow breeding ground which occupies the reef beyond.

15. Z(ip<tdHi Hit/. — Tiiis rookery lies on a reef of bowlders similar to that occupied
by Lagoon rookery. The harems are grouped ill scattered patches along the narrow,
rocky beach. At the end of the reef is a large hauling ground which is also more or
less common to the younger bachelors from the three /a|)adni rookeries. Here the
sand beach of English ]Jay begins, which stretches around to Tolstoi rookery.

These three breeding grounds were originally one, but the decrease of the herd
has so separated them as to make it advisable to give them distinct names. Their
combined herd is next in size to that of Ueef Peninsula, having about ()0,0()0 seals of
all classes.

At a considerable distance above Zapadni headland is an isolatisd hauling ground
for the older bachelors and half bulls, known as Southwest Point, A few still haul
out there, and a hair-seal rookery is situated on an islet oftshore. The place probably
never contained a breeding rookery.

Id, Marunichen {personal name). — This is an abandoned rookery ground on North
Shore. It was never an imi)ortant rookery, and has long been deserted. The oldest
inhabitant of the village of St. Paul simply remendiers hearing it 8])oken of wlien he
was a boy. No cause was assigned for its abandonment. A herd of hair seals haul
out in the neighborhood of this old rookery.

THE .ST. OEOUGE ROOKERIES.

The rookeries of St. (leorge are live in number. They are smaller and leas
important than those of St. Paul, eontaining only about one-sixth of the total number
of seals on the two islands. On account of the rugged character of the coast line of
St. (leorge its rookery spa(!e is limited and the conditions less varied. Tiie harems lie
chietly along broken clilfs, on basaltic columns, and bowlder-strewn slopes. Fcmr of
the rookeries are grouped on the northern face of the island, while the fifth lies
isolated on the soutiiwestern corner. I!egiiiniiig with this last rookery, tiie following
is a hv'u'f account of the breeding gnmnds of St. George Island:

J. XajKulni (iCiHtcrly).— This rookery lies along the rocky beach of Zapadni JJay,
ascending the slope of the long hill where the harems are located on Hat benches of
rock. A part of the beach line lies at the foot of the dilf formed by the breaking off
of the hill. In the rear of the lower or beach portion is the hauling ground of the
rookery, reached by two breaks in the mass of breeding seals and extending inland
some distance.

i'. Ntaraija Artel {old ///(/W).— This is a very picturesque rookery, lying in a narrow
belt along the steep slope of a hill which breaks off. in an abrupt dilf on the seaward
side. The beacrh at the loot of the rookery is a limited one, and the lower havems are
situated on shelf-like, ioeky projections which gradually shade into the even surface of
the hill slope, on which the harems are closely massed. The hauling ground of the
rookery lies in the hollow formed by the inward sweei* of tiie hill. In the hollow is a
snuvU pond, once a lagoon, which the reef like beach has cut off. Over this beach the
bachelors haul out and lie on the bank of the pond.

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PKIBILOP I8LANDH.

3. North {Rimian, 8creni()ye).—T\m is the largest of the rookeries of St. George.
It is located iiboiit midway between Staraya Artel and the vilhige of St. George. The
rookery is the nearest one to tlie village, and therefore well adapted for observation.
It lies throughout the greater part of its length on the narrow beach at the foot of
perpendicular cliffs. Through occasional slides or breaks in the cliff wall the harems
draw back to the hill slope behind. The bachelors have runways at both ends of the
rookery a-iid occupy the flat ground above and behind the cliff's.

1. Little AV,s^— This is a rather small collectioa of harems located on the broken
slope formed by the breaking down of the cliffs, which from the village landing
eastward to this point rise perpendicularly. From this point the cliff curves inland
in a gradual slope, to appear again beyond east rookery at the eastern angle of the
island. The small hauling ground of the rookery is located at the eastern end. Little
East rookery resembles Little Poloviua rookery of St. Paul Island both in size and in
its relation to the larger rookery of which it is a branch.

-7. Emt.— From Little East rookery for a considerable distance to the eastward
the beach is low, and behind it lies a level plain covered with seal grass, and evidently
once hauled over by bachelors from both rookeries. East rookery begins in a long
line of scattering harems occupying the rocky beach. At the angle where the clifls
resume, the harems are massed together on the slope ami along the narrow bowlder
beach until cut off' by the breaking out of the cliff.

The hauling ground of East rookery is in tlie rear of the first beach portion, and
is reached by several breaks in the line of harems. Along the beach portion of East
rookery the sea lions also ,<aul out and lie among the lur seals, and at the point is a
small rookery located among the fur-seal harems. A larger and more important sea-
lion rookery is loc.ited on the southern side of St. George Island toward Garden Cove.

f \

YOUNQ MALE SEA LION.
Diuvvn fiiiiii nature lij Hiistow Ailuiiis.

C'lIAPTKU IV.

THE FUR SEAL OR "SEA BEAR "

ITS RELATIVES.

The fur seals, with their associates, tlie walruses and sea lions, constituting the
suborder Gressijjrada* (Allen), are obviously related to tlie bc'ars. Tiie animals
comprising this Rrouj), among other characters, have jtliintigiade feet, the anierior
limbs modified as oars, and with rudimentary claws, if any. The posterior limbs
bend forward at the knee and the long, webbed toes extend beyond the (ilaws. Only
the anterior limbs are used iu swimming. The head and neck ca'i be elevated as
in the bear, and the external ear is moderately developed. The aniinal can run or
lope along the grouiul as do ordinary nuimmals, and with c(»nsiderable rapidity.

THE SEA BEAR AND TRUE SSAL.

iSruch misconception as to the nature and habits of the fur seals lias aiisen from
their sui»posed resemblance to the animals in the North Atlanti(! and elsewhere,
called "seals." The fur seal, however, has no close atlinity with the suborder
rinnipedia, to which the true or earless seals belong. The various forms of true or
hair seals constituting the group IMunipedia have the feet not truly ])lantigrade, short,
with long claws. Only the posterior limbs are used in swimming, and these ar<^ not
susceptible of bending forward at the knee. The animal, therefore, can not walk or
lope at all, and only wriggles while on land. Its neck is short and it can scarcely
raise its head. It has no external ear.

The internal structures of the animals show eipially marked differences. The hair
seals, whatever their origin, nuist come from a different parent stock, aiul their
relation to land caruivora is more remote. Beyond the fact that both fur seal and hair
seal are carnivorous nuimmals, feeding on fish and adapted for life in the water, the
two types have little in common. In both species the thick blubber under t\w. skin
goes with the life in cold water. The resemblances associated with aipiatit! habitat are
only analogies and have no value in scientific classiticiation. In structure, appearance,
habits, disposition, and method of locomotion, they are entirely distinct, and their
evolution as pelagic animals has been along separate lines.

THE FUR SEALS OF THE ANTARCTIC.

The fur seals of the world belong to two distinct groups or genera, closely related
to the sea lions. One of these, the genus Arctocephalm, is widely distributed over the
Antarctic oceans, where its members formerly existed in vast numbers along portions
of the coasts of South America, S(»uth Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, as well

•Called Remipedia in our pri'liiuiiu-vry report, piijjr 12, l>iit tlit:
incliiiloB tlie sanw, forms.

uaiiio <lrvniiiyrti<Ui in riirlii^r and
43

Tllli FUR SEALS OF THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS.

iis many of tlie pelagic, islands of tiio Antarctic regions.* I'urhapH the most nortlicrn
extent ot this genus is the herd \vhi(;li formerly existed in considerable numbers on
Guadalupe Island, and other islands in its vicinity, where a remuaut probably still
breed hidden in the eaves and recesses of their shores.

THE FUR SEALS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC.

The fur seals of the North Pacific belong to the second group, the genus Valli)
rhinuH. It is resident u|)on certain barren and rocky islands in Bering Sea and the
tSea of Okhotslx, unknown to aboriginal man, and, so fur as we are aware, never
visited by man before the discovery of the Komaudorski Islands by Vitus Ik^ring in
1741 and the Tribilof Islands by (■era.ssim I'ribilof in 1780. In addition to the
Komaudorski and Pribilof islands, seals of the genus CaUorhinus also occupy certain
islands of tlu; Kuril grouj), and also the rocky islet known as liobben lieef, oil' the
coast of Saghaliu.

STELLER'S ACCOUNT.

Our first knowledge of the fur seals of th«j North (!omes from the account of Georg
Wilhelm Stelier (1709-1745), a Gerunm naturalist, who accompanied Bering on the
voyage which resulted in the discovery of the Komaudorski Islands. During the
winter which the survivors of the ill fated iS7. /V7c>- spent on Bering Island, Steller
visited the south, or I'oludinnoye rookery of this islaiul and wrote an a(!countt of the
fur seals or "sea bears'' as he called them.

On ^teller's description of the "sea bear" (rr««« marinus) of Bering Island,
Linna>us based his description of I'lioca imhut, or the bear-like seal. From the
Linna'an nauie the fur seal of the North Pacific came to be called Vallorhinus nrsiiiUH,
the typ»! tif the species being the Komandorski herd.

THE THREE HERDS.

The fur .seals of the North Pacific (!omi)rise three distinct herds, which do not
intermingle in any way, having distinct breeding grounds, feeding grounds, and
routes of migration.

THE PRIBILOF HERD.

The most important of the three herds is that which resorts to the Pribilof Islands.
The.se breed upon the islands of Ht. Pi.'-ii and St. George during the summer, and in
winter i)as8 down through the channels of the Aleutian Islands into the Pacific Ocean,
in their migrations reaching as far south as the coast of southern California and
returning along the west coast of North America.

THE KOMANDORSKI HERD.

The next herd in importance is that resorting to the Komandor.ski Islands. These
breed upon the islands of Bering and IMedni, passing in winter down along the eastern
coast of Japan and returning by the same route.

* A full jicfoiiiit of tlio Biiutlieni fur bcjiIh will bo found in I'art III of this report.
t A traiiHlatiou of .Stoller'.s iiccoiint will be found in I'art III of tliis report.

TIIK Sl'IISPKCIKS OF KUli SKAI,.

tf)

THE ROBBEN ISLAND HERD.

Tliu third litml is resiihtnt in Mu; Hoiv of Okiiotsk on lkol)lu'ii Islaiitl, wlitMc a
coiisidunibli^ ruiiiiiaiit still (^\ists, aiul t'ornu'rly u<-(Mi|iu;d othi-r rookci it's, now virtiiiiliy
('\tiii<;t, on four islands of the Kuril ;,M'on|> — Musir, Uaikokt', Sicdnoi, and Hroiij;iiton.
The migration route of this herd lies in the iuland sea of .Itipan.

THREE DISTINCT SPECIES.

Th« fact that the seals of the I'ribilof herd ditVer from tiiosc of the Commander
islands in color, in form, and in eharaeter of the fur has Ion;; been reuo^ni/ed. These
difl'erences, thoup;h slight, are permanent and eonsfant. As no intermediate forms
arc known, and as the life courses of the herds are wholly disiinet, apparently no
intermediate forms can exist. Wo may therefore hold that the herds re|)resent
distinct species. As the Konnindorski seals formed the type of (Udlorhlnus timiiiun,
the Pribilof seals may be taken to represent a now spoeics, to whi<;li tli(« nanu^
VnlloiUimm nlaitmnuH may be given, and tho Uobben Island herd, likewise ditl'erent,
may be called CuUorhinuH eurilcnuis.

CALLORHINUS ALASCANUS.

The description of this new species or subspecies is given in full in a special pajM'r
which appears in I'art I II. It may bo noted here that alitscaiius may be known by tiic
stouter, broader head, by the thicker neck, by the prevalence of warm, brown shades
in the coloration of the females aiul the young nuiles, by the more silvery color of the
gray pups, which have the whitish i>atches on the rump less than in iirsinus. In
general it shows a lack of sliarp contrast between the coloration of the sides a!'d l)elly.
The fur is of superior quality and exhibits sutlicient ditference to make it poss ole for
the dealers handling tiie skins to distinguish them by this means alone. In al',sr(uius
the claws on the foretlipper are undeveloi)ed, being represented by pits in the skin.

CALLORHINUS URSINUS.

The true ursinus has a slenderer head and neck. The females and young males
are sooty rather than brown, the light and dark shades btlng alike for the most part
without ochraceous tints.. The belly is usually rather sharply paler than the back,
and the gray pup is nuu-a brownish and less gray than in the Tribilof animal, having
a pale patch on each side of the rump. The fore feet have two or three rudimentary
claws.

CALLORHINUS CURILENSIS.

The seal of Eobben Island and the Ivurils, ditt'ers from both of the foregoing in
the whitish color of the under fur. This is rusty brown in ursiiins and altiscaniin. It
is said also to have a broader head than ursinus tiw^ <» xliibit other differences in
the (luality of the furj distinguishing the seals of lioLlttu Island from either of the
other herds.

In the following discussion our attention will be directed chieHy to a consideration
of the Tribilof Islands seals. In Part IVof this report the herds of the Komandorski
and Kuril islands will be discussed in detail.

THE FlJlt SBALM OF THK PRIHILOK ISLANDS.
THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE FUR SEAL.

Tlio oct'Oiitricities of tlio noineiicltttiiro of the fur souls have frequently boeii
iiot»Ml. Attt'iitioii is licre culled to the matter nioroly to avoid coti'.iisioii. It is, for
example, iiieoiijinioiis that a "cow" should oocupy a place in a "harem"' on a
"rookery" and bear a ";>np," which, if a male, should be known for the first four
years of its life as a "bachelor" and afterwar<ls as a "bull." Moreover, it is absurd
that this anitnal, whi(;h is in reality more like a bear, should be called a "seal," thus
confounding^ it with a distinctly din'erent animal. But these names are all so closely
idenlitied with the animals and their history that it is useless to attempt to change
them, and «o we may exi)ect the "sea bears" of the North Pacific to continue to
produce "seal skins," wlii(!h, tliout^h origimilly and properly taken only on land, will
remain the jMotlnct of a "tlshery."

The Uussian names "sikatch" (grown bull), "polosikatch" (half bull), "holostiak"
(bachelor), "matka" (mother), and "kotik" (pup) are in common use among the
Aleuts on the Pribilof and Komandorski islands. These words form their plui.ila
in i, thus: sikatchi, holostiaki. The Aleut names "atagh" or "odakh" (bull),
"ennatha" (cow), •' lakutha" (pur) are now used mainly by the native children.

THE CATEGORIES OF SEALS.
THE MALE.

The male fur seal or bull reaches full maturity at the age of about 7 years.
Tie is probably sexually mature at an earlier age, but does not possess the strength
and courage necessary to win and hold a place on the breeding grotinds. The weight
of the adult bull is about ;{.">0 to 4."»0 pounds. A typical animal measures about 6 feet
in length, has a girth over the shoulders of about 4^ feet, and measures nearly
feet from tip to tip of the outstretched fore-Hippers. In color the adult males vary
considerably, the general shade being blackish or dark brown, with longer hairs
or bristles of yellowish white. These are especially long and numerous on the
thickened back of the neck, forming the so called " wig." The bulls are excessively
fat on their landing in the s])ring, but grow gradually le.in and thin during the season
on land, never tasting food or leaving their posts during the breeding season. Karly
observers made use of the appropriate namoof "beachmastor" for the bull, a name
which deserves to be retained for its descriptive (|ualitics.

THK FEMALE.

The female fur seal or cow is much smaller than the male. When fully grown she
measures about 4 feet in length, has a girth of 2i feet over the shoulders, and moasures
4 feet from tip to tip of the outstretched forc-tlippers. The cow has a soft, smooth
fur of varying shades of grey, the younger females being usually, thou^'^h not
always, silvery white nndorneath the throat. The cow bears her first offspring at
the age of .5 years, but her full growth is not attained unt*' a year or two later.
Iler average weight is about 70 pounds. The name "clap-match," used by early
explorers to designate the female, is now obsolete.

THK BACHELOR.

The young male or bachelor is very similar to the female in color, size, and
appearance until the end of the third year. In this year his skin is at its besi. In

.i» )

A "POD" OF PUPS ON LUKANIN ROOKERY, SAINT PAUL ISLAND.

FUR SEAL PUP.
l)rn\vn friiiii iiatuiv liy Hiistow AiliiiiiH.

i\f

HEAD OF FUR SEAL PUP.
|irn\vn froiM miliirc liy liiist.nv AiIiuiik.

HEAD OF FEMALE FUR SEAL.
Drawn from iiutiirc hy Uristow Adums.

HEAD OF A TYPICAL ROOKERY BULL.
Drawn from imtiire hy HristDW AdaiiiH.

A TYPICAL ROOKERY BULL.
Drawn from iiutiiri' liy BrNtiiw Ailiiins.

THK MIGRATIONH OP THR KUR »EALS.

tliu roiirtli yuiii' liJH iiurk bo^'iiis t*> tliickun and tlcvclop tliu "wi;;." After t\\v. wi;; lias
appoarcd tlio 8kiii dupiuciatus in value, until in the adult bull it lias m> value as tur.

THE IIAM' III I.L.

In the tilth uiid sixth years the yoitii;; male {rrows r)i|ii*11y, and in si/.e and
appearance apiuo.viinates the ndnlt hull, but laeks IiIm Hti'en;;tli and cuura<j:e. lie
is then known as a "half bull." The males under 7 years ot aye are not allowed on
the rookeries, thtmgli they han;; about the rear and in the water in front of them.
The bachelors are forced to herd by themselves in separate bauds on the hauling
grounds.

THE IDLE BULL.

In addition to the half bulls there is a class of males called "idle" or "reserve"
bulls. These are in no way ditl'erent from the breeding bulls, but on account
of the lateness of their arrival, the unfavorableness of their location, or because of
defeat in battle, they have been unsuccessful in securing harems. They take up their
places in the rear of the breeding grounds, or as near to them as they can get, and
there they tight among themselves, watching for opportunities to invade the harems of
their more successful rivals, and occasionally forming small harems by capture. Late
in the season the idle bulls succeed to the i)osts vacated by the departing liarem
masters and take charge of the late arriving cows and the I'-year olds.

THE VEA.ULINGS AND VIUttlNS.

The seals of 1 year old of both sexes are known as yearlings. There is no marked
ditlerence between the males and females at this age. The yearling males are found
in the latter part of July on the hauling grounds with the older bachelors. The
females come late to the islands and s])end much of their time on the rookeries among
the young of the year. They do not associate to any considerable degree with their
brothers on the hauling grounds. The females of li years old are known as "virgins,"
and come on the rookeries late in July and early in August to be served by the bulls.

THE IMP.

The young of the fur seal or pup is black in color at birth, 8(»metinuis with a
brownish strip under the throat and with a large whitish spot in the axil. Its weight
at birth is about 11 pounds, and it is comparatively helpless, though it becomes able
to care for itself in a short time. Its head is large in proportion to its body and
l)r(»ves a serious handicap in the early etibrts of the animal to leant to swim, an art
which it does not possess at birth. When the pup is about .'J months old it sheds its
black coat and takes on a new one of gray. By this time it has learned to swim well
and weighs 25 or <'ili pounds.

THE MIGRATION OF THE SEALS.
THEIR SUMMER MOVEMENTS.

Ill their annual movements the seals of all classes with few, if any, excejitlons visit
each .season the islands on which their breeding grounds are situated. The earliest
arrivals come about the 1st of May; the latest to depart go some time in December.

TIIK VVU HEALS OF THK PUIHII.OK ISLANUM.

Ill tliu iiitui'val tliu olllccis of roproiliu tiiiii urc. iiccMMiiiiliHlied. Tlio I'einalcH come mid
go from tlic fuelling groiiiiilH at intervals, * aiiiig for tlicit- young. Tlio younger maU-H
s|)iMi(l moHt of tiieir time resting on tliu saiiil liuai^iies, visiting the sea irregularly. In
November tlie females anil young of tlie year leave tlic islamic. The males, especially
tlie bai^liolors, remain until December and even .lannary, in nuUi huuhuum probably not
all leaving the vieiiiity of tiie islands during the winter.

TUK LIMIT OF MlllllATlON.

The adult mules and the older baithclors spend the winter in the PaeiHe Oeean,
Homewhat below the Aleutian Islaiids, and eastward in the (lulf of Alaska. The
younger males go farther south. The pups probably reach the latitude of Cajie Flat-
tery. The adult females go farthest south, being found as low down as the Baiita
liarbara Channel, oQ' southern Calilbrnia.

ITS COCKSK AND DURATION.

The southward trii» of the seals must be rapid and more or less direct to the
turning point. The females do not leave the islands much before the miiklle ol
>Jovember, but are taken in the latitude of southern California early in December. On
the return trip the movements of the animals are slower, the remainder of the winter
andsiniiig being occupied in the northward journey ahmgthe coast, which they follow
at a considerable distance offshore. In December, January, and February they are
found oft the coast of California. They are in the neigliborhood of Cape Flottery and
Vancouver Island in March, April, and May; and in May and .lune they are found
in the Gulf of Alaska and along the southern coast of the Aleutian Islands. They
reach the islands at various dates according to tliediflerent classes of animals.

In this outline of the movements of the seals at sea only the general course of the
herd as a whole is traced. A more detailed account will be found in connection vitli
the niigratiou chart prepared by Mr. Townsend and published in Part III of this
rejiort. In Mr. Lucas's account of the feeding habits of the animals, also in Tart III,
the movements of the seals ou their summer feeding grounds are more iully given.

C II A l*T K it V.

THE DAILY LIFE OF THE ROOKERIES.

THE ARRIVAL AT THE ISLANDS.
THE MALES.

Tlio iulnlt nialos arrive (Irst at tli« islaiulH in the sprint;. Their appoaraiiro is
goveiiied hirgely l)y the iMoveiiiciits oC the drift ice, whicii packs in about the ishiiids
late in winter and remains until tlie latter part of April, sometimes until late in May.*
In 18!K'i, when tiie ice remained thus hni;; about the islands, inakiuf; the lamlin^ of
the bulls ditlicidt, roads were cut in it, through which the aidumls hauled to reach
their stations.

THE I)ATK OF THE EARLIEST ABUIVALS.

The average date of the laiuling of the first bulla, as shown by the record in the
lo^' of the islands, is about the 1st of May. Instances are recorded where the aid-
mals have landed on the ice and traveled in for a mile or more, taking up their places
on the snow -covered rookeries. The incoming of the bulls is gradual. They appear
almost siuuiltaneously on all the rt>okerie8, each being represented by one or two.t
The number increases, slowly during the early part of May, rapidly in the latter part.
Hy the middle of June, practically all of the regular harem bulls are located in their
places on the breeding ground. During the season of 1897 a count of bulls on Xorth
rookery of St. (leorge, .June 7, gave 180, where 19(i harems were found later in the
season. On Kitovi rookery of St. Paul, a count of bulls made on t'je Ilith of -lune
gave 150, where IS'2 harems existed in 1890, and 179 later in the season of 1897.J:

THE OLDEST COME FIRST.

It is probable that the earliest bulls t<t arrive re[»resent the veterans of niuny
seasons, and that those arriving subsequently come in the order of their ages. Thus
the young half bulls aiul the idle bulls as a class do not locate about the rookeries
until the time of landing of the cows. They then haul out around tlie rookeries to
places in the rear, or light their way through the territory of bulls already in plaiic.
Some of them are doubtless sncce.ssful in displacing earlier arrivals, or in gaining
advantageous jtlaces on the breeding grounds. The young bulls for the most part
in the beginning of the season hang about the water front and try to intercept the
landing cows. It is only after the breeding season is well advanced that tlicy are
seen in numbers about the rear of the rookeries, and even then they come and go
fi'om the water more or less regularly.

* Srr fxtnictH from loj; of St. I'mil, Pt. II, iintlrr dntc <if Miiy, 1895.
t St'u extracts from log of 8t. I'aul, Pt. II, May of uuy seaHoti.
( Daily .lonnial, Pt. II, uiuk-r date uf Juno 12.

15184-

THE FUlt SEALS Ol" THE PRIIJILOF ISLANDS.

THE HAOHEI.OKS.

Tlic haclu'lor seals l»e},Mii to arriv«' ut alMHit the saint> tiiin- as tho hulls. Their
first iippcaraiite about St. I'aul is usually on Sivuteh Ifoek. The average date of the
llrst reeorded food drives is about the liOtii ot May.* This, however, is not the date
of their tirst arrival, but th»! one at which the animals are out in sutlieient nuud)ers to
make a drive worth wiiile.

The older bachelors eonie tirst. This is t^nwn by the excess of older seals that
are turned back in the earlier iliives, ami tbe larger pen-entage of killed in tV.e
number driven. This can best be made clear by citing tiic statistics show'.ig tiie
animals rejected, large and small, and tlu^ average per cent of aninnils killed, for the
different dates during the seo'-.wn of i>r»7, on St. Paul Ishuid:

Staiialirx of killiiitin. si. I'aiil, /SIC. '

n«t<>.

Juni! 15
18.

•it.
'.'fi.
:ui
I

Jiilv

».
CJ.
14.
16.
17.
1».
22.
Xl
24
20
27
29.
30
31.
Auk- 2.

lii-iiM

•Iwl.

I'en'enl

HBO

nil'.

.'^niiill.

killnl.

'..4

110

0. er>

la.i

.87

.ISft

184

.48

««!

214

.64

214

.57

218

224

.68

107

«<l

.53

2il»

173

.63

.nil

ilOO

.07

35.1

■Al

.05

115

.68

038

..W

210

061

.58

391

580

.53

l-O

412

:i77

1.174

.'NNI

2. 1147

.:14

101

«HK

.21

r.2

1,380

.Xl

491

890

.27

221

545

.20

!«M

1.114

.16

"()«

.20

IIK

45(1

.10

1.440

.19

ISO

376

■»

' Tin.-* rprord of rrji't'tt'il niiiitiiils w:i«. fur tin* imwl part. kc('T I'V Mr
rt'i)iiji-<Ml hirt [)r(*f<oiuM' 4-oiiMtat)lty on the killiiii; tiolil.

.lohii M. Mortnn whiwr iliity »>* 'I'n'Hiinry nu»'nt

From this table it is apparent tliat among the rejected animals prii»r to .luiv'.t,
those too large for killing predominated. The large percentage of animals killed for
the total number driven shows that the greater proportion of the seals on rlie hauling
grounds at tliia time were of killable age. After .July the smaller seais began to
predominate, sliowing the advent of the 2 year oldB and yearlings. About the same
relative number of animals were kille<l in tin ater «lrives, but owing to the increa.se
of little seals, the percentage steadily diminiHued rroui a maximum of <)8 per cent to a
minimum of L"» per cent.

THE HE(UNNIN(; OF THl. SEAi,INO SEASON.

It is not until the Ist of June that the regular driving for the (piota iiegins. At
this time the .'t year-old seals, from which the skins for the (pinta as ;i rule are taken,

Ld^ of St. rniil, I't. IL May ni luiy Hcasim.

ARRIVAL OF THE FUR SEALS.

begin to arrive us a «-laHH. About the iniddlt^ of July the L'year-old seals bej^iu to
roiiie ill iiiiinbers, foliowetl very soon by the yearlings, which swarm in large niiiiibers
on tlie hauling grounds during the latter part of Julj'. As the breeding season
advaiu'cs the young half l)nlls. whicii throng tlie earlier drives, withdraw from the
hauling grounds to the water front of the rookeries or take up places in their rear.

The arrival of the younger males in the latter jtart of July makes it advisable that
the (iiiving for the (piota should be eompleted as early in this month as possible, tii
the early days of Ainerioan control, when the seals were numerous, the quota was, as
a rule, tilled before the 2t»th of .liily,

TIIK ARRIVAL OF TIIK ("OWS.

It is about the 10th of .luiie that the adult cows begin to arrive.* Their appear-
ance, like that of the adult buHs, is very gradual. In 1897 a cow appeared on lOast
rookery on .luiie ;?; a second cow joine<l her on the 7th; no others had arrived on
the 10th. On St. Paul, the tirst <'ow arrived on the 10th; a second ap]>eared on the
I'Jth, and after this date a few could be found at almost every jmint wh"re harems
were located the previous season. So (juietly did the cows come in and take their
lilaccs that, though the rookeries of St. Paul were kept under the ch)sest scrutiny, and
many new cows were iuund at each inspection, it was more than a week before the
landing of a single cow could be noted.

THEIR INCOMING (JRAOrAL.

This i|uiet and gradual iiicoining of the cows can best be illustrati'd by the reciud
of the daily count on Lukanin rookery:

l.nknnin rmtker;/, tSn7.

Data.

June 12.
i;i.
U.
15.
16.
17.
18.
I».
•JO.
21.
22.
23.
24.

2.'!.

26.

27.

CnWH !

pri'HHiil. i

1 I

.'I

r> '

II !
ig

ri7

.'i2
74

lii:i
l:il
176
207

♦

Thus, though cows began to arrive on this rookery on the iL'tli of June, by the
li7th of June there was on the half mile of its shore front no more than lir»7 cows. At
this date few, if any, had begun to go to sea. When we contrast this number with
the total of abiuit 3',0(M> cows which visited the rookery during the seascui, we get some
idea of the gradual arrival of the breeding leiiiale.s. These figures must also correct
tile long current notion tliat tlicy come in a body or in a succession of great waves.

• I'm- (leliiilN <>r till' laiiiliiitr of tlio town licro (Itmcribeil, ri'lertnicn .slioiilil l>o nimlf to th« Daily
.loiimal in I't. II. iitidor ilitti' of ,lniio 12, 1S!I7, ami followiii);.

I'HE KUU SEAI.8 OF TlIK I'KIlULOi ISLANDS.

It is ])rol)iib](! that with the cows, us with the biilln, tlie date of landiii}; is intliuMiriMl
by age, tlie ohlest coming first. The fact that the yoniig cows are first iiiiprcgiiiitcil
early in August, coupled with the fact that pups are born as early as the 10th of June,
shows that there must be a gradual recession of the date of delivery, which may
reasonably be supposed to correspond to the increasing age of the breeding animals
themselves.

TIIEIU ARRIVAL NOT THE OCCASION OF l'"I(}HTIN(J.

The observations of the season «>f 1897 ninst also correct the tradition that the
first aiipeaiance of the cows is the signal for a general battle among the bulls for their
possession. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was in 18!»7 no general
disturbance at this time nor during the month of June. No general recognition of
the arrival of the cows was made by the bulls. The landing female reconnoitered the
shore, swimming backward and forward until she was satisfied of the location, and
then landed on the rocks, being taken in charge by the nearest bull. If the bull
discovered the landing cow and attempted to secure her, she escaped to the water if
she could: if not, she submitted to the inovita})le, and took up her place beside him.
Sometimes Ihe escajung cow was overtaken by the bull anil carried back. If the cow
escaped, she usually returned to the same place, aiul in time was located there.

THE MANNER OF LANDINCJ.

This represented the method of the earliest arrival.-*. The choice of the cow was
limited to the jWace of landing. When a bull once obtained a cow, his harem became
the objective p»»int for all cows landing in its vicinity. The landing cow came in
quietly and took her place among the others, in most cases without even the knowle«lge
of the bull whose circle she joined. When he became aware of her presence, he gave
her a cordial weh^ome, taking occasion to round up his harem and to show the new
arrival marked attention. As a result of this desire of the cow to join the crowd,
it hap])ened that large harems were formed at favorite landing places which grew
constantly in numbers, though the shore front on either side remained for the time
being entirely wanting in (!ows. On all the massed rookery portions this became the
regular method of development.

MASSED ROOKERY FORMATION.

The large mass of breeding seals on Tolstoi sand flat* was originsUly a single
harem, which in the course of time numb;>red upwards of a hundred cows in charge of
a single bull. Ho loiig as the cows lay quietly resting before and after the birth of
their pujts the single bull was able to control them all. Hut in time the task l>e(ranu'.
too great, and when the cows began to come in heat in numijers, he soon lost control
of them. The idle bulls about him entered the circle. He was umtble to exclude
them, and in time a large nund)er of bulls controlled the mass in common, apparently
without clearly defined harems. With the podding and scattering <»f the pups and
the influx of new c(»ws, the seals became spread out over largei- areas, and new bulls
were taken into tlie circle until the farthest limit of expansion was reached.

What was true for Tolsfoi was true also for the great breeding masses on the
other large rookeries. Under Hutchinson Mill, the great mass occupying this space

•r

-V

' Sue })latc (ipi><i8it« ]i. 40,

< >.

D jS

1-
<

I
o

o
_l

o
m

H
O

z
>

z>
o
o
o

Z E

I-
o

z
I-

CO 2^

I-

3
o

H
u.
O

>
<

THE HFIOIIT OF THE flKASON.

r.3

was, on .TuiiC! "JS, ropresttiitoil by four of tliesu iiioiiHtt'^r liiir<Miis loi-atKil at iiitriViils
aloiiK tlie slioic and projectinf; but slifjlitly liliovo Hie bowlder l»ca«!li. They wtTe tboii
oil the point of bruukiii);, and iilr«>ady aroniid th(>ed;;es were niinilnTHof small liareiiiH
of one or two <;ows wliicli had phunly been stolen from the lai'tfcr mass. In the
coni'se of a few thvys thereafter the disinte^^ration of these abnormal harems be^iin, and
they beeame broken up into nnmeroiis smaller families untler hitherto idle bulls. Tiie
seals later became spread back over the entire flat. A similar course <if development
market! the fcu'uiation of all the large masses on lU'ri' rookery.

Where the rookeries o(!Cupied the narrow bowlder beach, as on Kitovi and Lukanin,
Lagoon or (iorbaieh, the distribution of the harems waH more regular, and when the
period of scattering and fusion came, they were united in a more or less even band
throughout the entire length of the rookery.

DAILY ROOKERY roiNTS.

With a view of determining the relative condition (»f the rookeries from <lay to
day, daily counts were begun on Lukanin and Kilnvi rookeries with the Hist arrival
of cows and were kept up throughout the seastui, or from June 1-' to .Inly 'M. A part of
the record of these counts has already Ix'en given to illustrate the an i val of the cow s.
The full record will be found in Appendix I. Tiie following is a synopsis of the count
on a part of Kitovi rookery known as the Amphitheater:

Nyiiuptiii iij' Kilovi rookvr.ii, IS97.

Diitf. I

Jiiiix 14

2«

.llllv 1

■ B

:ii

t?IIWB

pri'Hi'iit.

IIIM
24«
4U)I

420

:i7r)

THE HEIGHT (»!'' THK SKASON.

These counts show that the population of breeiliiig cows graduidly increases from
the beginning of the season, about June 10, until a vlimax is reached about tiie middle
of July. It then decreases until at the close of the breeding season, about August 1,
it numbers about one-'''lf the maximum population present at any one time, or about
(me fourth of the actual rookery population. There is a temporary lluctuation during
the tirst ten days of August, while the virgin 2-year-old cows are present on the
rookeries. For the rest of tlie season the adult population remains at atioiit the
point reached at the end of July, probably varying more or less fnnu day to day
according to the (tondition of the weather.

It had until 18U(» been currently believed that at the period known as the "height
of the season," say frotn .July 10 to -0, rookery conditions were lixed and all «»r ]irac-
tically all the breeding animals present. The counting of ]>ups in August in IstMi first
dispelled this error, by showing that the pups outnumbered two to one the breeding
females couuted in the height of the season.

fii

THE FUR HEALS OF TIIK I'Hlllll.UF ISLANDS.

FLIOTI-ATIONS OK I'OIMLATION.

The daily coiiiitM of th» broediiiK Hcasoii of 1S07 iiuiy hero ngam be cited to ff'wt*
ail idt'uof tlio real coiiditioii of the rookt'iies at their iiiaxiiiiiiiii. Tint following ll^nires
are for tliat part of Kitovi rookery called the Amphitheater, which contained,
accoi'dini; to the count of pups made on AiigiiHt ii, about l,l.'4r) breediiit; females for
the HCUHoii :

Amphilhealtr of hiloei.

D«t«.

('own
|iri'Hi'iil.

■Inly lu

7ci:i

6.M

703

87H

(KM

41V

Such is the height of the season. The actual count shows a difference of (1 per
cent between its beginning and its niaximum and a difference of 3S per cent between
the maximum and its close, while between two individual days of the period there is
us great a difference as IM) per cent.

INCBKASE OF FAMILIES.

Nor is the tinctuatioii in individuals all that is to be noted in this consideration of
the height of the season. The following count of harems on this same breeding;
ground shows e(jually important results:

.lnti)liilliealer of Kitovi, 1S97,

Dull'. Hamuli.

.Tune 14 1

no 3

;io 10

.Tilly 8 35

13 10

25 ri;i

It is thus apparent that during this time of sup]>osed rookery stability the
number of harems underwent quite as marked a change as did the number of indi-
vidiiiil iiiiimals com])osing them. The daily observations of this breeding ground and
frequent photo^-raphs of its area show, moreover, that the extent of ground occupied
grew steadily from day to day.

AVHAT TIIK IIKKJHT OF THK SEASON MEANS.

What the height of the breeding season reiilly means, therefore, is a time in
rookery developinent when the stream of incoming cows about equals the stream of
outgoing ones. It is the time when the greatest number of cows are actually present
at one time, it marks the maximum of rookery development, which probably covers

FKKDINd OP' THK FUR HKAI.S.

no iii(ir» tliaii a siii);le <lay. In obHorviiiK tin* rookeries tli<> uyc ran not ailjnst itscIC
reailily to tlic *-liaii);(', nixl t\w result is that tbu |ieriud senilis to eomprelieiitl several
ilays.

From about the lOtli or iL'tb of .lime oiiwani new eows are constantly arriving
on the rookeries. About ten or twelve days after her arrival eaeh eow jjoes away to
feed tor the lirst time. The first arrivals and first departures tlierei'oie run roughly in
parallel lines. A disturbing element is brought in by the return ot'eows IVoiu I'eediii;;'
and their subsequent departure and return at intervals. All tiiese various eNiiieiits
result ill a period of apjiarent equilibriiiin at about the 15th of July, wliii' is the
height of the sea.soii.

TIIK PKRIOIt Ol'RltKNTI.Y MISt'NDKRSTOOl).

That this period of rookery development should have been misunderstood is not
strange, siuue the matter was never before tested by iiiatlii'inatical standards.
Kveiits in rookery life, though reeurring by the thousands, are dilTieult of observation.
Their very multitude distracts the observer. In the summer of IH!»7, at the inaxiinnm
period of rookery life, when thousivmls of pujis were being born, the closest observa-
tions, extending at times through nine hours a day, failed to disclose the actual
birth of more than a dozen pups. I'lider this same close .scrutiny it was a week
after the first landing of cows Itefore one could be discovered in the act, and a much
longer jjcrioil elap.sed before the departure of one couhl be observed, (ieneral
observations of the rookeries have therefore only relative value unless they are
checked by figures. They can be trusted to show large results, but can not be relied
ujion to indicate normal changes. To get definite results, exact euiimerations aud
minute ob.servations are necessary.

THK HIRTII OK THK IT P.

Within a jieriod of from six to forty-eight hours after her arrival the cow gives
birth to her pup. After a further perioil of five to six days she comes in heat and is
served by the bull. Five to six more days pass, during which time the pup grows
rapidly and becomes able to take care of itself; then the mother goes to sea to
bathe and feed. Her first return is possibly within three or four days. Of her
subseciuent returns no record has been possible, but from the gradual decrease in the
number of cows present after the height of the season is reached, it must be inferred
that the time of abseiK'e lengthens as the pu]> grows older and is able to remain
longer witluuit food. As the (;ow does not leave the harem until after impregnation
it necessarily follows that adult «• ,vs whenever found at sea are pregnant.

THE FKEIUNG OF TIIK COWS.

When the cows first enter the water after their long rest on the shore they exhibit
every evidence of genuine .satisfaction and pleasure. They do not at once swim away,
but play about, rolling over and over in the water, scrat(!hing and rubbing themselves
with their flippers, getting thoroughly cleaned from the filth of the rookeries. This
done, the animals swim away to the feeding grounds.

SWIMMINO SEALS.

During the breeding season a band of sleeping, playing, or swimming .seals
skirts each rookery front. Home are plainly bachelors, but most are cows. This

THK VVn 8KAJ<H OK THE PRIBILOK ISLANDS.

bi»ii(l of seiils evidently repnvwiits rhe aiiiiiiiiis pr(ii)iiriiifi to (U>]>!irr and tliose just
arriviiiji. >io on« ever sees h seul landiar dirt'(itly from The sea; and one seldom sees
a seal leave the rookery to ^o direetly (hc to H«a, tlionuii at a distauee from land, as
on our trips to Otter Island, numbers oi rjie animals wen— et-n uoin;,' rapidly ont to sea
and coming in in the same direct inauiier. The incoiiiiii<; seal donhtless (juii'tly
Joins the outer edge of the group of swimming seals. i»«^'oming one of them in their
motions and i)astimes, gradually working to niie shore wiien ready to go on the rookery.
The departing seal, in like manner, evidently takes its jilace anumg the swimnung
seals and when ready slips away from them on th«' (»uter side.

The tendency on the jtart of the seal on first going into the water to loiter and
enjoy a bath aeeounts for the delay of the de])arting seals; Itnt in ease of the arriving
seal something more defiiute must keep the tired animal, eager for iier hungry pup,
from landing at once. The reas<ui for this seems to lie in the feeding habits of the
aninuiis. The bachcUtrs, as has long iieen noted, are iu»ver found with food in their
stomachs, whetiier taken on first iandinu in tlu^ spring or later in the season. It has
been erroneously supposed on this aecomit that they fasted more or less throughout
the season. In the summer of fHlMt, however, a large number of cows were either
directly killed or examined after accidental death and their stomachs also found to
be devoid of fowl. Even the stomach of a cow dead from eluiking on a tish boiu> was
enii)ty. The cows are, of course, absolutely known to feed.

>)'

THK SEAL 1)I(;KSTS fTTS POOD IN TIIR WATKR.

It seems necessary, therefore, to find some mor«' rational explanation for the
absence of lood in the stomachs of aninnds taken on land. This explanation seems
to be that (iine? rion with the fur seal is completed in the water, and that if not so
«!omi)ieted btHor- i reaches land, the animal loiters olfshorc until it is accomplished.
This explanatiot a«H'ount8 for the emi)ty stomaehs of bachelors as well as cows. It
ahMi «?xi)lains the -eason why the cows <io not come directly on shore from the sea.
Tiie tiact sliat ili{es«cion is thus accompli.shed at sea also accounts tor the relatively
sunili luiiMunt of «aaMBient to be seen on the irooK«ries com])are<t with the number of

M^ It is v nmn i at sea.

killed w
tion IK*

as a rnl'
fellows, ;
and c.ou)« <mi si

THK EVIDEXCE * 'r THE PfPS.

regarding the feediing of i)ups carried on during the fall of
iSipht was thrown on tins eubject. Where the animals were
sitteping in the water, tiiey were found almost without «'x<;ep-
Where they were killed on the rookeries, they were
milk. The conclusion seems warranted that the little
well, spenii m*k.stof their time in the watei after feeding
en imngry to avait the return of their mothers. That their

presence in tlu' aifr a us «iaBBected witii the digestion of their food was borne out by
the l'a(!t that in i )ci:>>l)er, \^mmi hundred'* of jmps were playing and sleeping just <ttf
shore from the sjuut bead -w of Zoltoi, .akanin, iiud English Hay, the samls w'"e
strewn with pup excreuieu cashed uj> b* the receding tide, together with the shells
and pebbles.

;

I .
I- ;

ttittimm

TlIK FIR-SEAL HAREM.

THE FASTINd OF XHK SEALS.

It is of course known tluit tlie fur sesils iir« probiibly ciipable of abstaining from

fowl for greater or loss iteiioils. Tims tli« (rows evidently do not leave th"' lookories

on tlieir tirst landing within ten to twelve days. Whether such periods of abstinence

J from fooil are regular or not, we do not know; but that the bachelors and cows

3 do not fast for any considciable ])art of the snuiiner is plain, if for no other reason,

M from the fact that they maintain a uniform condition throughout the season, always

showing a plentiful supply of blubber, but appearing in no better condition at one

time than another.

9 The bulls, on the other hand, whi<!li (h> undoubtedly fast, on coming ashore in the

early spring are loaded down with Idubber, wliich is gradually absorbed, leaving the

aniuuil thin and greatly reduced by the time tiie breeding season is over. There is

abundant reason why the bulls shouM f>»st, for it would be impossible for them to

leave tlieir places, and nature has made provision for their necessities. A similar

provision seems to be made for the period of fasting which t!ie newly we.'Mied pup

must probably endure after going to sea on the winter migration, before it has become

proficient in the new art of lishing. During the months' of October and November,

and up to the tinu' of their depart nie, the puj)s grow excessively fat.

THE IIAUEM.

The unit of life on the rookeries is the harem. Tiie rookeries themselves are
merely great banils or masses of harems grouix'd together along suitable beaches.
The average si/e of a harem, as Ibund from the enumerations of iHilO and 18!)7, is about
thirty fenuiles to a single bull. The minimum and maximum limits range from a
single cow to lot). The single cow harems are formed generally in jiroximity to large
harems, and are as a rule the result of stealing on the part of idle 'nils. Such bulls,
when the harom niaster\ attention is taken from his charges, rush in, seize aim tarry
oif cows bodily. It is rarely that such pirate harems can be made to exceed a
single cow, as the a'limal must be held against her will, and in the effort to secure a
second the first one usually escapes. Sometimes, however, through the voluntary
desertion of cows fioni the large harems, it happens tlinr these smail liaiems rival the
original ones in size and are again subject to iiillage by other idle bulls still further
in the rear. These small harems are found chietiy in the rear of and on the Hanks of
the large breeding masses, such as on Tolstoi, Iteet, and Vostochni.

LARGE IIAUEMS.

The excessively large harems are the result of accident or favor a bleu ess of loca-
tion rather than strength or prowess in the bulls. They are to be found in isohited
stations and where peculiar angles and turns of the breeding ground hem them in.
Thus on Gorbatcli rookery a large bull held in his charge '! group of laO cows for a
week or ten days?.* Wlioi .liowance is made for absenties, this harem must have
numbered between 200 and 300 cows. Bei.iiid this bull and his family were a score
of idle bulls lying about on the cinder sh>i»e. The secret of his success lay simply in
the fact that the harcin occupied a triangular jiiece of ground bounded on two sides
by precipitous dill's, and ic was only necessary for the bull to guard the neck of land

' Daily .lomniil, Pt. II, initlcr date dI' .Inly \r,, lK!t7.

T
♦

THE rilR SEALS OF THE PBIHU.OK ISLANDS,

connecting with tli« slope. He, however, held the <'0W8 only dnrinf;; thai ])eriod when
they are <|uict and restint; after the birth ut' their pups, Wlien tlie animals became
restless and demanded attention in innnbers, the hxmv mass was presently broken np
into a nnmbei' of smaller harems in <-har(>'c of the rival balls, which eoidd n«» lon{;er
be held in check.

HAREM SIZES.

lint such larjje harems were exceptional, thoiijrh harems nnmbering ."iO cows were
not so rare wliere the (conditions w«'re favorable. The foll(»wing is a Recti(m of Kitovi
nM»kery, connted by individual harems, which will give an idea of the tliversity in
their sixe:

A portion of Ixilori rookfrij, •liilji IX, JSW.

2.".

•M)

<•()

III

l«

•)

•Jl

•)

•>

;{

•I

71'

H(l

•>

L'l

11'

■1

:iii

<io

:to

lit

ir.

■1

•>

111

•*

■ic

!i5

HAUEM lUSCII'LINE.

In the management of the harem the bull is an adep^. Whether he has live cows
or fifty, he is master of the situation. His will is law. Not that it is always tamely
accepted as such, but the result is the same. If a cow becomes restless and moves
about, a warning growl usually tpiiets her. If the movement is persisted in and au
nttem])t to eseapt^ evident, the bull is ujt at once with a show of lierceness and in
chase. Me may simply strike the cow d<»wn witli his open month. Often in doing so
his sharp canines tear a gash in her skin. He may even sei^.e her in his month and
deliberately throw her or carry her back into the harem. If the cow thinks she has a
chance to get away, she may try to outrun the bull. If she miscalculates the distance,
he seizes her by the skin of the back and restores her, sometimes in a torn and bleed-
ing condilittii, to the family cirele. As a rule, however, the c(>w avoids this seizure by
turning and facing the bull, biting him in the breast and neck. The bull then, by
gradually pushing her before him, forces her back into the fold.

THE DEI'AKTIUE OF THE COWS.

These persistent edorts to gtct away are made by the cows who are ready to leave
for the water. The cows are not allowed to go until they are served. The bull's
actions setiin to be based upon a desire to be absolutely .sure and to take no chances.
The ('(tw, when forced against her will to stay, bides her time, antl when tht! bull is
asleep she slips away uiimolesteil. It fieipiently hap|iens that she has to run the
gauntlet o( a band of young bulls whic-h are stationed itlong the water front and are
always ready to intercept the departing cow. The cow shows much skill ami shrewd-
ness in outwitting them. Once in the water her superior «|uickness enables lu r to

tmrnm

DISCIPLINE OF THE HEACH MASTERS.

5!»

outawiin her pursuers. In one or two iiistrtiu-es ii (iliase (if tliis sort could Uv, traoeil
for a lialf mile or more out to sea b.v tlie dolpliin leaps of the animals as tliey rose
above the surface to breathe. Tliesc iu.staiu'e.s were chietly to be seen late in .lune.
before tlie baud of seals oil' the rookery front was large enoujjh to furnish jtroteetion
to the departing cows,

MKTIIODS (»!•" l)IS(;il'LINK.

In the ordinary discipline of the harem a growl from the bull usually tpMets the
cows. This growl is also forthcoming wlieii the cows quarrel among themselves, as
they fre<picntly do. Sometimes it is n M-essary tor the bull to get up and i(Uiet them
by chuckling and scolding over them, apparently in a tone of reinou.stran«'e.

At times, even when his cows are all asleej«, the bull rouses hii iself np and by
encircling his harem and whistling, chuckling, and .snarling starts t!ie cows up and
crowds them together. No apparent reason for such a«',tioii can be s«'eii. It seems on
the face of it an unnecessary exhibition of authority, whic h, however, maj serv- some
puri)ose. Having rounded up his harem, the bull may return to his favorite sleeping
spot to resume lis nap, (>r he may pick a quarrel with iiis neighbor.

THK noiiriNd OK Tin; lun.i.s.

At times the ytmng bulls, in attempting to reach the rear of the rookeries without
going around, break through tiie line of haiein.s. 'J'heir entrance into tiie rookery
eonllnes sets everything in an uproar. Kach bull into whose domain he comes attacks
ilie intruder and passes him along to the next. Occasionally some over- valiant Lull
g(tes too far from his harem. The idie bulls are (M1 thealerl and seize the occasion to
carry oil' cows. In very rare instances an idle bull may step in and take the whole
harem, whipjiing out its rightful owner when he attempts t'» return. So, over the
whole section of the rookery thus stirred u)), lighting ensues and ('onfnsion reigns.
In the height of the breeding season such incidents are of Inmrly occurrence.

TIfE KAin.V Kl(iIITI.V<: OVKUKSTIMATKK.

It is in the heiglit ;)!' the season, and tiicn alone, tliiir the excessive ligliting
among the bulls occurs. It has been currently supposed that from the period of the
landing of the (irst bulls they were engaged in (b'fending tluMi' jxisitions in liloody
battles; that a truce resulting fnmi these tirsi contests for plac<-^ was gr:idimily
established; that this was broken on the arrival of the tirst cows, wiien a peiiod of
desperate and spasmodic lighting began.

Such, however, was not the case in IS!)!, and has probably never been the ca.se.
As the bulls spend the days, after the breeding season is over, in resting and sleeping
in good fellowship on the sand beaches, .so they seem to spend the period of wajting,
l»ri(n' to the arrival <»f the cows, in sleeping and resting. At the time of our landnnt
at St. (Jeorge, on .luue 7, it could not be determined from the deck of the vessel,
anchored but a few rods olV the iook«'ry, whether it wiis occupied or not. V\'ith a
glass a few bulls could be seen. On elo.se inspection the beach w <- f'aind to co' f.at«
ISO adult bulls evenly distributed over the rookery territory. VVl;.';i disturbed tl»in-
roused uj) and roared both at the intruderand at one another: i)ut iUey s«ion returned
to their sleep. There was no commotion, no excitement. When j»r»»s.sed too clo.sfly
they gave evidence of willingness to yield their gntiiud. N«) test of wli«*hei i hey coidd

THK FUR SEALS OF THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

be driven off was deemed iidvisable. There wai) no fighting among them at that
time nor any apparent inclination to tight voluntarily. That no marked lighting
liad occurred previovis to this time was evident from the fact that but few wounds or
fresh scars could be seen upon the animals. In this regard they were in nnirked
(tontrast to their condition in the middle of the season, when the harem bull or idle
bull that did not show gashes about the breast and shoulders was the cxceittion and
not the rule.

At this early date the bulls not only did not pay any attention to one another,
but even allowed the bachelors to occupy places among them and to haul out where
they pleased. Later in the season this could not have occurred. A bacihelor or young
bull then appearing within range of an adult bull was violently attacked.

NO PIOIITlNCf OVEK ABttlVING COWS.

As the description of the arrival of the cows has already indicated, there could
be nothing nu)re incorrect than the reported battles over tlicm. To the first arrival
of the cow the bulls are utterly indifferent excei)t when- she becomes the object of
capture by a particular bull. Once in the harems, the cows receive little attention even
from their lords alter tlie tirst brief welcome and absolutely none from other bulls.
This was but natural. The landing cows were heavy with young. These must Ix'.
born aiul a period of a week elapse before they could become an object of interest to
the bull. The attitu<le of the bull at the outset was one merely of defense or struggle
for jmssession. He was not iuHuenceil, as he was later on, by sexual excitement.

The real i)eriod of struggle and contest on the ntokeries occurred after the 1st of
July, when the cows began to (',(uu« in heat in large numbers. From this time on to
the close (»f the season more or less> tightiug could always be seen.

Kl(}HTIN(i INFLUENCED HY SEXUAL INSTINCT.

When the breeding season was over and the bulls had returned to the sand beaches
from feeding, their Hghting instincts were i)lainly gone and they could be gathered
up ami driven about like the bachelors. In securing specimens for dissection or other
l)uriioses, two or three men could round up from 400 to .'iOO bulls on Zoltoi sands and
drive the:;i over to the killing grounds. They could be handled and driven exactly
as sheep are. In the breeding season a dozen men could not move one of these bulls
from his place or make away with him otherwise than by killing him. His courage
and lighting (jualities are simply tioundless in tiie defense of his harem. He will not
interfere with the observer who keeps at a reasonable distance, but when too (ilosely
sipproaehed he will charge liercely and quickly, and the adult bull on the breeding
groumls is about as dangerous as a bear. .Tudging from the way in which they tear
one another, a man would fare badly in their clutches. The bull, however, does not
follow up his e!ieniy beyond a certain point, and always returns to his real or imagi-
nary hareuL This makes escape an easy matter. The chief sourceof danger in getting
about among the bulls is in the possibility of slipping or stumbling on the rocks, or
of running into the range of a sleeping animal while escaping from another. One can
not always easily distinguish, in the foggy atmosphere of Bering Sea, the idle bulls
from the stones among which they lie. That no accidents have occurred to the various
investigators from the attacks of bull seals is due to tlie wholesome caution and resjiect
which their courage and ai)parent cai)acity for mischief hav»^ inspired.

•^fmmmf

\ v~_

»rr

yr,

1 1

A DEFEATED BEACH MASTER.
l>nuMi I'r.ini liiitmi- liy Hiistnw Ailaiii

FIGHTINU OP THE HKACII MA8IKUS.

MANNKK OK ■•'KiHriNd.

Much of tlio HO tallod tlj^'httllK, cspocially iiinoii^ the liiiiciii hulls, is a HpucieH of
"Itiutliiit;'' acroinpaiiinl by ii good deal of roaring; and lilowiii^;, but (Midiiig without
injury. TIm^ signal for su(;h a porfornnince jh a i-halicngin^' roar on the part of soniu
bull and an answciing roai- from the eiialhtngud iuill. Thi> two animals approach
each other, and when at a certain distanuu apart, both strike out witii that Ion;;
serpent like stroke characteristic of the seal. In niakiu}; the stroke the bulls let
tluunselves down with their breasts on the ground, and, after pulling out their nnisky
breath, which forms a cloud in the cool, ni list air, they ri^tht themselves and, standing
for a minute with averted heads, return to their places.

REAL ri(illTIN(i.

These are merely cx<^hanges of friendly greetings between the harem masters,
lietween the harem nuisters and the idle bulls, or between individuals of the latter
class, the nnitter is more seri<ms. The same preliminaries are gone through with,
but the stroke does not fall short and end in liasco. The aim is taken for the
foretlipper at the angle of the body, and if it is true, a deep red gash is the result.
But the animals are expert in averting the attack by throwing the flipper under the
body. Failing in reat^hing the coveted point of attack, a conipiondse is made, each
animal seizing the other by the skin of the shoulder or breast, wherever the hold can
be obtained. They then clinch and tug and strain in their efforts each to overturn
the other or to push him from his place. The strength of the powerful jaws is such
that not infrequently a great gaping rent in the tough hide is the result. If, however,
the hold is firm, and one aninuil is strong enough to push the other, this ends the
tight, the one yielding giving it u|). If the aninmls are nnue evenly matched, alter
each clinch they return to renew the struggle in a species of rounds, gauged by the
endurance of the bulls. They are soon fatigued on land, as they have ditllculty in
getting breath, and any exertion must be of short duration.

That some of these lights are continued until one or the other of the animals dies
of exhaustion, is abundantly proved by the bodies of dead bulls fimnd on the ro(»keries
and especially in that territory occupied by the idle bulls. On Zapadni rookery no
less than ten of these animals, freshly dead, were seen about the middle of .Inly. The
bodies w«'re torn and gashed, but none of the wounds were ca])ablc of causing death,
whicli probably resulted directly from exhaustion.

THE tim;atmi;nt of thk cows.

The fights between the harem masters and the idle bulls are at bottom due to the
attempts of the latter class to steal the cows. When an idle bull steals a cow, be
is usually attacked by her master. Sometimes he drops th«^ cow, which returns
to the harem while the bulls settle the acc<mnt. It sometimes happens, however,
that the master oi" perhaps a third bull seizes the cow and she is ]>ulled about until
oile or the other hold loosens. Doubtless a certain number of cows aie literally
torn to pieces in this way. One was seen on Kitovi rookery to lie limp and insensible
for five minutes after being thus treated. She afterwards crawled away, evidently
seriously hurt. That the number of cows killed by the bidls in their struggles or by
the rough treatment of the harem masters is considerable is shown by the fact that

..^...

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IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

^ ^A^

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1.0

1.25

lis US

2.0

!^ 140

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1.4 11.6

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WIST MAIN STRUT

WnSTM N.Y. I4SS0

(71ftt •72-4503

C/j

THE VVH SEALS OF THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

110 l(!ss than i'2 (lead cows were found in tlie season of 1897 on lieef rookery, the
majority of which were so torn and mangled as to point to the harsh treatment of
the hulls as the jtrobable cause. Other cows were found dead from siniihir cause
on all the rookeries. In 181)0 l.'U, all told, were thus counted.

The bulls are anything but gentle with the cows. Examples of their rough treat-
ment can at any time be seen on the rookeries. Living cows, cut and slashed and
torn, are everywhere visible. In most cases the injury is due probably to accident
rather than intention. In one case, however, on Lukanin rookery during the sumnu>r
of 1S97, a bull simply bit and worried a stolen cow until he killed her. When first
seen she was considerably toii, iiaving been stolen froni a neighboring harem by her
master, an idle bull. She was restless and kept making constant efforts to escape.
The bull treated her roughly, but while observed was not seen to injure her seriously.
At ev<Hy time the rookery was subsequently inspected, however, she was found to be
in worse conditicm, until alter two days she was found dead. The bloody jaws and
front of her nnister showed jdainly who was responsible. The body was recovered
and the skin taken and tanned as a specimen of the wanton cruelty of the bull.

THK WOUNDS OF THF- FUR SEAL.

The attitude of the fur seals toward their wounds is striking. There is no attempt
to nurse, lick, or otherwise notice them. A bull, whose foretlipper is hacked and
bleeding, his every movement lacerating still further the injured muscles, maybe seen
rushing about, rounding up his harem, bidding deflance to every idle bull within
reach. A cow may be seen going about with a flap of skin inches square torn from
lier back. A pup was seen from whose side the skin and blubber was torn and
hanging in a liap, leaving the intestines bare, and it was still a lively and apparently
cheerful pup, A bull in attempting to carry oft" Ji cow from a harem was attacked by
the owner of the cow. Instead of dropping her and defending himself lie clung to
her and took his punishment, struggling on. The harem master seized him by the
exposed flank, and when he released his hold, after almost overturning the bull, the
blcod gushe-l out from the holes made by his ugly canines. The thief escaped with
the cow and added her to his small harem of two. Iii his self-satisfied peramlmlations
about his family group he soon made a space of about 10 feet square crimson with his
blood. The next day the bull was just as pugnacious as ever, and even made an
attempt to steal a fourth cow. His wounds, of which he had many, were a source of
no apparent annoyance to him.

The thick coating of blubber under the skin with which the seals of all classes are
lined is doubtless not very sensitive, and this, not the muscles, is torn ami lacerated.
The diiuatic conditions, the salt water, and the absence of flies render the liealing of
the wounds rajtid, and by the middle of August but few traces remain, except the
welt or scar iii the skin which at times results from imperfect healing. The wound
which so many bulls receive at the angle of the foreflipper is usually kept gaping open
to such an extent by the movements of the aninials that a perpetual scar remains.

THE INSTINCT FOB FIOIITING.

The fighting among the bulls has evidently been a feature of the breeding grounds
so long that it has become an instinct with the males. On every hauling ground the
bachelors of all ages are constantly going through in play the movements of their

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THE SKIN OF A COW TORN AND BITTEN TO DEATH BY HER BULL ON LUKANIN ROOKERY, SAINT PAUL ISLAND,

JULY, 1897.

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S,.EEP OV THE FUR SKA^S-

S,.EEi> OV TH«. --» ,.,. blow, bra.h.« ana

Tl.is same tluut,' »>* ^nic ..t " ^^.j^ ,,^,„i ot t^^« - ^^., (,,« body, at.a

it is such '^re''^' ""Jr ,^ "
„f t\.e buU8 by its vesults.

M • nu.turo of tbe aubnaU'd bte of tlu- t ^^^^ ^.^^,,g

TO appreciate ^""^^^^^^^^^^ -^'«'"C"e v nZ BU^aned effovts

nuist take into account tbeinea J ,,f defiance ^ ,^^'" j^^^i,,^, chucliUng, and

veut at interval, to the ^ wage ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ *■"!" l^ Im l^vt'if the female .nul
lo maintr'u discipline in «;j,^d with all this '« ^^'« f ^l^l .^ of the sheep and the
scolding iu various not- J^'^ ^ .^.^^ ^„^,,,,o„a to - ;\ J thousands of these
tue answering call o t^»e^ ^ ^^,^^^,, ,, ,, ""'^^ " ^t e uproar and confusion
lamb, thougb ^•'•«**^\";; Bering all the time, some ide.M.^^U^^ I ^^ ^^^^ ^

-- t HSr^^^^'. f;^ :: ;"t,t :'X i^ -thing, greater
..eearly daysof .eb..;ng ^:::J;:P^oJ.;^XX^

r::n:s;ri:i3^-j-r^^^

Scows are landing in ^-^-^o marked. But even t^.. b-g ^^^^^ ^^

the noise and «o"f«^"" ,7^°™ comfortably asleep. ^ J^^[^™ ,^ ' « is soand asleep.

llportion of the animals are co ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^"^" '"i^ 'i up and stirring, and

for tbe time being, every ««;.^ ^^^ contvtsion, every '"' "f J ,^„ts awake and

B slle it may be a ^-rem wh c -^^ ^^^,^,„ ,,, ''':':Ll.^:^^^ among the idle

,nost of them calling. St » ^^^^_^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^,„,„, ti.e p

active, the rest asleep. . ^^,^ ^ve pups 't

bulls, it is the same. ^ ^^rtain times, m ^ «' . ^ gpj,ee on

^"'^^The seals sleei> very -^^^\; ,, ,, loO P^^-vou d e ^ - . ^^^, ,, their

ftequentlyhappened tia J PO undisturbed b tbe ^^^^

wii a half ^V-- ;^ J\? Vabft of sleeping -";"^^^,; advantage of the ^abit
companions. To t^'^;^^/^,^,. The pelagic sealer, taking ^is spear into it or hlUt
pelagic sealing is I'^^g^^^,^"', « sleeping animal and throw
i: able to row close up to ^^^ ^^ ^.^., ,, t,

^ith buckshot. sleeping m t^'^ ^^^^^^^^^e surface, and, it is said

The attitude of the sea ^^^^j,„g ab< ve ti ,^ ^o keep the

THK FUK ftKALtt OF THE I'RIllILOF ISLANDS.

tlie {^niiitest ronifort, rocked by the geiitlo swell. In such culm <liiys as occiu' (luring
the. months of September and October the water ort" the rookery fronts and sand
beaches is literally black with the swimming and sleeping pups. Occasionally older
seals at this time, and more frequently earlier in the season, are to be seen in the
same position.

TIIKIU ATT1TIU)EH.

An interesting feature about the fur seal in its naps on the rookery is the
variety of attitudes which it assumes. The sleeping animals assume every (conceivable
sha])e and position. One animal is stretched (mt at full length on its back, another
oil its side, still another on its stomach. Again, the hind flippers may be tucked
np under the body, the forcHippers outstretched. These conditions may be exactly
reversed. Or the hind flippers may be waving lazily in the air like a fan. On a
day when the sun shines for a few minutes the seal lies prone upon the ground with
its tlippers in the air. The sight of thousands upon thousands of the animals thus
stretched out, almost gasping for breath and with every hind flipper waving in the
effort to keep cool, is a most interesting one.

The seals enjoy the rocks. They do not care for a smooth and even bed. The
body has a wonderful power of adaptation to its rocky bed of water-worn bowlders.
One cow finds a flat rock on which she curls up and lets her head hang over the side
at a most reckless angle. Another lies with her head elevated upon a rock, as though
on a pillow. A favorite position among the animals is to sleep sitting up with the
head thrown back and the body wavering with the respirations as if it would fall.
On rookeries where perpendicular cliffs form the back ground the animals are to be
found stowed away on little shelves and in little angles where it is a wonder they can
keep their positions at all.

THE COLORATION.

There is more or less diversity in the coloration of the various animals, which
lends interest to the picture of rookery life. The little pups are at birth shiny black
with a white spot in the axil. Some of them show a brownish shade along the throat
and belly. In September they shed their black coats and don coats of gray, which,
under the action of the weather, soon change into the brownish or combination brown
and silvery color of the adults.

On her first landing the adult female is dark, slightly olivaceous, gray. Under
exposure to the weatluM', and especially the sunshine, she turns to a rusty reddish
brown, somewhat darker on the back, lighter on the throat and belly. The great
uniformity of this coloration, as seen among the cows during June of 1897 before they
had begun to go to sea, confirms the belief that these darker colors, as a rule, go with
the older anin>.als.

About the middle of July, the time at which the younger bachelors begin to
appear in greatest number, the rookeries also show large numbers of animals which
in their silvery throat.-- and bellies contrast sharply with the animals already present.
Their backs present the same dark-brown shade, but the silvery gray underneath the
body is entirely different. Their small size, the black whiskers, and the lateness of
their arrival ])roclaiin them to be younger animals. But not all the younger animals
are of this sort, as two virgin females killed side by side were each of a distinct type

^^mmsa^:

THE I'lTIJ OF THE FUR SKAL. 63

«»f(;(»loi'iitioii. This mnkcs it possible only to say tliiit the oklor seiiU jire more uuifortn
iiiid (liirkor in color, whih' uinong the younger seals thero is more diversity. It scenis
likely that the li'-hter colors in the youiip seals correspond to the brownish bellied
black pupa. AnionH; tlie bachelors the colors se«iin more iiniforni, thouKli the younger
males show- again a preponderance of the lighter shades.

The greatest diversity exists among the bulls. Among the harem masters there
are two general types, one almost black, the other reddislibnnvn. Hotli styles of
coloration are associated with the older animals, bat which is the ohler of the two is
not apparent. The younger bulls are, as a rule, gray.

But these three are only general types. There is the greatest individual varia
tion among tlie bulls (»(" all classes, and almost any combination of shades or mingling
of shades can be fcnind. Much of the individual variation is due to the length of
time the animals have been out of the water; in other words, to the intluenceof
exposure. In the water anu w ..en wet there is but little difference in the coloration.
In rainy weather the animals are all of one shade.

TJIK I'ELAUK.

Tiie diversity of color in the fur seal is contined chieHy to the outer or water hairs
which project beyond the fur. The fur itself is fairly uniform. In the pups the water
hair is glossy black at birth and is replaced in two to thiee months by hair of gray.
In the females the water hair is more or less uniform in lengtli, and the same is true
of the males until after the third year. From this time on the liairon the neck of the
nnile becomes longer and coarser, developing with the growth of the bull into stitt"
bristles, ccmstituting the mane, or "wig, 'as it is called.

Beneath this water hair is the short, thick fur of the seal. In the prei»aration of
the seal skins these hairs are carefully removed, leaving only the short, thick fur. It
has been asserted that the pup is born without fur, having only the black hair, and
that it does not attain its full pelage until the second year. This is not the case. The
pup at birth has short fuzzy fur, which grows rapidly, and is of considerable length
when the animal begins to swim. By the time it is ready for the sea in the fall its
fur differs in length and thickness from that of the older seals only as the size of the
animal varies.

THE STAGV «E.\.S(»N.

Between the middle of August and the middle of October the adult animals shed
their hair and get a new coat. During this season the skins of the seals are .said to
be stagy, and they are not taken on land. The fact, however, that one of the most
important catches at sea is taken in August and September has led to some confusion.
It has been held by those interested that no stagy .seals were found at sea, and from
this, by inference at least, it has been suggested that these anin)als are, for some
reason, a different class.

In his report for 1.S9(J, the Canadian connuissioner, Mr. Andrew Ilalkv^tt, quotes
the statements of a large number of sealers to the ett'ect that they had never known a
stagy seal at sea aiid had seen very few in poor condition as to fur. Mr. Halkett
expresses his own opinion as follows:

I hiivo simply to saytliat uotlihig leBembling a seal in poor roiiditioii, eitli.r iis to hair or fur, waa
smiii l.y iiKs iiltlioiigli some KOO passed through iiiv liands.
15184 5

THE FUR SEALS OF THE I'BIUILOF 1HLAND8.

IIo adds tliu ruiiiiirk:

I liiivo IIO ililllriilty to ilui'idr im to a binl in » iiioltiii.t; niiiilitioii or hi lull liriTiliiiK |i1iiiimK«, or
n iiiiiiniiial whi-u caHtiiiK i''* luiir, ho tliut I citiiiiol iiudcrstuiul wliy it nIiuiiIiI lie ho dilllt'iilt to tull ii
Mta^y weal.

Tlio troiiblo hei'v arises from a iiiisiiiHlcrstaiidiiitj; ut' what is iiioaiit iiy ''stagincHs."
it douH not doBigiiato any iiiariviMl ditt'oreiice in quantity of tlio fur. It has cliivtiy
to do with the conditi(Ui ot thu water luiir. During tiiu months of August, Soptcnilier,
and October tlie water hairs are gradually replaced by a new growth. Wliile this
new hair is growing and before it has attained its full length it sticks tightly, and Ih
very ditllcult to remove in uidniirlng the skin in the process of dressing.' The practical
impossibility of removing all the short hairs depreciates the value of the skins. When
the seals are taken on the islands in.Iunuand July the skins are aiiproaching the time
when these hairs are ready to fall out, and they arc (tonseipiontly more easily removed.
Ah a large part of thu value of the skin is the result of the labor put upon it in
prejKiration, anything which tends to increase this labor decreases the value of the
pelt in the raw state.

To the eye of the casual or uutraiued observer the skin of the seal tak»'n in
August or September does not show staginess. If the fur is parted, however, the
short hair can be seen among the fur and hidden by it.

('Uder these conditions it is not strange that sealers a id others do not recognize
the seals as stagy. Staginess is a condition fully recogni/.ed and appreciated oidy
by the furrier. In deference to his wishes, the seals on tlie islands are not taken while
they are in this condition. As a result, for ohis reiiBon among others, the island catch
is regarded as superior to the catch taken at sea. Tho pelagic sealer do(\s not respect
the stagy season, and declares that he takes no stagy seals, but the price he obtains
for his skins clearly indicates that the furrier does not i..grce with him.

TIIK VKttlVAL OK THE Y(»l'N(iKI{ SKALS.

There remains yet to be recorded the arrival of the young 1 and '2 year old
females. Their brothers, we found, arrive at the islands about the middle of -Iidy
and spend their time on the hauling grounds. Whether the young females come with
them to the vicinity of the islands or are associated with them on the migrations is
not known. But they do not associate with them to any great extent on the islands.

The 2-year-old8 come to tlie rookeries about the lirst of August. They take
up their places in the old harems or in new and temporary ones in charge of young
bulls on the water front and in the rear of the regular breeding grounds. Here they
are served by the bulls and return to the water. .

'Tlio (Illllciilties ill the way of troatinj; utagy skins are well put in the following extract from
a letter by Mr. Isaac Liebeu, of the liriu of H. Lielieet A- Co., furriers, of San Francisco, Ciil. :

'•The short or water hair (in stagy skins) can never bo entirely romoveil, iiiid in iitteuiitting to
do HO a great deal of the wool is jiiilled out with the hair, which of course deteriorates the <iiiality.
Then again, the stuinps of the hair being left in the leather (as they cannot he pulled out, but are cut
olV), makes the pelt stitf and harsh, so that after it is ]>repai'ed the stagy skin can be cloarly indicated
by the color and texture of the leather. The water hairs can never bo removed from the thin aides o{
the animal, where the fur is shorter than in the back, and in the procesH of machining, which these
skins undergo, the wool is separated so as to expose the stiff hairs, which are then cut out, but the
sidtts, being so short in fur, the machine cannot snccesiifnlly separate the hair from the wool."

CI.08E Ul' TlIK ItUKKDINCi SEASON.

The yeailiiiK t'cmalcs doiihlloHH collu^ to the ishiiKls in (Hnupaiiy with tii« U-yeur
ohls, hilt ilo not put in an appoanincu on the rookeries much before Seitteinber, at, the
time when t\w pups of tlie year are able to swim well and begin to luuku their lirst
excursions about tlie islands. For tiie rest of the season tliese younj; seals spend their
time playing among the pups and ranging like privileged ehariuiters over the rookeries.

That they <lo not, as has been supposed, frecpient the hauling grounds with the
males is doubtless due to the fact that these would annoy them, for tlui instiiiet of
rounding up a harem and lording it over others is early developed in the young
male. A young yearling male may freiiucntly be seen rounding up a pod of sleeping
or resting pups with all the gusto of an adult. The pu|)S themaelves not iufru(iuuutly
attempt the same thing with their fellows.

TIIK MUKAKINii 11' Ol' TIIK IIUKKDINW ."^MASON.

As has already been said, about the 'jr»th of -Inly the old harem bulls, that have
fasted since the lirst of May, begin to leave and seek the feeding ground.s. As they
withdraw, their pla(;es arc taken by the idle bulls. This class of males does not locate
delinitely on the breeding grounds nmcli bo'bre the arrival of the cows. They have,
therefore, fasted a shorter period and are a)>ir to remain out the .season.

I>y the .'ith to the lOtli of August all the iiblebodied adult bulls have gone, and
the younger bulls, together with the l)iichelors, tioek over the breeding grounds.
Tlie bachelors have, during the breed' • .siuisoii, been strictly excluded from the rook-
eries, but with the «leparture of the bulls the\ take atlvantage of their new freedom,
and mingling with the cows and pups, they roinid up mimic harems and mak*; them-
selves generally at home. In a few weeks, however, the novelty of the situation
wears oil', and the bachelors return to their favorite loungiii''' places on the aaiid
beaches.

THE OONUITION (»!•' TIIE 1Utll,>J.

IVIiuih has been said of the wasted and broken condition of the harem masters as
they leave the islands after their long fast. It is true that they become reduced in
condition from their earlier state, but they are by no means .so reduced or broken in
spirit as they are reported. During the .season of l.s<>7, in counting the pups on the
several rookeries it was necessary to enter them late in July or early in August and
turn off the adults into the water. These .so-called weak and emaciated bulla were
found not only able but vnlling to fight us or one another to the last. In many cases
they could not be moved at all any more than in the height of the season. This was at
a time when these animals must many of them have been without food or water for at
least two months. Our experience taught us that so long as an adult bull is on the
breeding ground there is tight and courage enough in him to make him master of the
situation; it is when the breeding season is over and he has removed to the sand
beaches that he becomes tame and tractable.

The harem bulls on their first departure seek the feeding grounds and by the fir.st
of September return, some of them to their former places on the rookeries, where they
plainly show their rejuvenation by their renewed combativeness, and also by their
eftbrts to round up and monopolii^e such cows as still remain about. Most of them,
however, haul out on the great beaches along North Shore, English Bay, and Lukanin,
to sleep during the rest of the season, going to and coming from the feeding grounds
as they feel like it.

nr-f;- T''-|,'^ :

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

THK l"t»01) AND FKKDING (iUOUNDS.

The ret'tliii}; grounds of the fur seuls in Bering Heu lie to tiie south and west of tiie
i'ribih»f Ishiiids, just otf the lOO-futhoni curve, at a distancf of from 100 to L'<Hl miles.
In the migrations the ^eals seem to foUow in a general way this same eurve

The food takeii by the seals in Bering Hea t-onsists mainly of squid, pollock, and a
small smelt like tish known only through the bones found in the stomachs of the sesils.
On the migrations along the coast scjuid is again the chief <liet, though occsisional
salmon, herring, and rocktish are taken. This subject is more fully treated by Mr.
Lucas in Part III.

THE A(}K OK THK SEALS.

Of the age of the fur seals we know practically nothing, but one striking thing
about the fur-seal rookeries is the absence of any animals which seem to be aged or
decrepit. On certain sand beaches ami outof-the -way places animals in poor condi-
tion were seen, which at first glance seemed to correspond to the class of aged and
intirm among other animals, but on dissection they were found without exception to
show injuries which fully accounted for their condition. Some had dislocated joints,
broken bones, injuries to the spine, buckshot wounds, and like trotibles. None were
suH'ering from old age.

Nor is this a thing to be wondered at. The severest strain which the fur seal
undergoes is the winter migration in r>ering Sea and the North Pacific. An animal
weak or broken down from old age or injuries of one sort or another would succumb
first to the hanlships of the sea and would not return. To the breeding rookeries and
hauling grounds are returned each spring only those animals which have possessed
the iiardihood and strength to survive the adverse conditions of the winter. These
may be relied upon, unless overcome by accidents, to maintain themselves during the
summer, to be again sifted out in the struggle for existence which the ensuing winter
renews.

THE IMR SEAT, WW

Of all the different classes of animals the pups are the most conspicuous and
interesting. For the first two months of their lives they arc always jiresent on the
rookeries where they are born. Their black coats contrast sharply with the gray
stones and with the brown fur of their mothers. For a few days after the pup
is born it is watched over by the nmlher with a moderate sliow of interest, which
manifests itself chieHy in supplying it with nourishment and keeping it out of the
way of the clumsy bull. But before long the little fellow grows inde])en(lent and
leaves the family circle, seeking the lee of a sheltering rock at a distance from the
harems. There it spends its time sleeping and playing with its companions.
Whether this " podding" of the pui»s is a matter of choice or the outgrowth of the
instinct of self-preservation, the result is good, for it keeps the little fellows out of
the way of the fighting and trampling bulls. From the time when the pup joins
the pod it receives no attention from the mother except on her return from the sea,
when she feeds it. Her absences are at first brief, but as the i)up grows older they
lengthen <mt. The pup gorges itself with milk while the mother is on land and goes
hungry until her return.

THK SWIMMINO PUPS.

Wlieii it is iibout u month old the pup seeiis the water's edge, and aCter paddling
about for a time in the tide pools gradually learns to swim. This art, in which it
becomes wonderfully expert, it liuds evident difficulty in acquiring.

THE SWIMMING OF THK ITPS.

Many accounts have been giveu of the way in which various classes of animals are
snppo.sed to assist the pups in learning to swim. If thes(^ have any foundation
whatever it arises from a misinterpretation of the fact that the y«mng bachelors, ami
probably the yearling cows as well, play with and tease the pups in their (irst
attempts to swim. Bachelors were thus often seen to shove the little |)Ups off the
rocks into the water, or even to attempt to catch and duck them. But the pur|)ose
was not to assist the pups.

What first starts the ])up to the water is not clear, though why any <»ther reason
than the mere fart that it nuist eventually learn to swim and that the water is at
hand, should be necessary, is not clear. It may be that the lirst pups seek the wat«n'
following the example of the departiug cows. But, «Mice a single pup has nnule the
experiment, every pup in its section of the rookery soon follows the example.

The puj) seeks first tlie secluded and protecjted tide pools, of which numbers can
be found along the rookery fronts. Here it paddles about, gradually seeking the open
water, but keeping close to the shore. Its chief ditticultj at the (tutset is to keep its
disproportionately large head above water. In a very short time it becomes perfectly
at lioti.e in the water and spends most of the daytime in it. As the pups are accus-
tomed to play on shore, so they play in the water, r(»lling over and over each other,
diving for shells, shaking strips of kelp, pieces of sticks, feathers, or anything that
comes to hand, just as young dogs nn'ght.

THE EXCIRSIONS OF THE PUPS.

By the middle of September, wIhmi the pups have learned to swim well, they sud-
denly develojt a roving spirit and pass back and forth between neighboring rookeries,
and there is a continuous baud of pups coming and going between them. Thus, siush
a belt of pups was fimnd in the early part of September toexteml from Kitovi rookery
l)ast East Landing to Keef rookery, nearly a mile distant. Another followed around
the cliffs back of the village connecting (iorbatch with Lagoon, Lagoon was in like
manner connected with Tolstoi head, and a band of pups stretched on along the water
front of English Bay, uniting Tolstoi and t!'e Zapadnis.

At certain points intermediate between these terminals, the pups hauled out in
gioups of varying sizes and slept on the rocks, apparently remaining there for days
and <lays at a time. But after the pups were branded on Kitovi rookery, observa-
tions on a pod of these pui)s hauled out under HIack Hluff showed that while the
number in these <listant places remained nearly constant, the individuals came and
went regularly. The pups doubtless returned to the rookery to meet their motheis,
tindng their visits with her return.

Toward the close of the month of September these excursions of the pu|)s ceased
as suddenly as they began, and the pups remained about their respective rookeries
and in the waters adjacent to them, sleeping on shore when hungry, sleeping aud
playing in the water when full of milk.

THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOK ISLANDS.

MOttTALITY AMONG THE SEALS.'

Oil the rookeries but a slight mortality occurs among the adult sesils. A few of
the cows are killed in various ways, chiefly in the struggles of the bulls for their
possession. A total of 131 of these dead cows was found on the rookeries of the
two islands last year. A score or more of bulls were found dead at the same time,
evidently as a result of contests with one another. But this loss in a herd of
nearly ir*(),(HH) adult animals is insignificant.

DEATH OP PUPS.

Among the pups the mortality is niore striking. The average fur-seal pup after
it is a few weeks old is not an easy animal to kill or injure. In our exi)erienco we
have seen them stand hard knocks and even come from under the feet of the bulls
uninjured. We have seen them tumble oft" and go bounding down the cliiVs like
rubber balls without apparent injury. But when the little pup is only a few days old
it is a very ditterent matter. In the rushes of the clumsy bull in his cttorts to defend
or discipline his harem a certain number of the little fellows are crushed to <leath
before they are old enough to get Jiway and pod by themselves.

THE PARASITE UNCINARIA.

In our investigations of the subject of mortality among the pups in 1896, which
were begun late, we assumed that the chief cause of death among the 11,000 pups
counted before the middle of August was the trampling of the fighting bulls. The
more thorough investigations of 1897, however, prove this an error. The principal
cause of death was found to be a small parasitic worm of the genus Uncinaria, which
infests sandy areas where the seals are crowded and the ground has become filthy.

The embryos of the worm are taken in from the fur of the mother by the nursing
pup and develop in the intestines, sucking the blood and causing the pup to die of
ana'uiia. It is an infantile disease, and those which do not die before the middle of
August outgrow it .and survive. After that time these natural or attcidental causes
of death have but little effect on the pups, though, as we shall see later on, another
and more serious cause of death presently begins, namely, the starvation of the young
due to the loss of the mother at sea. For this man is solely responsible.

THE COUNT OF EAULY DEAD PUPS IN 180(5.

This early mortality among the pups was made the object of a careful enumera-
tion in 1896. A full record of the count by rookeries will be found in the stitistical
appendix to this report. The following counts of the "death traps" where the injury
of the worm was greatest will give some idea of its destructive effects :

Itecord of pups, 18%.

Kookery.

ToUtoi (innln. iuclnding sand flat).

/apiKlii i

Keel

(iorl)atcli

Pupa born.

ll,77fl
17,848
15,258
», 142

Pups lll'ttll

(August).

1.495

X 095
«50
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ENEMIES OF THE FUR SEAL.

On the island of St. George a complete census of tbe dead pups for both seasons
was made. This will illustrate the relative death rate on typical rotikery ground from
more or less accidental causes. The worm is practically absent from the rookeries of
St. (leorge, which are all located on bowlder beaches. On these rookeries there were
born in 189G about 19,000 pups; in 1807, 10,000. The following is the count of dead
pups by rookeries :

Comparative counts of dead pups, St, George.

Itmikory.

18iW.

1897.

2U
34
U3

112
75

Niirtli

259
»1
112
1S»
135

Little East

East . ..

Totiil -

736 j

558

THE DEPARTURE OF THE SEALS.

At the fiiisi. ajtproach of winter, usually in November, the cows and pups go away
together. The pups are doubtless weaned at this time, as they nurse and subsist
solely on their mothers' milk until the time of their departure. Following the example
of their elders, they doubtless soon learn to subsist on fish. Thoy have a hard time
of it the lirst season by reason of the difticulty of securing food and because of the
severity of the winter storms. It is pretty clearly ascertained that only about
one-half return the second spring, and that not more than one-third of those born
reach the age of 3 years.

THE ENEMIES OF THE SEAL.

What enemies the seals encounter on their migrations we do not know. Doubt-
less the greatest cause of destruction among them is the storms of winter, and these
affect most strongly the old or injured and the young and inexperienced, which
possibly fail to secure the requisite amount of food.

Much has beeu said .about the ravages of certain species of sharks. Jt is not
known that any shark preys upon them, in the north at least. The (Jreat Killer
{Orea oraa) is a known source of loss about the islands. Whether the killers attack
them in the open ocean or not is not known, though 't is probable that they do not
to any great extent.

THE OKEAT KILLER.

Killers were seen in schools of from three to .seven plying about the islands in
the latter part of September, undoubtedly destroying many pups. These big ttsh
swim into the bays, which fairly swarm with seals, old and young, at this time.
Their course, as they move along the rookery fronts, is marked by hovering gulls,
which alight to pick up.the fragments. The seals seem absolutely stupid in presence
of the danger.

On one occasion after a raid by these killers the carcass of a mangled cow
was found washed up on Zoltoi Sands. On another occasion a killer in heavy surf
followed the seals into Village ('ove and became stranded on the rocks, but another

THE PUK SKAIiS OF THK I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

heavy roller enabled it to get away bet'ore steps (jould be taken to kill it. One of its
niantfled victims, a large gray pu|>, was wasiied ashore, and an opportunity was thus
given for its examination.

The killers are rei>orted to visit the islands also in the spring at about the time
of the landing of the eows, and a few were seen early in June in the spring of 1897.
Whatever may be said of these animals, and tlie destruction they may cause, their
feeding on the fur seals can not be considered as more than incidental, else they would
remain about the islands all summer. They probably do not depend upon the seals in
any way for food.

'j'HK DErARTlKK OP HA<!HELOUS AND HILLS.

The bachelors still linger about the islands after the departure of the cows. They
are taken for food by the natives all through the month of Decend)er and at times far
into January. On mild winters they are to be seen about the islands all winter.
Thus, in the season of 189G-97, a food drive was made on December 14, and seals were
reported on Sivutch Kock on December liO, January 7 and 29, February 6 and 16.
Nineteen seals were killed for food on the rock on March 2.

But as a rule November closes the stay of the seals on the islands, and, class by
class, they set out on their winter migrations.

TiiE SWIMMINU OF THE SEALS.

Tiie fur seal is wonderfully adapted for its long winter residence in the water.
Its movements are as quick and graceful as those of a fish. In swimming it uses the
fore Hippers only. The hind flippers are held flat together, projecting backward liky>
a rudder, and they may serve the animal in that capacity.

There are abrupt cliflfs on St. Paul Island from which the motions of the swimming
seals can be wat(!hed. A stone thrown near a submerged seal causes it to turn about
and dart away w ith lightning speed. So rapid are its movements when thus disturbed
that it is impossible to distinguish the motion of the flippers, which are jiowerful
enough in the case of the bull to make the water boil in foam.

THE RATE OF TRAVEL.

In traveling rapidly the seal alternately rises clear of the water and dives under
it in a series of compound curves. The dolphin-like leap, "breaching" as it is called,
enables the animal without loss of time to recover its breath. How fast the seals can
travel is not known and can probably not be computed. They have, however, been
seen to follow and swim with apparent ease about vessels going at from 19 to 12 knots
per hour. Under force of circumstances they could doubtless reach a higher rate
of speed, but whether it could be continued through long distances can not be known.

Observations of the movements of a braiided cow on Lukanin rookery in 1897
seemed to indicate that in her earliest absences she was gone from three to four days.
As the feeding grounds in Bering Sea are upward of 1(H) miles distant from the
islands some idea of the distance she must have traveled can be gained. She would
doubtless spend some time on the feeding banks eating and resting. This trip the
females make regularly throughout the summer at intervals of from Ave to ten or more
days. Further evidence of the rapidity with which the seals travel can be seen in

THK SOUTHERN KUI{ SEALS.

tlie fact that, tlion};h tlio t'uiiuilus do not leave the ishuuls iniicli betbro the middle of
>oveiul)«ir, tlu'y are taken oil" the coast of Hoiithern C'alil'ornia in December. Their
trip down through tiie o<-ean must be rapid and more «>r less direct.

HABITS OF THE SOUTHERN FUR SEALS.

It may be worth our whihs to '.-ontrast witli the foregoinjj actcount of the fur
seal of tlie north some account of the life liistory of the fur .seal of the Southern
Hemisphere, the species of Arctocejthalus, from the rec.'orded observations of such
early explorers and sealers as Delano, Fanning, VVedell, aiul Morrell. Dr. .1. A. Allen
has brought together in a papei-, which appears in the Proceedings of the Paris
Tribunal the important notes bearing upon this subject.' Without (pioting in detail
we may here give a brief summary of the.se observations.

THEIR MOVEMENTS.

The adult nuiles land first in November, taking up their places on th(^ rookeries
and awaiting the arrival of the females, which come iu December to bring forth tlieir
young. They come and go, caring for their youug, until about tiie Istof February,
wheu the pups are left to shift for themselves.

In February the younger males or bachelors come on shore to shed their hair
which is accomplished by about the 1st of May. This period corresponds to our
stagy season. The bachelors then take to the water and do not return on shore nuich
before the 1st of .luly. For a month or six weeks tliey come and go regularly,
abandoning the shore at the end of this time until some time in August. For tiie rest
of the season mixed herds, young males and females, occuj)y the shores, coming and
going at intervals, until the old males begin to arrive in November. The young
then retire.

This seems to be the round of life for the various classes as rec^oided. There
is no lucid ac(!Ount of what becoinc^s of the adult males and females after the offices
of reproduction are accomplished. The bulls are reported as lasting from tlie tinu^ of
their arrival until the breeding season is over, when they leave thin and lean, to return
the following season plump and fat.

THEY DO NOT MIOUATE.

It is asserted that the seals (h» not migrate, though the record of observations
seem to indicate that certain classes of the animals are absent from their breeding
places for longer or shorter periods. While some of the animals are about the shores
at all seasons, the evidence seems to show that they aie of different classes and liavo
ditl'erent periods of movement.

11REEI)IN(I HAHITS.

The ofhces of reproduction are accomplished on land. The female bears, as a
rule, a single pup, though suggestions of the i)ossibility of twins and even triplets
are offered. The young are helpless at birth and learn to swim about a uionth
afterwards. It isfreely suggested that the mothers teach them. The i»up at birth is
covered with black hair. It gets its fur and changes its black hair for a coat of gray
in a mouth or six weeks.

' Appendix U. S. Ouhi', Kiir Seal Arli., Vol. I. p. ;!7.').

THK FUR SEALS OF THE PBIHILOF ISLANDS.

UIlEEDINlt (JUOUNDH.

Tliu 8L>iils u(;(;u|>y for their brcediug pliutus narrow bowlder b<*iu;lics at tlio toot
of lii};]i din's and extend their liareing into the crevasHOS and cinuinels in tin; t'iill's
tlironfrh whicii streams (low. In phices their breeding; (frounds ext<Mid inhmd one or
two hundred yards. 'Fiie aninnils chimbur over the rocivs, reaciiing {daces iiuiecessible
to num. Tlicy have good ])owers of locomotion, and the young walk on all fours.

In (dimati(! conditions the home of the soutliern fur seals resend)les that of
the northern, though there is not the same marked difl'crence between summer and
winter. Doubtless there is no migration because no necessity for it. An average
annual tem])cratur(>. of from 4(P to 45° is recorded, which is about the summer
clinuite of the Pribilof Islands. The sky is almost constantly overcast. Uain falls
daily.

The fur seals of the south are gregarious and herd closely (srowded on their
rookery grounds, class by class. The young nniles are forced to withdraw by them-
selves in the breeding season.

THE FKHITINa OP THE UTTLLH.

The bulls struggle with one another for possession of the (-ows as they land.
Each harem has from fifteen to twenty cows. These are ,jeah>n8ly guarded and are
not permitted to leave. The bulls light valiantly against intrusion, whether by one
of their own number or by num.

There is the same disparity between the nuiles aiul females. The former is
recorded as (i to 7 feet long, the Iatt«r about 4, with a corresponding diflerence in
weight.

They are found sleeping and playing in the water. Just as the fur seals of the
north are, and it is reported easy to approa<'h and spear them.

DIFFEUENCE IN TIME OF BIRTH.

It may be worthy to note in this connection that Capt. W. L. Noyes, who visited
the (ialai>agos Islands during the summer of 1897, found cows with pui)8 already
born in -Inly on Wenman Island, just north of the etpiator, whereas cows on other
islands of the same group to the south of the equator, killed in September, contained
pups still unborn and ai)parently not to be boru until October or November. The
seals of these islands are reported by others to bring forth their young at all seasons.

There is, however, no essential difference in the habits of the seals of the two
hemisidieres. The differences in date of the stagy season and of the breeding season
are matters dependent upon the climate. The absence of migration periods so marked
as in the case of the northern seals is due to the absence of such harsh conditions as
the winter of the north exhibits.

♦

C'lIAPTKU VI,

THE CONDITION OF THE FUR-SEAL HERD.

A. PAST CONDITIONS.

We liiivc {jivoii ill the piecediiifj skotcili a brief duHcriptioii of tlie more prominent
frencM'iil r«iitur(!H of tlie life history of the fur seal. Tliis is only a brief siiiniiiary of
the record of daily observations made by the conimissioii, and wliieli is ^nven in full
in a siibseiiuent jiart of tliis rejiort. Many of tliese topics also are dis<Missed in
greater detail in special ]>ap«^rs contained in Part HI. We may now pass to a
discussion of the main questions involved in the fur-seal controversy and made the
principal object of this invcstij^^ation. The first and chief of these relates to the
condition of the fur-seal herd, past and luesent.

AOKEAOK MKASUllKMENTS.

I'ntil the season of IH'.Hi all estimates as to the nuniber of seals have been based
upon acreage nieasureinciits of one sort or another. In the early days, when the
rookeries were teeming with seal life, it is probable that any otherinethod of enuinera-
tioii would have been exceedingly diilicult, if not impossible. At any rate, no other
method was tried.

We may say at the outset that acreage measurements of rookery population are
exceedingly unsatisfac^tory. It is no easy task to llnd the area of 'i given rookery.
Its length or sea front is easily ascertained, but its average widtii is at best purely a
matter of conjecture. It spreads out over the level ground, shrinks away from a sand
beach, climbs up hills in gullies, extends over cliffs, breaks at a cove to iierinit bachelors
to land, thins out among rocks, and widens in great amphitheaters. Its lower boundary
fluctuates with the tides; its inland extension grows daily with the arrival of late-
coming cows, and the whole outline is (;lianged iu a few days as the bands of virgin
2-year-olds come into the ranks late in July.

THE DIFFICULTY OF ACCURATE RESILTS.

To measure a rookery, it is necessary to determine its boundaries from a distance
in the breeding season, and after the departure of t-he seals to go on the ground and
make the necessary measurements. It is impossible to approach the breeding mass
in the height of the season near enough to locate landmarks by which the person
making the measurements is to determine what he is doing. The best that can be
done is to take the natural features available, a stone here or a break in the bank, or
a log of driftwood there, and trust to being able to relocate them later on. The occu-
pancy of the seals -themselves leaves no permanent trace. Behind the rookeries for a
consideriible distance the ground has exactly the same appearance as that occupied
by the seals, and late in the season the rookery population, where possible, moves
back over its rear boundary, taking up a new position. Only natural landmarks can

TIIK FUR SEALS t)K THE PKIIULOF ISLANDS.

tli(M-<>t<)i'<> li«t titkuii, mill ill u iiiilu of rookfiy spiict^ tliu iiiniilutr of iliMtiiigiiisliiiblu
null Us (»f I his sort is t'.\cc«(liiiKly siiiall. WIumo stones iixist, tiuTO uro tiioiismids of
tiit'iii piarliciilly iii(listiii;;iiisiiulile. On baru slo|i«;s, as on <ioi'batuii, \ ostoclini, and
I'oloviiia, tliui'u arc no natural laiuliiiarlis wliatt'vor.

TIIK AIISBNrE (»l' REI-1\III.K SIHVKVhI.

If poiffctly reco^ni/.ablo. artitlcial landmarks could bu plactid at every an^le, turn,
and ])r(>ie(;tion of tbo belt of broedinjj; seals, or if these points couitl be taken from a
distance by instruineiitHand then reproduced with certainty in tlic same manner after
tiie animals have left the ^'round, accurate results mi^^ht be obtained. Nothing' of
this kind, however, was done, at least no landmarks remain to show for it.

THE IRRKOULAB NATURK OK THE (»R()UN1).

liut a determination of the rookery Itordcrs is not the only ditticnlty. The
character of the (ground is extremely variable. It lies at every coii(;eivable aii^i'le
and slant. Tiiere are narrow, rocky beaches hemmed in by perpendicular clitls.
Tliere are loiiff slopes of jajjyed bowlders. There are sand Hats and cinder slopes.
On the bare places tiie seals still mass together as closely as they can be <M'owded,
and ou the rocky areas they lie about among the rocks as best they can. Their
distribution over the rookeries is as irregular as the nature of the ground.

It is in general true tliat the greater the uuiuber of females the more extended are
the boiiiularies of the rookeries; but it is also true that with the decrease of the
number of seals tiie po|)ulation of the rookeries grows sjiarse without a corresponding
decrease of dimensions. It is probable that when the seals were more numerous
they were as evenly distributed over the ground as its nature would ]u ait, and
the greater part of each rookery was ch»sely massed; but at the present me their
distribntion is vcny irregular, as une<|nal as the arrangement of the tids in the
forest. On some of the rookeries, as on Tolstoi sands, in the breeding season tht^
seals lie as thick as swarms of bees. On otlier rookeries, as the Lagoon, detached
harems sprawl over the rocks and individual seals are greatly scattered. Nor are
the mechanical imperfection of tiiese estimates all. The counts of live pups made
during the seas(»ns of 1896 and 181)7 slutw that at the time when these past estimates
were made not more than half of the cows are present at any one time.

ACRBiGE MEASUREMENTS CHIEFLY (lUESSWORK.

In a word, the acreage measurements of the rookeries in the past have been based
chietly upon guesswork. More guessing has been done in determining the space to
be assigned to individual animals, and finally tlM*' rookery population sought to be
enumerated has at best represented only about half the actual number of animals
belonging to the herd. The last element of uncertainty was not known until 189(i, it
having been assumed up to that time that during the period between the lOth and
l-'Oth of .Jnly all or practically all the animals belonging to the breeding herd were
present upon the rookeries.

THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROHLEM.

It is easy to find in the magnitude of the problem an explanation for the adoption
of su<'li a fiinlty method. It is not so easy to tind an excuse for iin)>licit reliance

ESTIMATKS OK NUMHEB OF FUR 8KALS.

-.
y

put ii|H)ii its rt'siiUs. Tluf partn of mokeiios wliifli fan h<f coinitcd to <liiy :ir«^ ho
I'irciiiiiHcrilioil l»y flitl'H aixl the iiarrowiit'SH of tlie IhmicIii'h tliat to iiniku ii coiiiit of
Mu'iii, i^Vfii lit tlif tiiiif of Whi >jr»'at»'nt <l«*nsity of their popnlaiion, woiilil liavf hccii
hut littlo iiu>i'e Winiciill than it isUxhiy. Mor«^ st-als wt-ii^ prcsi'iit on a (jivcii ar*>a,
hut tht« area was ii<» creator. Tht^ rountin^r of thoH<! iirtniH woiihl of coiiihu not havi'
i'<'li«;vc<l tlie dilliciilty as to a (toniph'tf ccnsas; hut a dellnitu and oxart eniinu'ration,
(tvon of Hu snuill an<l atcossil)]** a br(>edin;; ;;i'ound as Hpiiki, in 1H7(, could not have
faih-d to fioar up many of tin; prohltMiis wiiifh havf tended to inerease the confusion
in past comlitions.

KAWLV r.STI MAIMS.

In i;onsidei'in;{ the various estimates of earlier times, we purposely |)aHs over that
of liishop N'eniaminof. It is too vague and unsatisfactory to he oi any value. It
is, moreover, a propliecy of future results, based on assumed itremises, rather than u
measure of actual conditions. Furthermore, it was nuvde at a time (about l.S.'{ t) when,
as we know, the herd had rcaidicd from some cause or other a state of approximate
annihilation.

OAJ'TAIN MWYANT's KSTIMATK.

After the islands came into the possession of tht^ I'liited States the tirst attemjit
to reach an estimate of the number of seals w is made by (.'apt. Charles Hryant, agtMit
of the (it)vernmeiit, sent in bSti!) to investigate the condition of the herd. Captain
Bryant sums up his method of enumeration a.'^ folhtws:'

TliKie lire iit loast ll.' iiiilt's of Hboru liiiu on the islaiiil of St. I'liiil iiiciiiiiuil liy llio hi'iiIs ;is

liruoiliug grouiuU, with the uveru);« width ol' tr- ioiIn, 'I'heru lieiii){ iilmiit twunty huiiIs t,i> tlio H(|ii:ir*t

roil, KivuH 1,152,000 as thr wliiile iiiiiiiImt of ))ri'e<liii); iiiiiIcb mikI I'eniali'H. Doiliirtiiig iine-tenth tor
iinileH leaves 1,01?", SOO lireiMtiiiK IViiinles.

lie estimates the iiumiter of seals on St. (iecuge at one-half the number on St.
Paul. He further makes a rough estimate of the iuind>er of nonbreeding males, but
he does not work itoutor give a total. In (;omparing the estimate of Captain llryant
Avitli the subsequent estimate of Mr. Klliott it must be noted that the young are not
included.

THE I'lBST A('1!EA(JE ENTTMEUATION.

This estimate is crude both in its methods and in its nssults, but it certainly
contains the germ of all subsequent acreage estimates of the seals. It was made and
its results were published at least two years before the work <»f Mr. Elliott, which
was begun in 187U. Whatever credit, therefore, belongs to the invention and execution
of this method of arriving at the population of the rookeries must rest with Captain
liryant. His enumeration, though but a rough ap|)ro\imation, and probably so
considered by him, brought for the first time the fur-seal herd within the range of a
numerical estimate.

ELLIOTT'S K.STIMATi; <il' 1H-1>-1S7I.

The next attempt at enumeration was made in 1872-1874 by Henry W. ICIliott,
special agent sent by the United States Treasury Department to investigate the con-
dition of the herd. He followed the same general method inaugurated by Captain

' Hull. Miis. Comp. Zool., 1870, Vol. II, p. 100.

THE F'JR SEALS OK THE I'KIUILOF ISLANDS.

liryaiit, tiudiii}; the alioie extent iiiid width of the rookeries and allottin^r a certain
space to each individual animal. He, however, worked out the i)Iau in much greater
detail.

IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS.

In Mr. Elliott's census two important assumptions are made at tiie outset. The
first is that the time when the rook<jr.y population lias reached its "exact margin of
exi)ansion, at the week of its greatest volume, or when the rookeries are as full as
they are to be during the season, is between the lOtli and liOth of July every year; not
a day earlier and not many days later." ' Mr. Elliott assumes as a result of this obser-
vation that at tiie period in question all, or practically all, of the animals were present
and would be included in an enumeration made at that time.

THE LAW OF UlSTUIIUTiON.

lie then assumed^ "an imjierative and instinctive law of distribution, recognized
by each and every seal," in obedience to which "the breeding grounds occupied by
them were invariably covered with seals in exact ratio, greater or less, as the area
upon wfiich they rested was larger or smaller;" that the seals "always covered the
ground evenly, never crowding in at one place here to scatter (mt there;" that "on a
rod of ground under the face of blutts, which hem it in from the sea, there are just as
many seals, no more nor less, as will be found on any other rod of rookery ground
throughout the whole list, great or small."

'JOTIl ASSIMI'TIONS lN('ORRE(!T.

One who is familiar with the nature of the breeding grounds can not help feeling
that in the formulation of this law Mr. Elliott did not have the picture of the
rookeries before him. Had he traveled over the length and breadth of the rookeries,
as was done in 1890 and 1897, he never would have proposed sufih a law. That there
should be as many seals to the square rod on the jagged and broken lava blocks of
Kitovi, or on the broken slopes of Gorbatch, where the aninuils are now and must have
then been separated by bowlders weighing tons, should be the sanie as on the smooth
sand Hat of Tolstoi or the level slope of Hutchinson Hill is on the face of it impossible.

THE TRUE LAW OF DISTRIHUTIOX.

The law of distribution which the fur seal obeys is very simple. The gregarious
instinct o*" the animals leads them to crowd together as closely as possible. They are,
therefore, even now to be found in as close proximity as the nature of the ground will
permit. Where the ground is broken and interspersed with angular bowlders they
are necessarily farther apart than where the ground is free from obstructions. It is
l)robable that in Mr. Elliott's time the seals, because more numerous, were more evenly
distributed, but the nature of the ground would never permit the same distribution
everywhere.

STAIULITY OF ROOKERY CONDITIONS ONLY Al'PAUENT.

For the first assumption Mv. Elliott las some justification. During the period in
question rookery conditions are to the eye of the observer apparently stable and fixed.

Elliott, Mouui^riipk Fur-Seal lalimils, 1K8I, p. 50.

'Uml., II. 4!>.

ESTIMATES OF MR. ELLIOTT.

Tliat they were so was held as a tradition from Elliott's time down to 1.S96. It was,
however, a great mistake to assume, as has been done, that at that time all the seals
were pre.sc 't. Counts of live pups' made in the seasons of 189G and 1897 show that at
the height of the season not over half of the cows are luttually present at any one time.
The apparent stability of the rookeries is due to the fact that then the arrivals and
departures among the cows lor a time practically balance! ea<'h other at their maximum
point. Hut daily counts of the rookeries show that the stability is in no sense real,
there being from day to day even then a variation of from 10 to .50 per cent in the
rookery population.^

UKSUI.TS Ol' MR. ELLKtTT'S KNUMKIIATION.

But of those things Mr. IClliott was not aware. He was content to assume that
all tiie cows were there and, moreover, though lie could not locate the virgin 2-year-
olds, a (ilass of animals numbering, in his estimate, 220,000, which weie not present
until long after it was nuule, he did not hesitate to assume that they were included,
lie was also content with his impossible law of distribution. Itonly remained for him,
therefore, to find tiie area of breeding ground occupied and to divide it by the 4init of
space to be assigned to each imlividual animal, to arrive at the rookery population.
As a result he found, in his estimate of 0,380,840 scpiare feet of rt)okery ground on the
two islands, "room,'' as he puts it, " for 3,193,420 breeding seals and young." '

TUi; FKrlUKS INREASONAULK.

Waiving, tor a mon:<(nt, the method of obtaining these ligures, we may renuirk
that they are not easy to Jinderstand. Of this total of '* breeding seals and young,"
Mr. Klliott, in the same connection, tells us that 1,0(K),0(M) are "young." There must
then be an equal number of mothers, or 2,000,000 adult breeding females .and their
pups. To this must be added the young 2-year-old cows which are included, though
not present. Mr. Klliott has himself given us an estimate of these. Considering,
that of the 1,000,000 pups born 500,000 are fenuiles, he says that "at least 22r»,(KM> of
them safely return in the second season after birth." This, therefore, gives us a total
of 2,225,000 females and young in the complete estimate of 3,193,420, leaving 8(i8,420
animals which can only be accounted for as breeding bulls. This is impossible, and
yet no other explanation of the discrepancy is at hand. Mr. Elliott estimates, in a
separate category, all the nonbreeding males and the yearling females, finding
l,."tOO,0()0 of then». Of the breeding bulls, as a class, Mr. Elliott does not give us a
separate estimate in 1872. l>nt in 1890 he tells us thev numbered 90,000 at that time.

TIIK METHOD OK ENIMEUATION FAILTV.

lJ.it if these ligures were in themselves reasonable, we must still take exception to
the method by which they were obtained. We have alioady spoken of the general
difficulties in the way of acreage measurements. On his method of surveying the
rookeries Mr. Elliott has given us practically no <lata. He dismisses the subject
with tho remark "tliat there is no nnn-e difficulty in surveying these margins than
there is in drawing sight along the curbs of a stone fence surrounding a held," a
statement which is not by any means self-evident to anyone who has visited the

' See pagu lOit. -Sco pan"' 54, 'EUiolt, Monugraph of Kur-Sriil Isluuda, 1881, \t. (il.

THE FUR 8KALS OK THK PHIBILOF ISLANDS.

fur-seal rookeries. The surveys of the ruokeiies tlieiuselves ciiii not be verified, for
the conditions have elnin^^ed with the reduction of the herd, and no pernumeiit hind-
Hiai'ks were left. Not even of tlie survey of IS'JO is then* h'ft a sinjfle recofjnizalde
stake or stone to siiow that it ever existed. All that is left of either survey is
the unsatisfactory estimate of the seals based tipou it. These surveys should
have formed the basis for subsequent comparisons of the (U)ndition of the rookeries.
As such they would have been extremely vsiluable, but all traces of them have
disappeared.

TlIK SURVIOVS (AN X(lT BE VKKIFIKI).

It is th«!refore not possible for us to verify Mr. l-^lliott's surveys of the rookeries,
but his maps ((iving the shore line of the islands are available ah a measure of his
work as a surveyor. Of these majts Ca])taiu Moser, in his hydrograjthic report' on
the islands in 18i»(i, made certain tests. Of Mv. Klliott's shore Hue he says: "It was
a bad raistit • ♦ ♦ and rarely stood the test of an instrumental angle." He
further says of the topography of the maps that " it is so vague and indefinite that
it is next thing to impossible to do anything with them; 1 should call them sketches."
If this is true of the fixed and permanent shore line, it is not to be supposed that
the changing rookery margins, which were necessarily noted from a distance in the
summer and measured in winter, after they had melted away, were more correctly
located.

THE EFFECT OK INACdRATK SIRVEVS.

The correctness of the survey of the rookeries is of vital importance to the
accuracy of this enumeration. This importance does not lie in ascertaining the
mere length of a given rookery. This can be easily obtained, and in any event a
mistake of a few feet or of a hundred teet in the length is comparatively insignificant;
but the width of the rookery is another matter. To each one of seven of the ten
rookeries of St. Paul Island, Mr. Elliott ascribes an even average width of 150 feet.
Two of the remaining breeding grounds have a width of 100 feet each, and the third
40 feet. Therefore, for the 40,000 feet of rookery shore line on this island, .'{5,000 have
an average width of 150 feet.* Suppose there is an error of but 1 foot in this average
width, it is multiplied throughout the entire distance. According to the ujethod of
the computation involved this would mean the addition or subtraction of 17,500
animals, depending upon the side upon which the error falls. Again, suppose the
aversige width was 140 or Itji) feet, this would mean a difference of 175,000 seals one
way or the other, as Lae case might be.

AN INADEQUATE UNIT OF SPACE.

But aside from tlie <|uestion of accuracy in Mie surveys themselves, Mr. Elliott
has assigned an impossible space to each individual seal. His unit of space is 2
scpiare feet to each animal, young or old, or 4 square feet for the cows, ignoring the

' Hytlrogi'iiphic Notes, Captain Moser, Kiirt III.

■ Whatever the averagu width of eacli rookery may have been, it is certain that it was not tlie
Baiu" for all. Neither now nor at any past time have TolHtoi, Polovina, X'ostoclmi, the Ri'i'f, Kitovi,
Liikanin, anil Zapatlni had the same "average width." The 150 t'cet is a guess, and that only.

wra mu ss x Pttsmr^'

ESTIMATES OF NUMHEK8.

•-M

pups. Tlie avenif^e adult female is 4 feet long, niul iiieiisurcs an equal distance from
tii> to tip of ber outstretched fore-tlippers. In a standing position she would need at
least 3 square feet, but as the cows are constantly moving about, and cowing and
going to and from the sea, it is impossible to limi*:' one to such a space.

A 3IOUE RATIONAL UNIT OF SPACE.

During the past two seasons an eflort was made to test the unit of space which
the average seal occupies. A count of 050 closely crowded dead bodies on Polovina
killing ground showed that each body occupied a space of 13A scjuare feet. The
arrangement and proximity of these bodies corresponded very nearly to the condition
of the massed rookery where the animals are stretched out sleeping. On Ardiguen
rookery a harem containing thirty three sleeping cows and pups was observed on a
flat space circumscribed by stones in such a way that its boundaries could be definitely
k)cated. Later in the season, when the seals had abandoned the sjiot, it was measured
and found to give 8 square feet to each animal, old and young. This may be regarded
as an example of extreme nmssing, as the animals could not have been packed closer
together. The great sand flat of Tolstoi, the most densely massed rookery ground on
the islands, was roughly measured hite in the season of 189G and found to contain
about 140,000 square feet. Each of the 11,000 animals estimated for this area
would therefore have a space of about 13 square feet. Messrs. True and Townsend,
in 189."), found the average space for each individual adult seal in unmassed areas,
as on Lagoon or Tolstoi clitt's, to be 40 square feet. For the massed areas a space
one-half as great, or L'3 square feet, was arbitrarily assumed.

It is true that Mr. Elliott justifies, in part, his small unit of space by certain
references to the coming and going of the animals. Ue asserts that after the pups
are born the individual cows are not on "their allotted space one-fourth of the time,"'
and that the females "almost double their number on the rookery ground without
expanding its original limits." Hut Mr. Elliott failed to grasp what this really
meant. He sees in it only justification for the unit of space which he has assigned
to the individual animals. It should have called his attention to the fact that the
breeding seals which he saw before him, and which he was attempting to enumerate,
were but a part and not the whole of the rookerv population.

THE ESTIMATE FOll KITOVI AND LUKANIN BOOKEUIES.

When w(! leave the general features of this estimate and come to consider its
di tails we find still less reason to be satisfied with it. Of all the rookeries Kitovi and
Lukanin have been most minutely studied and counted during the seasons of 1890 and
1897. Their present conditions are absolutely known. They may be taken as typical
examples. To these two rookeries in 1874 Mr. EKiott ascribes a total itopulation of
33r),000 "breeding seals and young," or 158,000 breeding females, and, using his
estimate of 15 cows to an average harem, 10,00() active bulls. At present there are
318 bulls, or less than one-thirtieth the former number, and 9,000 breeding females,
less than one-seventeenth the former number.

To anyone who understands the situation of these rookeries this is simjtly absurd.
It would be impossible to plat 10,000 harems on the space they occupy at present or
ir,184

THK FUR SEALS OF THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

wliicb tliey occupied at any time past. Mr. Klliott's own maps show, when conijjared
with present conditions, that no such reduction has occurred. Qis average widtli of
150 feet for these rookeries proves the same thing. With such figures notltiug can be
done. Mr. li^lliott must have been wholly devoid of mathematical sense or else must
have failed to appreciate what his figures really m^ant. No other hyjiothesis will
account for them.

X MKASl'RE OF ELLIOTT'S OVERESTIMATE.

It happens that in the log of St. Paul are two references to these rookeries which
throw light on their early condition and help us to penetrate the ha/.e of exaggeration
which Mr. KUiott has thrown about them.

Under date of May U4, 1880, Mr. J. W. Beaman, then agent on St. Taul, records
in the log' of that island that he made "an inspection of Kitovi and Lukanin rook-
eries; llL' bulls were counted on Kitovi and 142 on Lukanin, with a possible error in
the count of 2.5 to 50."'

On the 24th of May by no means all of the bulls were in place, but a reasonable
l)roportion of them may be supposed to have been. Mr. Klliott tells us himself that
all the bulls were located by the 1st of June. This, however, the observations of the
season of 1897 disprove. A count of North rookery of St. George on June 7 gave 180
bulls, where about 200 harems existed in 189(5 ami where 19(i were found a month later
ill 1897. Kven on the 12th of June <i count of bulls on Kitovi rookery gave only 15G,
where 182 harems had been in 1890 and where later, in 1897, 179 harems were found.

THE COUNT OF MR. BEAMAN.

These recent counts Justify us in assuming that a large proportion at least of the
bulls were on the ground by the 24th of May, and although we can not say just w oat
proportion Ihe bulls counted by Mr. Beaman bore to the whole number on this rookery
for the season of 1880, we ujay rest assured that had there been any such number as
10,0(tO, or even .^(OOO, taking the average harem, which recent observations show to be
correct, there would have been at least between 1,000 and 2,000 of them in place on
that date.

Referring again to the log, we find that in 1879, the i>receding season, bulls began
to arrive (m Lukanin rookery on May 2, and on May 17 there were (10 of them. This
number is not greatly out of jiroportioii to the 142 found a week later the following
season, and argues still more strongly against the supposition that bulls by the
thousand would occupy that rookery in June.

CAPTAIN BUYAN'T'S NOTE.

In this connection another note in the log of St. Paul Island has significance. In
the fall of the year 187(> difliculty was experienced in securing the normal quota of
pup seals for food. Captain Bryant, commenting on this, says: "Ordinarily Kitovi
rookery alone would have supplied the necessary pups''- — four or five thousand. As
only males were killed, and as a liberal allowance must be made on account of the
swimming of the pups for the impossibility of reaching all the males, the inference

I Kxtnicts from the log of St. riiiil, Pt. II, date of May 24, 1880.
- Ibid., date of November 23, 1876.

E8TIMATK8 OF NUMUERS.

l>laiiily to be drawn fioiii this is that at the tiiiio in (]ni>8tion Kitovi rookery by a most
liberal estimate liad about -'<),UUU breed iiijj; cows. Mr. Elliott would have us believe it
had nearly 1(J0,00<>.

SPILKI AND I'OLOVINA.

Two more examples may be cited in this couiiection. Mr. Elliott ascribes to Spiiki
rookery a population of S,<)0(t cows and pui)s in 1874 and soinetliinj> like 2G0 bulls.
This was a small rookery under tlu' hill behind the village of St. Paul, afterwards
abandoned. It is recorded by Agent Beaman in the log for the year 1879' that this
rookery on June liO (a date at which all the harem bulls must have been in place) had
1'3 bulls. This is less than one-tenth of Mr. Elliott's estimate.

In the same year Mr. Dcaman records, under date of June 10, that there were '' a
couple of thousand bulls" on Polovina rookeries, where Mr. Elliott estimates lully
10,000 in 1874.

While these entries do not givo us definite proof as to the early condition of these
rookeries, yet they clearly and conclusively show that Mr. Elliott's figures are grossly
exaggerated.

I'KRSONAL ESTIMATES DIFFER.

To sum the wiiole matter up, we are uuable to accept Mr. Elliott's estimate as
representing anything more than au individual opinion greatly overdrawn by a too-
vivid imagination. The value of individual opinions in matters of this kind is well
shown by a comparison of the estimate of Mr. Elliott with that of Lieut. Washburn
Maynard, who was on the islands in 1874, with him. Lieutenant Maynard estimates
the total population of the rookeries at 0,000,000, as against Mr. Elliott's figures of
4,700,000. A difference of a million one way or another seemed to be a matter of uo
moment.

LOOSE USE OF FIGXTUES.

That Mr. Elliott himself did not originally attach close and definite meaning to
his own estimate is evident from the discrepancy already referred to, whereby he
assumes in his total of 3,103,420 " breeding seals and young " that only 1,000,000 are
pups. Further, on the basis of this birthrate, which is an understatement of his own
estimate, he finds that after making due allowance for an "extreme estimate of loss
sustained at sea " there will still be left " 180,000 seals in good condition that can safely
be killed every year.'' The ([uota never exceeded 100,000, and the turning ba(;k
annually of 80,000 young males to grow up as bulls would by 1880 have given the
island a stock of approximately 800,000 bulls. This, of course, never occurred, for
the simple reason that no such number of males in excess of the quota ever existed
on the islands.

In making the above criticisms of Mr. Elliott's census, it has not been our purpose
simply to tear down and condemn work which in many respects under the circum-
staiuies deserves commendation ; but a disposition has of late been manifested to insist
upon the absolute correctness of these figures, and in setting them aside it becomes
necessary for us to give reasons for such action.

' Extracts froui log of St. Paul, Pt. II, date uf .lune 20, 1879.

THE FUlt 8EAUS OF THK PRIUIl^OF ISLANDS.
MB. TIN(SLE'S ESTIMATK.

The next estiiiiato of tlie seals was made in the year 1886 by Mr. (leorge K.
Tingle, then Treasury agent (in St. Paul Islaiul. Mr. Tingle purported to measure the
breeding areas in the early spring when unoccupied, and then to compare them with
the ground occupied in the summer to make the necessary corrections. He found a
rookery spiice of 12,715,500 square feet, with a population of (5,357,750 breeding seals
and young. Mr. Elliott's rookery spa. a had been <»,38(i,840 s(iuare feet, with a
|)opulation of 3,llK{,4'-'0 breeding seals and young. Mr. Tingle, however, took
exception to the estimate of space assigned to the individual animals, believing it
too small. He therefore reduced his estimate by one-fourth, or to 4,708,430, still
an increase of 1,574,900 over Mr. Elliott's figures.

THE ESTIMATE INCOKBECf.

The absurdity of this estinmte makes it hardly worth considering. At the time
it was unule the herd was well ou the wiiy of decline. One element in the estimate
may perha])s be cited as indicative of its value as a whole. The rocky beach at the
foot of the clitVs, between the termination of (lorbatch rookery and the angle of
Zoftoi sands, was ntade a separate rookery, with a population of 1 1,000 seals. The
ground has never been occupied as breeding territory. Whatever may have been
the purpose of this enumeration, it certainly did not give the facts in the case.

ELLIOTT'S 1890 ESTIMATE.

In the year 1890 .Mr. Elliott again visited the fur-seal islands and nuide another
estimate of their population. He employed the same methods used in 18712-1874,
He found the seals occupying breeding territory to the extent of 1,918,780 square
feet.' 1. 1 his former estimate the ground occupied contained 0,38(5,840 square feet.
Applying his original space unit to the area of 1890, ^Jr. Elliott found a population
of 959,393 "breeding seals and young."

THE 1890 ESTIMATE UNSATISFACTORY.

For this second estimate we can oidy say that it is as bad, if not worse, than the
first. All that we have said regarding the census of 1872-1874 applies with etpial
force to the census of 1890, for, as Mr. Elliott tells us, " it is made in precisely the
same time and method." We may call attention si)ecially to the fact that notwith-
standing Lagoon rookery is found to be reduced from 37,000 animals to 9,000, the
shore front of the rookery had been doubled in length, being 750 feet long in 1872-1874
and 1,500 in 1890. No explanation is offere<l.or suggested for this extension. On the
island of St. (leorge, which has at the best only a limited extent of breeding territory,
and this probably fully occupied in 1872-1874, Mr. Elliott in 1890 more than doubles
the length of all its rookeries. On East rookery alone he expands the water front
from 900 feet in 1872-1874 to 3,240 in 1890. As a result of this expansion he finds that
though the seals have become reduced to one-fourth on St. Paul Island, on St. George
the reduction has only been to one half.

' Elliott'n eHtimate for 1890 is ."lOO.OiX) square feet Ichs in extent tlian that of Messrs. True and
Townseiid for 1895. Deiilinf; with thu more accurate maps and wlien the herd wns at least a half
smaller, they found 2,616,063 square fvct of rookery space as aguiust his 1,918,786.

■tnnMsi

ESTIMATES MADE BY TKUE AND TOWNSEND.

It is not possible for ns to siifjgest iiny explanation or.justitlcatioii I'or the vufjiiiies
which these eatiiuates of Mr. Elliott show, and they need not be furtlier discussed
here. In an a))pendix to the recent republication,' by order of Congress, of reports
of agents and otliers connected with the fur seal islands, they have been considered
at length in connection with the subject-matter of the reports of which they are
a part.

THE TRUE AND TOWNSEND ESTIMATE l'(»R lS!t5.

The most recent computation of the seals by acreage measurements is that made
by Messrs. True and Townsend in 1805, In this a decided improvement was nnule in
securing the space unit occujued by the individual seal, instead of using an arbitrary
estimate, a count of the cows was ma<le on Kitovi and Lagoon rookeries aiul on parts
of Lukauin and Tolstoi. The area of the counted districts was then taken fntni the
current maps, and the average space occupied by the individual seals Ibund. For the
4,11(> cows counted, this average was found to be 4(5 square feet, ranging from (»"»
square feet on Lagoon rookery to li!) on Tolstoi. As the spaces counted wer«i all of
the scattered or 'Minmassed" sort, an arbitrary reduction to one-half of this spa«'(', or
23 s<iuare feet, was made for the crowded or "massed" breeding grounds.

Taking these averages and applying them to the acreage extt^nt of the brc^eding
grounds as obtained from the current maps of the rookeries, an estimate of the popu
lati«m of all the rookeries was arrived at. The total number so obtained was about
7i»,(M>0 adult breeding seals. To make it <romparable with the former «'stimat«'S of Mr.
Elliott we may add the 70,000 pups, making a total of 145,000 " breeding seals and
young."

THE ESTIMATE MTTST BE DOUHLED.

In this enumeration it was assumed that, at the time the census was made, all, or
practically all, the animals were present, including the yearling and 2year-old females.
The etfect of this assumption we have already alluded to in connection with Mr.
Elliott's estimate. The fact is that at no time during the season are more than half
the cows |>resent. The estimate must therefore be doubled at least to make it
represent actual conditions.

IT ANTICIPATED THE REASON.

But as a matter of fiujt, for the estimate of 180.') this will not be sutlicieiit. The
counts on which the estimate is based were made before the real maximum of popula-
tion on the rookeries was reached. The counting was done between the 8th and
10th of July, whereas the investigations of 1800 and 1897 show that the maximum of
population is probably not reached until about the 15th of the month. Mr. Townsend
himself, in referring to the estimate of 1895, remarks that "the rookeries may not
have (as yet) reached their breeding height."

ARBITEAEY REDUCTION FOU MASSED AREAS.

Another weakness in this estimate lies in the arbitrary reduction to one-half in
obtaining the space for the massed rookeries. Our investigations on this point seem

' "Seal and Salmou Fisberics, aud Ueueral UesuurcoH of AluHka," vol. :i

8(]

THE KUtt 8KAL8 OF THE PRIHILOP ISLANDS.

to indicate that the si)a('e unit for massed breeding {jrounds shonhl be smaller. Hut
for the uiidereatiinate whicli may therefore be involved on this account we can otter
no correction. For the underestimate due to the early date at which the count was
made we can make a rough estimate. The (hiily count on Lukanin rookery for the
season of 1897 shows that between the 8th and 15th of July there was an increase of 15
per cent in rookery population. This would increase the figures for 1895 as originally
given to about 80,U0U, and after doubling for absentees the corrected total would
be about 1CU,0<)0 breeding females. The inclusion of the yearlings and 2-year-old
females does not att'ect the total, as they were not present, and no allowance need be
made for them.

THE ESTIMATE HEVISED,

This total of 100,000 females, or giving to each female a i)Hp and adding the
estimated number of breeding bulls, making ;J:i5,000 "breeding seals and young," is
probably within 10,000 of the facts for the season of 1895. That it comes thus near
the truth, however, is the result of accident rather than good management. The
corrections whicli, in the light of subseipient experience, we have been able to make,
aie vital to its truth and change the results radically. The original results could not
have been trusted alone, and were wholly misleading.

THE IMPORTANT FKATURE OF THE ESTIMATE.

The really important feature in the estimate of 1895 is the count of cows in which
it originates. This was a distinct step in advance, in that it a|)proachcd a rational
basis. In the a])i>lication of the unit of space to the rookeries not counted the method
was unfortunate. The area of breeding ground was taken from maps in themselves
imperfect, on which the rookery outlines were sketched by the aid of the eye. The
lookery boundaries, as we have shown, are constantly changing as the season
advances, and there being no definite landmarks to guide the observer, it is impos-
sible that the outlines should be correctly located. The enumeration is therefore
cariied into the region of pure speculation and has only the value of the individual
judgment of the person tracing the nia])s.

It is fair to say, however, that nothii'g definite and exact was claimed for the
census of 1895, as Mr. True's own words, in commenting upon it, will show. lie says:
" I do not think that any estimate can be made which will ap])roximate the truth
more than remotely," and he continues to say that tlie (;hief useof such calculations is
"the elimination of fanciful estimates of the number of seals."

MR. CROWLEY'S ESTLMATES FOR 1895.

In leaving the estimates of 1895 it is necessary to refer to two other calculations
of rookery population made for the same year on a ditt'erent basis. One of these is
by Mr. J. li, Crowley, chief agent in charge of these islands. He finds, as he says,
by actual count, a total of 99,936 breeding cows and 5,552 breeding bulls. When we
make the necessary doubling of this estimate of cows and add tlie pups we have a
total of about 30.5,552 "breeding seals and young." Of the methods or details of this

ESTIMATES OF NUMUEKS.

enumeration wo know notliiiiK beyond Mr. f'rowloy's statement' tliat <'tlio breodiu},'
seal herd Iiuh l)e('n reduced to siieh proportions that it can now l»o connli-d with
comparative accuracy."

COLONEL MtTEUAY'.S KSTIMATK.

The other calculation is one yiven by Colonel Joseph Afurray.^ Uo (inds rt,{m\
bulls and 2(K>,(K)0 cows. Here again we have no details and only know that his
method «tf enumeration was to count the breeding bulls and then to apply to each an
average harem of K) cows. This average size of harem is so lar^c^ as to make it
unnecessary to double for tiie absentee cows. We have, therefore, simply to add the
necessary U()0,0(M) pups and we have a total of 40r>,<K)0 " breeding? nvah and young."

DEFECTS OF THIS ESTIMATE.

That Colonel Murray's count of bulls is more than a rough api)roxiniation its
author has iiev«u- claimed. That in greater part it is incorrect is clear from the fact
that, while it was begun about July 18 it was not com|tleted before August 21. Our
investigations show that a count of harems after July 2'> can give no idea of actual
conditions. In examining the count, as given, moreover, our attention is attracted to
the facrt that on Lagoon rookery he finds only 50 harems, whereas Mr. True and Mr.
Townsend, counting separately, found between 115 and lliO harems in the same season.
While having manifestly suffered additional decline, it still had in l.S!)7 115 harems.
On the other hand, for a total of about 300 harems on Kitovi and Lukanin lookeries,
counted by Messrs. True and Townsend, Colonel Murray recoids .'JOO. These diller-
ences tend to show that the hitter's count is made in roun<l numbers, no account of
anything less than 50 being taken.

CONTUASr OF ESTIMATES FOR ISO"..

To give an idea of the nature of these various estimates for 1.S95, it is worth while
to contrast them in tabular form:

Estimates, neason of tS95.

Trim nnd TowiihcikI

Mr. ('rowU'.v

Coloiiiil Murray

Itiillx.

4, 402

OOWH.

70, 423

UO, iiau

2(10, (HIO

It is not a gracious task to call attention to these widely variant and conflicting
estimates put forward by authorized agents of the (Jovernment, and publisiied simul-
taneously; but as tliey have been used by the British Commission to weaken the force
of the more accurate and conclusive statistics of 1890, they must be shown iu their
true light as rough eflorts at approximation, not correcited by other data.

CONTRAST OF ACREAGE MEASUKEMENTS.

In leaving the subject of acreage measurements it will serve our purpose, as
showing the unsatisfactory nature of the results thus obtained, to compare for a

' Sou. Doc. 137, Pt. I, p. 35.

»8en. Doc, 1.37, Ft. I, p. .372.

J^iSssiSMWwiA',-.

T-^

TUR FUK 8KAL8 OF THK PRIHILOK ISLANDS.

iiioiiu'iit tliu varioiiH eHtiiimtcH that have been made on this baaiH. They aru a^t
follows:

Acreage ealimate.H tif J'ltr xeah, I'rihilof hlands.

liy wlinni iiintle.

Area.

Siiiiarr/fft.

Ilrvniit (IHfil)) ] '.'M, ;t:!H, (KIU

Kliii>tt(IK7'.> IH74I 0.8Hn,H4U

Tliit:l«(lH«ll) I I2,7ir>,50()

Kllicitt (IHttO) l,«U,78fl

Trill' mill TowiiHciiil

(IHUD) 2.6U,l)fl3

AiiiiiinlH.

ItcninrkH.

l.;2«,IH)0

.'1, iu:i. fi»

4. 7IM, 4:111

»5», \m

llnii'iliiiK Mcnli.

Ilri'i'illii); hi'iiIh mill .v<mii({.

l)ii.

Do.

70, 42:1

(JiiwK iinly, incliiiliiiK iiiii)
mill two yi'ui oIiIh.

SUMMARY OF VAST CONDITIONS.

To snni np this discMission of past coiiditioiis, we may coiicladc that the estimate
of 18G!) by Captain llryant is only a ron(;h approximation, and {;ives but little idea of
the real condition of the herd. Mr. Elliott's e.stimate of 1.S7U-1874 is scarcely less
unsatisfactory, being, as we now know, nearly twice too great. Mis 18!>0 estimate,
through the arbitrary curtailment of the bleeding territory occupied, is nearer the
truth, but still far from it. The estimate of Mr. Tingle is wholly untriistwortliy. The
estimate of Messrs. True and Townsend for 18!>.5, when subjected to the obvious
corrections and additions, which later observations show to bo necessary, is very
near the facts.

A RECONSTUUf'TION OF EAULIKU ESTIMATES.

In view of wiiat has just been said, it becomes evident that the early estimates,
made shortly after the herd came into the possession of the riiited States, can not be
relied upon. There is abundant proof that the estimates are grossly exaggerated, but
data is wanting to enable us to determine the real facts. Some estimate of these early
conditions is, however, necessary, and no better method for obtaining it is available
than a theoretical reconstruction of the herd on the basis of the ]>resent known
condition of its breeding seals. To assist in this we have the record of the bachelor
herd, as indicated in the history of the quota for the first twenty years of American
control.

THE EARLIER AND LATER QtTOTAS.

From 1871 to 1889, inclusive, the hauling grounds of the Pribilof Islands yielded
10(),<)(l(> skins annually. The seals for the greater part of this jteriod were obtained
before the 2<)tli of .July. It is the testimony of those connected with the work tiiat
there were always killable seals left at the close of the season, and we know that the
rookeries never lacked the necessary supply of male life.

During the ]>resent season a cpiota of slightly more than 20,000 seals was obtained
after continuing the driving nntil the 10th of August and killing closer than ever
before. In other words, at the present time the hauling grounds are not capable
under like conditions of supplying one-flfth the number of killable seals to day that
they were able withcmt difficulty to furnish for 13 years prior to 1884.

THE (JITOTA DEPENDENT ITl'ON THE BREEDING HERD.

The bachelor herd is directly dependent upon the breeding herd. It is nominally
taken from the surviving .3year-old males and is directly related to the birthrate of
three years prior to its taking. Three years ago, or in 1894, therefore, the birthrate

.^J

=«p^

EtTIMATES OP NIMHERS.

8!)

ofpiipawaa between onu- lift li iiml one Hixtli oC what it was in the period trotn 1871
to \HSit. Thn brooding liurda of tiie Hiimo years bear tlio Hiiniu rehition to eacdi otiier.
The pro8(>iit total of brcedinj; teniales on the ishinds is about l.'t<>,(KM). We may inter,
tlieretbre, tlm^ in tiie period IHTl-lSSO there were about live times as many, or in the
i.uiKUUorhood of n<M),<MM) breeding fenniles.

KSTIMATK OF NONllBEKDING SEALS.

Of tlic bachelors or nonbreeding seals no satisfactory estinnvte has been or t-an be
made, but it is evident from tlie data now available that about one half tiie seals are
lost in the first migration at sea, while the number is still further reduced to one
third, possibly to less, before the age of 'A years is reached. From this we tuin in a
rough way calculate that in connection with the quota of li(),(KI() bachelors we have a
total of approximately 4()0,(MN) animals, including breeding females, their young, and
all other classes. This is a ratio of 20 to 1 between the entire herd and the herd of
killable seals, and would, when applied to the herd of 1871-1880, give a total of
about 2,(HH),0(H) animals of all classes.

THE UK('<»NSTlUirTION STILL ONLY AN ESTIMATE.

In putting forward this reconstruction of past conditions we are well aware that
it is still only an estimate. We have, however, in making' it Mie advantage of
definitely known premises to start from, and the results harnioni/e fully with the
conditions of our problem.

COMI'LETEI) ESTIMATE.

Assuming the figures we have arrived at, we find that they work out in harmony
with the recorded facts of the quota for this period. Thus, with a birthrate of G(M),000
pups, we may assume onelialf, or .'J(H),0(K), to survive to the age of 1 year, and liOO,0(M>
to the age of 3 years. One half of these were males and were killed to fill the quota.
We know, of course, that not all the surviving males were killed, au<l therefore that
either the birthrate of pups was greater by li.'i,OllO to 5(),0(M) than the «>ne assumed, or
that the ratio of loss was slightly less than one-half and one-third. The computation
is not intended to be exact, and can not be made so, but it is sufficient to show the
direction in which the truth lies, and is conclusive enough to show that during the
time of the herd^s greatest expansion its breeding females numbered about (>0U,000, a
figure sufficiently exact for all pra(;tical purposes.

Adding an equal number of pups annually and 2(),()0() breeding bulls, we hav(Mi
total of 1,400,000 "breeding seals and young," for the i>criod in which Mr. Elliott
estimates 3,1»;{,420.'

' We luiiHt iimiHt ttiat tlio calculations in tlio precediii); paragraphs am iiitcmlcd iiu'rcly us roii^li
appi'oximatioim to hIihw tlio early coiiilition of tliu herd. Such diRcropnucitiit as exist lH'tw(^eii tlieRo
figures and thoae tentatively put fortli in our Preliminary Report for l8iH> are the result of more
r^.trff-" 'toHlutrjition. The attempt of the Itritish Colonial OHico (see letter of Mr. Wiuglicid 1i>
Foreign OIHce, CNirr. on Seal Fisheries, Brit. Blue Book, No. I, Septeniher, 1897, p. 121) to make capita,
nut of them is wholly unwarranted. The statements both here and in the formi-r report are counhed
in sufficiently guarded language to leave no doubt in the mind of the candid roailer. AVe merely
wish to show that since the herd formerly yielded 10(),0()0 skins annually and now yields but 2(),(NK),
it mnst once have been approximately live times as large as now. On the other hand we infer that it
could not under tlie circumstances have been seven or ten times as large, TkeNo figures represent a:
attempt, nu>ro or less imperfec^t, owing to the comple.Kity of the problem, to give concrete exprcssioi
to this undeniable fact.

TIIK FUR SEALS OF TUB rUIHJLOP ISLANDS.
B. THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE HERD.

TUB <'KN8irS.

Ill tlio work of tlie |)r'jHent invoHtigation of the fiir-Hcal lierd Mio inoHt iiii|»ortiuit
roii.sidcmtion was Mi«> niiiUinu of as u(!curatu iiiieiiuiiioratioiias|M)HHiblt' of tliMiiumbor
of aiiiinals. Tliis lias always foi-ined an important part of overy investipitioii in
the past. But, as w« have seen, the r«!sults have been anything but satisfiu^tory. The
great iniiltitinh^ of the aniiiialt), when the herd was live times as great as at preseiit«
niiiy have left no other result possible. At the present time, even with the herd so
greatly reduced, the task of making a complete census of all the rookeries is by no
means an easy one, as the details of our work, which will be found iii the Daily
Journal, will indicate.

ITS DIFFICITLTY.

Without going into detail hero, we may mention among the difllcnities of the
problem the fringe of idle bulls, savage and immovable, that skirts each rookery, the
danger of stampeding the rookeries themselves, the broken and irregular nature of
the ground, and, tinally, the constantly shifting nature of the rookery population.
These are some of the merely mechanical dilllcultics. But more serious for us than
any of these was the fa(;t that at the outset the conditions of the problem before iis
were not at all understood. It had been currently accepted that during a period
between the KKh and 2(»tli of .Inly the breeding rookeries were at their height and
practically all the animals present. U])on this supposition all previous estimates had
been based. With this idea in mind we began our work, only to lind as we advanced
that the supposition was nidbunded.

For the smaller rookeries of St. Gtforge, and such rookeries as Kitovi, Lagoon,
Zapadiii Ueef, and the clitt portions of Polovina and Tolstoi, it was found possible to
make a count of the individual animals by harems. This was a(;cordingly done. On
the greater rookeries, as those of Northeast Point, Reef, and Zapadiii, no count of
individuals was possible, and for these rookeries only harems were enumerated.

ACTUAL COUNTS.

Our count of individual cows in 181K> covered about one- fifth of the rookery space
on St. Paul Island, embracing 1,245 harems, with a total population of 16,G79 cows,
or ai. average of 13.4 cows to each harem at the height of the season. The average
harem of the individual rookeries and parts of rookeries counted ranged from II in
the lowest to 17.3 In the highest. The lower averages represented thin and scattered
portions of rocky breeding ground, and none of the counted area contained any ol
the massed conditions characteristic of porti\>:i;! of the larger rookeries. The highest
average beh)nged to Kitovi rookery, the hirgtsv continuous rookery space counted.
It contained 3,152 cows in 182 harems, an average of 17.3 cows to the harem. The
conditions of this rookery as a whole beiii;; ijore typical of the general conditions
prevailing on the larger rookeries, its average was taken as a basis for computing the
]>opulatioii of those rookeries on which only harems could be counted. The appropri-
ateness of this average was the more apparent as on North rookery of St. George
the 129 harems accurately counted gave an average of 17 cows to the harem.

I
t

(1
u
ii

>i
\
(

IbNsrg OP ROUKRRIF.8 IN IM!Hi.

^:^at

KITOVl B(»)KKI!Y TAKKN AS I'Vl'ICAI,.

Applying tlioii tlip !iveni>rc of Kitovi to tln'^ rookericH of St. rmil on wliicli indi-
vidual counts could not Ik^ nnule, w<^ obtaintMl tlu^ following tentativi- ct'umiH for tliis

islund :

Ctittuii of harrmt and rows, St. I'aiil.

Kitokiiry,

I)at4' III'

t'tlUllt.

Miiri'mii. CowN.

Kllinin July

l.iikaiiin Inly

LiiuiHiii a Inly

TiilHliii (niiilnl riil'v

ToIhIiiI (cUIIm) n .1 iilV

/u|Miilni .

Ml lit' /iiiiuiliil .

/lt|liullli Itri'l'a.

(liirliiiti'li

ArillKni'ii n

K.i.l.

Slrntrh lini'k

I'olovhiii (iiniin) . .
I'lilovinii (i'lill'r<)((.
Foliivinik (l.iltiv) .

Viinlni'liiil/i

Hurjiivib

'I'oUl.

Jlllv
July
.liil'v
.Inly
.Inlv
Jnly
Ant;.
JnlY
.liil'y
.Inlv
.rnlv
.lul'v

IH:! 1
H7 '
I HI)

:iHU

|IW

ri8:i

'ilO

no ]

IKP'i I

•21 I

5(14 .

n:i

I3H

HI)

45
1175
■J9:i

:i. \M
ii, .'>4:i

1.471

1, 7'.'9
l,4UH

IIMW;^
\i, 4IIU

•2. 'jriti

.'•., •2-2*

H.7I0

I.UIXI

2. ;iH7

l.'JOK

7711

15, K71I

I, .TJ8

4,348 ; 7u.:iai

a(*owH iin<l Inu'innH conntcil.

iiCowH itnti hiirpiimi'iinntKil in |iiirl cnily. All nlhii' nxikcrirH wtirc lonnti'il nnly liy linrcmi).

OBUilNAI. OCniNTS OV ST. OKOBOK UNSATISKAOTOKY.

The rookeries of Ht. (icorgu liad been counted on tlio <Stli, Otii, and lltli of July
before the (;ount8 on St. Paul were made. Later experieiu-es led us to doid)t the
trustworthiness of these earlier counts, and, furthermore, the <;oudition ol' the rookeries
of St. Paul being difl'erent from that witnessed on St. Oeorge, it .seemed likely that
at the time of our llrst lauding on tlio latter island, the season had not yet reached
its height.

This view was strengthened by the fact that while the original count gave to St.
George only one tenth as many seals as were found on St. Paul, the former island had
furnished more than one-flfth of the quota of killable seals. In the latter part of July
we made a more careful count of bulls on Zapadni and North rookeries, which gave
a much higher nuudtcr of families than were shown on the original estimates. Finally,
when live pups were counted on Little East IJookery, they were found to exceed the
<jow8 counted on the 0th of .Tuly by 4 to 1.

KSTIMATE FOB ST. (lEOUGE.

Having these matters in mind, in preparing the estimate for St. George Island
last season, a comi)romise was reached in which all these elements had a share. This

estimate was as follows:

Ceiisiia of cows and liarenig, Si. (Itorgr.

Knokory.

North

Little EuHt.

KOHt ■

Starayn Artel .
Zapadni

Hnrenis. Cowr.

225 I 3,891

44 7«1

i:i5 2, 3115

75 1, 297

182 :i, 148

Total .

noi

1 1, 432

\iX«

!!■

THE PUIt SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

■

THIS ESTIMATE ALSO tTNSATlSFACTORY.

Ill t)'/; light of our experience of the present season, however, this estimate for
St. Cicortje still jiroves unsatisfactory. It was found that in the first hasty view of
Little Kast rooktMyon JulyO, 1896, a considerable portion of the breeding ground was
hidden from view by the clitt's, because the most advantageous observation iwint was
not selected. The proportion of killable seals furnished by St. (Jeorge in 1890 proved
wholly misleading because in 1897 the island furnished only one-ninth of the quota.
The observations of the present season also show that a count of harems after the
25th of .July gives no idea of the real condition of the rookeries at the height of the
season. On rookery ground under inspection during 1897 for this purpose it was
found that between the l.'3th and 2.5th of July, while the number of cows diminished
one-third the number of families had been increased one-seventh through the ingress
of young and idle bulls following the breaking up of the harem system.

But this information was not at hand when the census of 1896 was prepjired on
August 1, and the estimate seemed to represent as nearly as possible the actual
condition of the breeding herd at the time known as the height of the season.

THE GREAT EXCESS OP PUPS.

As our observations on St. Paul continued, and especially when we came to enter
the rookeries to count the dead pups, our attention was attracted to tlw>. fact that the
pups seemed to be much more numerous than the estimates of cows iu ihe Iieight of
the season would warrant. This was particularly noticeable on the sand flat of
Tolstoi.

To test tlu! matter a careful count of the live pups on Ivitovi rookery war* made on
August 15. This rookery had been taken as the typical one in making up the census
and the most accur.ate count of cows was made upon it. A total of 6,949 live pups
were found. To this number 109 dead pups counted a week before were to be added,
making a total of 0,049 pups for a rookery where 3,152 cows had been counted on the
13th of .Inly at the supposed maximum of its expansion.

COl'NT OP PUPS.

The counting of live pups was continued on all parts of rookeries where cows
had originally been counted. In some cases the counts could not be made accurately
because the pups were beginning to swim well and took to the water. Where the
counts were most satisfactory the pro])ortion of live pups to cows was about 1.90 to 1.
The p'oportion on Kitovi was 1.91, and here the count was made under favorable
conditi.' ;s because a heavy surf kept the pups from going to sea. Where the lowest
percentages were found the least accurate counts had been made.

The following is a detailed statement of the count of live pups:

Count of live pupa, lS9i),-St. Paul Inland.

Rookery.

Cows.

3, 152
1.4!)8
2, 256
1,474
1,268
2.887
1,194

I'lips.

6.0(0
2.664
3.802
2,4H4
2,496
4.412
2.280

Kitovi

TiiUtdi (clitlh)

/iipii«liii Koet'

Polifvinu (cUtt'H)

Murjtivi (i)iirt^

Total

Kt. 720

24. 256

T»-ii '

a-iii^'

'»WWi,»'P '»- If I-

CENSUS OF ROOKKKIES IN lX!t(i.

rOURECTION FOB AUSENT COWS.

Averaging the various counts it seemed that the proportion of live pups to tlie
apparent number of cows present in the breeding season was 1.75. Our experience
during tlie season of 18U7 shows that this was too low, and that it would have been
better had the simple conditions of Kitovi rookery been takeu as typical of the other
rookeries, using its proportion of l.'Jl to 1.

On the basis of our count of live pups the previous census was corrected by the
addition of 75 per cent to allow Tor absent cows in the height of the season. lit this
way the completed preliminary census put forward in 1898 was made. It is as follows:

Siimmari/ of breetliinj stain (coiinln and fntimnlex) tS'M.

Koipkery.

Kitovi

Iiiikaiiiii

LfiUuon . .

Tolstoi (ini)iii) . .
Tolstiii (iiliU'H) . .

iCapiiiliii

Little /apiiiliii . .
/npailiii lli^ct...

(torlmlcli

Anliuiicii

K..H-

Siviitch Kock...
riiloviiiiMiiiHiii)-
INilDviiia rlitl'8).
I'liloviiiddittlc).

VoHtncluii

Morjovi

IlaroniH.

182
147
r.'O

;m»

ll}8

&h:i

L'lO
17(i

L'7
504

Ht)
45

!i7r)

C'uws I Aitiml
(voiint). i total.

3, 152
•-'. 54;i
1,474
(I, 7'.'!l
1,4118

10, (W.'i
2,40()
2, 25i;
5. 224
.V.O
8.71'J
1,0110
2, :i87
1.2118
770

15,870
4,328

n.oio

4, 4. 50
2, 484

11,775
2. 1)tl4

17,(148
4, 200
I!. 802
0,142
052

15,258

1 . i)07
4, 177

2. 4fl«

27, 148
7, 77;t

Total , 4,S48

70,361 123,048

ST. (iKOiidE,

! North

i Lillloeaiit

EuPt

I Zaptt(l!ii

\ Staraya Artel.

225
44

i;i5

182
75

Total .

Grand total. i 5,0UI»

3,801
701
2, 3:15
3,118
1,297

tl, 800
l.ll.'-iO
4, 1)80
5, 50»

II.'
^r7U3^

20, 023
143,071

Bobrovi (Otter Islamli liiicl 1 liiircm. conlainiiiK 5 eow.s anil 5 pups.

KE VISION OF CENSUS OF 18[Mi.

As already intimated, the estimate for St. George Island for I89(i is not satisfactory.
That Little liast rookery was considerably underestimated is evident from a (sloser
inspection of this breeding ground during the season of 1,S!)7. The original count
gaveouly 27 harems, but probably included no more than two-thirds of the rookery.
As there were but few idle bulls about this rookery, the count of bulls made late in
Ju,y can not be far out of tue way here, and in the absence of a better estimate it
may be allowed to stand.

CORIlECrnoNS on ST. tiEOKOE.

On Zapadni and North rookeries, however, the number of harems counted in the
latter part of July can not be accurate. When the rigid harem system breaks up and
the (U'iginal harem masters begin to leave, the idle bulls (of which Miere were many
about these rookeries) enter the breeding grounds, increasing the number of families,

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

tliough the actual population has been diniiiiishcd by the more frequent and pro-
loMfjcd absence of the cows. TIte number of bulla therefore tound for those two
rookerica on July 31 can not be accepted aa representing the number of families in the
breeding season and must be reduced.

CORRECTIONS ON ST. PAUL.

The need for revision in the census of St. Paul Island is not so great; but our
exi»erieiice during the past season shows that in all probability the harems on Zapadni
and Tolstoi roolveries were slightly overestimated and those on the main part of
Polovina underestimated.

Zaitadni rookery occupies a long gradual slope back of the more abrupt bowlder
beach. This slope was tilled with savage bulls, making close approach in 189G impos-
sible. Tiie count of harems was made from a boat offshore and was not corrected by
a jount from behind. From this pointof view of the water the whole field could not
be inspected, and the figures of last year were felt to be merely a rough approximation.
The estimate for those not clearly seen was certainly too large. This year the rookery
!ia(l shrunk so largely that observation points from tlie rear, commanding the entire
breeding ground, could be reached. In like manner the estimate of Tolstoi for 1890
was made under ditticulties, which were more satisfactorily overcome in 1897.

On Polovina the conditions were similar to those on Zapadni. The main part of
the rookery lies on a gradual even slope, behind which the idle bulls were collected ii
such numbers as to prevent near approach, while there was no opportunity to ".i • :ci
the rookery from the water. This year the conditions wore so changed as to pf nii.
of much closer inspection, and although the mass of breeding seals had i)Iain!y
shrunk at every point, practically the same number of harems were counted, making
an addition of harems necessary.

SIVVTOH ROCK.

A third correction must be made in the estimate of Sivutch Hock. The original
estimate of this rookery was made after an insi)ectioii of the rock with a field glass
from the plateau of the Iteef, which showed 21 bulls in charge of harems on the
northern face. At the time of the count of dead pups in August a landing was
efi'ccted and an attemjjt made to estimate the number of harems, as the rookery
seemed plainly greater than our original estimate allowed for. Sixty-seven bulls
occu])ying iiarems were then found, though it was plain that the rookery was wholly
disorganized. This season Sivutch Kock was inspected from all sides in a boat at
the height of the season and an adecpiate notion of the extent of the rookery obtained.
Harems were found on the southern side and in places where their presence was not
suspect(!d in 189G. The total number counted in 18!)7 was lOli. It is therefore
necessary to largely increase the original estimate for this rookery.

In balancing these under and over estimates, however, they practically neutralize
xjach other and leave the total lor St. Paul for ISJMJ about what it was. For St. (leorge
Island also the difference resulting from the revision is not great, being only about GOO
cows.

THE IMPORTANT COURKCTION IN THIO CENSUS OF 1896.

But the chief error in the census of 1890, and this a])plies to both islands, lies in
the percentage of correction to be added for absent cows. This has already been

•I

idt^*

Im m - ■

RKVISED CENSUS OP isnc.

referred to. Tiistead of tlie av»rage correction of 75 per cent, one of 1(»0 per cent
would liivve been more nearly correct. However, since in the original census of 18!)(j
and m the census of 1.S97 Kitovi rookery has beon taken a^' typical of the rookeries as
a whole, we may use its percentage of correction, 91, in tiit revision. After inakin<'
this correc.ion and siicli alterations in the estimates of harenn- as experience shows to
be advisable, wo have the following revised and completed ceiisus for tJie seas.^i of

lieHncd cenaua, 1800.
ST. I'AUL.

liookoi'i'.

Kitovi

liaiioon

I'i)li)viiia (clitlii)

Zaiiatliii Kfi'f

Liikaniri

Tdl.stiii' ,

Zapadni'

Little Zapadiii..

(iorl)at<'li

Arili;;iii)ii

Keer

SiviitclH

IVIoviiift'^

Littl.' Pi.liivina..

Viistoclini

Morjdvi

Total .

ST. GEORGE.

N'i)rlli«

L;*lle Kant .
Ka8i,

Zapacliii'

Staniva Aiti'l.

Total .

KECAI'ITI'LATION.

St. I'aiil.

St.CBIM"

(iraiicl liital.

Unreins.

Pll]»H
(COW8).

182

fl,040

3.481

2, 4<.I6

17B

I), S02

147 i

4. «80

4li7 1

15. Mi

54;t

18. (i'.'7

•J 10

4. .W

;i()2

10, (JJB

'8118

16, 7112

1115

3, 480

l.'i:i

5.073

<■)

1, 4B4

'.175

32. 37(1

L'ii;)

!t. 727

4, 335

137. fi9«

2(10

6. 04(1

1, 3."iO

135

4. 482

143

4.747

2, 490

.597

lU, 709

4, 335
507

4. !132

137.09(1
19,70!)

157,4(15 I

I A rcdnrtioii of 3(1 liaivnin from th.^ oiiuiiial OHliniato.
' A riiliictioii (if 411 liari'ins.

•^'^^•"Sii'SHiJiliS"'"'" '''"^ i:.:;";..;=/;;:ar iirtc;^^ '■■"•" ""■ '-^"^

'An incieiisii of 15 liarenis.
•A iliM-iiMiae of 2.j hartims.
' A (IctTcasp of 39 liareiiis.

sloiodiacttnled.

11' llif rookiTv Kiider

189(>

THK VALUE OF THIS CENSUS.

This elaborated and corrected <.ensus of I8(Hi gives our best possible judgment a?
. hecoiM.tions on the rookeries of St. l>aul and Ht. (ioorge during the season ol
^J<.. ILe revision aud alteration which have been found necessarv make the estimate
more or leas unsatisfactory. Hut no other result could be ex,)ected. The census wis
a growth and an experiment from the start. The comlitions under which it ought to
have been made wore not understood uutil the time was passed. Notwithstanding

•JG

THE FUR tSEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

all this the total results as hero given are close enough to the actual conditions for all
l)ractical purposes. The total of 157,4U5 breeding seals means between 150,000 and
100,0<M). No closer accura<;y is claimed for the figures, and uoue is needed. The margin
of error can not be greater than this.

THE CENSUS OF 1897.

'^n'S

In making the census of 1897 no such diiliculty as tliat encountered in 1896 was
met with. From the start we had a clear idea of the proolem and were guided by the
experience obtained in the work of the former season. The first thing to be done was
to make a full enumeration of the breeding harems on all the rookeries at the height
of the season. The remaiidug step was to obtain an average size of harem by making
a count of live pups on some typical rookery space. Accordingly between the period
of July 13 and 20 the cou'it of harems was made. For purposes of comparison the
I'ows actually present on rookeries counted last year were recounted this year on
the same dates.

THE COUNT OF I'UPS IN 1897.

The count of pups was made between the 28th of July and the 3d of August.
A comparison of the nun ' ij of pups with the number of cows counted showed clearly
the inadetjuacy of our coi ." f 75 per cent for absent cows in the original census

of 1896. These counts of co . .1 pups for 1897 are as foll<)W8:

Comparison of counts of eows and pups, 1897,

Rookery.

(^'OWB

jircBent.

I'lips.

Kitovi '

I.ngimn ;

/.nni-.lni Itocf

l>oli>viiiH (ilill's) I

Aiil iKiK^n i

Little KHst '

Total ' 6,518

2,4;m

S, 289

i,:iin

•i. 598

1,04»

3,041

74-

2,200

47':

7aO

497

1,190

15, 054

THE PUOPORTION OF OOWS TO PUPS.

These counts sc-m to show that the cows belonging to any rookery for the season
arc about 2.61 times as numerous as the cows found present at any one time in the
height of the season. But an examination of the figures for Zapadni Reef and for
Polovina cliffs indicates an abnormal condition of things on these rookeries. In both
cases the pups outnumber the cows nearly three. to one. It would seem likely that
the weather or some t>ther cause had on these rookeries protluced an unusual effect
for the day when the counts were made.

In view of this apparently abnormal condition in part of the rookeries counted,
it has been thought best in the census of 1897 to waive the general average results
a><d take the simple conditions of Kitovi rookery as again typical. We find from a
comparison of this rookery for the two seasons that its condition is apparently
normal. In 1896 there were 182 harems, 3,152 cows present on July 13, in the
height of the season, and 6,049 pups in August; in 1897 there were 179 harems, 2,436
cows actually present on the same date, and 5,289 pups in August.

all
iiul
giu

ran

he
as
Ijt

od
liti
m

CENSUS OF KOOKEKIE8, 18U7.
TUE AVEllAttK HAUEM OF KITOVI.

1... J. rl ' "^ ''• "* ^'^*' ^y ^^^' ^'^^ ""'"^•^•- «f ^^^'•«'"«' ^^« «»'• tl'o average
bare,,. «t K,t«vi rookery to contain .9.5 cows. This harem is applied to all the

rookeries on which only counts of harems were made. Where p„ps were counted, the

hgures so ob ta„,ed are used without change. The only .lifference in the met! od of

computing the census of 1897 from that <.f 1890 is in the dropping out ot he

n^rmeCate step of con.pletlng the provisional census of cows 'and aLwarS

adding the necessary correction for absentees. This step, now that the conditions

are known, beconies superrtuous. Constructed on this basis the following is the

conipleted census of breeding seals for the two islands for the season of 1897 :

Cemus, 1S97.
ST. ,'Al-i,.

KitoW

Lagoon

Foloviiia (i:lirt'»).

/Capadni iteef

I.iikaniu

Tolfttoi

/Cnpaiini

,<ittle /Capiuliii. ..

tlorbatch

Anligucn

Keel'.

Siviitcli

I'oloviria

,.ittlc ,'oloviiia.

V'oNtocliiii

Morjovi

Tcitnl .

Hoolcery.

HurvuiB.

I'llJIH

(COWS).

179

5, 28»

iir>

•1. rm

•i. 2(fl

114

3, (P41

13U

4, lUU

;i».'i

1I,5U3

4'iH

13,511

178

:>. i!»2

:iU8

0,086

730

4r)4

13, 3!)3

3, UUO

143

4. L'lH

1, 18(1

SMll

liO, 84-,

1!33

«, 873

3,858

112.864

T(ptal .

ST. GEOK(JI0.

North

Little Kant . . .

East

/apailiii

Starif Art.'l...

196

5, 782

1, 1911

12H

3, 776

133

3, 923

l,liHl

16, 352

St. ,'aul

St. Gi'orKe

Total .

UECAPIXITLATION.

3. 8.5H 112,864

'•*!» 1(1, 352

4,418

129, 216

TIIK \ALl-K OK THE tlENSUs KOi; ixii".

Whatever doubt or uncertainty may e.xist regarding the census of 189« thee is
none with regard to that for 1897. No estimates were made. The count <^- 1 ^n

made. J^^ot claiming infallibility for these figures, the margin'of error is ^ht-

* L
jiil

!tS

IHE FUK SEALS UK THE PKIIULOK ISLANDS.

Kioui this ceiisiis we luivo therefore a total of 4,418 hreediiifj hulls and 12!»,15Hi
brt'odiiij; (tows for the season of 18!)7. Each of these cows bore a imp during' the
season. Tiieic were therefore a total of l!(ili,850 "breeding;- seals and younfj" at one
time or anotlier on the rookeries of the I'ribilof Islaiids dnrinj>' the jiast season.

Thus far our census of tlie fur seals can lay claim to accuracy, but it does not
cover all classes of animals, and wheu we attempt to extend it beyond the breedinj;
herd to include idle bulls, bachelors, and yearling and li-yearold females, we must
leave facts and begin to theorize.

TllK KNUMKRATION OK NONHKKKDINti SKAI.S.

During the season of 18 (> a rough apino.viniatiou was made of the class of males
known as idle bulls. The nuni'" .' found in close proximity to the breeding grouuds
was estimated at about 3,000. No attempt was made to include animals located on
various sand beaches and such hauling grounds as those of Hivutch Kock, Zapadni
Head, Lagoon, etc. The enumeration of this class of bulls was therefore only ])artial
at best. On certain- rook -ries where they were counted last year, counts were nuide
this year for comparison, but beyond this nothing was done or t-ould be done. < )nly a
general estimate of idle bulls <;an therefore be given, but the number would seem to
be not far from o,000, or in round numl»ers. a nund)er etiual to those occupied.

lUl.K. AND HALF HI LI,S.

In addition to these idle bulls the hauling grounds and tlie water front were full
of young half bulls, ."> and 6 years of age, which had not yet even attempted to secure
places on the rookeries. From the killing grounds during the present season 8,000 of
these animals nere turned bac^k from the drives. As some of the young bulls may
have been driven two, three, and even four times from the same iiauling ground, this
number can iu)t be taken at its face value. Hut in corners of many of the hauling
grouiuls, in the runways on the Reef and in the various ravines on Zapadni, large
numbers of these animals were not disturbed at all, while the water front of all the
rookeries was lined with them. A fair estimate of the young bulls would not fall
far short of 10,(MK). This class represents chielly the natural reserve which has
accumulated from the escape of the animals of killable age since 180o. The idle bulls
as a cliiss and the oldesr of the half bulls are the afterniiith of the modus vivendi.

rilK, UAC'IIKLOKS.

But these animals are not numerous and their record is not important. It is
concerning the hacheh)rs below killable age and the cows below breeding age that we
ought to have exact information, but can not get it. it is impossible to count the
yearling and L'yearold bachelors. They do not arrive at the islands until late in
the season. They occujiy their iiauling grouiuls very irregularly, coming and going
from the water acct»rding to pleasure and the state of the weather.

UK.IKCTKl) SEALS.

From the killing grounds during the present season 15,000 aniunds too small to
kill were turne<l back. As in case of the young bulls, .some of these, [terhajis many,
were driven and redriven; .several drives being made from eatOi hauling grourul

ESTIJIATK OF YOUNU FUR SEALS.

•J9

(luring thu season. The actual niiinber represented by this total of rejected animals
(•an not be exactly deteruiiued. From this it would seem necessary to suppose that
by no means all the younger seals appear on the hauling grounds during the killing
season. In fact the records of the drives show that it is only after the middle ot
July that the yearlings begin to arrive in numbers. The older bachelors appear
earliest, and by the time the killing season is over the great majority of the killable
seals are secured, leaving the population of the hauling grounds almost exclusively
yearlings and 2-year-olds.

TIIK 1 AND :.'-YKAK-(>IJ) FKMAKKS.

What has been said about the 1 and li-year-old ba(;heh)rs applies e(inally well to
the same class of females. These do not appear on the islands l<eforu the Ist of
August. The 2-yearolds come on the breeding grounds and are sciittered about
among the harems, spending a few days and leaving. They come and go at intervals
during the rest of the season, playing among the pui»8 in comitany with their yearling
sisters. It will never be possible to enumerate these younger classes of seals.

THE LOSSKS AMON(J Y(»lIN(i SKALt!.

One element of nncertainty regarding all the younger classes of seals lies in the
absence of any definite information regarding the losses they sustain at sea during
their early migrations. \Ve know that such loss must be great, but that is all. From
all the ^l.ita at hand it seems certain that not more than one-third of the ])ups born in
any particular year survive to killable or breeding age. This percentage nmst have
been still smaller in the earlier days, when the herd was more crowded and occupied
to greater extent the sandy areas. Donbtless, when the herd was at its maximum, in
the seventies, not more than one-fourth of the pups reached the age of 3 y((ars.

It is fortunate that no vital importance attaches to the exact number of these
younger animals. The important matter is the number of breeding animals, and this
we have. But it is worth while to construct an estimate of the yonng(!r classes, if
sucii a thing can be done, and in the (piota of the yvnv 1897 we have a basis for fairly
satisfactorv results.

It is

that we

)unt the

late in

d j-oinj"

THE ESTIMATE OF NONBKEEinNG .SEALS.

JJuring this season a ((uota in round numbers of liO.OOU skins was taken on the
Pribilof Islaiuls. This number included some 2-year-olds and sonu' 4-year-olds, but as a
rule the aninuils taken were Syear-ohls. Some 3-year olds were left over, and some that
would have been 3-year olds in 1S97 had been killed as 2-year olds in 18!t(». Wo miglit
even the matter up and say that the (juota practically represented the normal (piota
of animals of 3 years old. ISut as there are elements of uncertainty in the i)roblem, to
be on the safe side and for the i>urposes of argument, we may suppose that there was
a maximiun of 2r),()0(» 3-year-old nuiles which did or should have survived in 1897 from
tlic birth rate (»f 1894. An eiiual number of females survived from the same year.
These young l)reed(a's, which came upon the rookeries to bear their lirst pups in 1897,
have already been included in the estimate of breeding cows.

As nearly as we can judge, the total birth rate for the year 1894 was approximately
200,(H»0. Of these, under normal c(mditions, about one-third, or s<»mething like «!.j,(KK>,

100 THE FUK 8KAL8 OK THE I'KIUILOF ISLANDS.

should have survived. Tlio differeuce b»!twcen this number and tlic riO,()(lO wliicli we
hav<! tbuud to actually survive is accounted for by the starvation of pups in J!S<J1.

Treating in the same manner the approximate birth rate of i7(),(H)U pups in l.S!>r»,
we tlnd that, after making the deductions for loss through natural causes and from
starvation, i)robably 40,000 returned as L'-year-olds in 1S97.

Of the 100,000 pups born last year treated in like manner, probably 00,000
appeared in 1807 as yearlings.

THE OOMl'I.KTE KSTIMATE I'OU ANIMALS OF ALL ('LASSES.

This completes our estimate of the younger classes of seals. The ligures are
merely rough approximations and are to be considered as such. They, however,
point in the direction of the truth and are probably not far from it. Putting these
various estimates in tabular form we have the following completed estimate of all
classes of animals on the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands for the season of 1807 ;

Animals presetil at om: linif or another, season of 1897.

BreotlinK lemnles 120, 216

I'lips lioru I2!t, 2Ui

Active bullN », 118

Idle bulls (ni>i)roxiiHate) 5,(100

llttlf bulls (aiiproxiiiiate) 10, (KX)

Tlireo-yeiir-old males (approxiiiiiito) 25. (XH)

Two-year-olds of both sexes (approxiuiiite) 10, (M)0

Yearlings of botli sexes (approximate) tiO, 000

Total 102, «50

In round numbers, therefore, there were on the Pribilof Islands at one time or
another during the season of 1897 400,000 seals of all classes. We wish to again
emphasize the fact that these figures, in so far as they refer to other classes of aniunds
than the breeding seals and young, are mere approximations.

UEDICTIONS FOR LOSSES.

These animals were of course not all alive at the (•h)se of the season. Their
number had been reduced from various causes, as the death of nursing pups, jteiagi*!
sealing, and the filling of the «|nota. These losses to the herd may be estimated as
tbllows:

.liiiintils knoivn Ui hare ilird from riirious caiisis, season 1SD7.

Pups, Iroiri I'lieiiiaria, trampling, etc , estiiiiatod.. 7, 750

Tups, from starvation do 11, (HM)

IJachelors (<|Uota) 20, 800

I'elagie catch (Ueriug Sea) 10, KM

Total 5i», KM

Total alive during season 102, 850

Total dead 50, 101

Total alive October 15, 1897 343,740

THK ('OI'NT OF PtlPS.
TIIK WhVK or Till.; ESTIMA'IK.

101

TIu, woakneas of tlie forogoiiijj estimate Iie« in tiio lltiiirea (or tl.o nonbreedinrr
iimnials. It is woikinl out merely because such au estimate is askod for in onr
mHtru,.t,ons. TI.e Hprnes, however, satisfy the conditions an.l we believe approximate
the truth as closely as it can be reached at the present time. For the estin.ate of
breeding annuals, which is really the important thing, we have no apology to offer.
It IS practically exact.

ti.« !'' f'"'!'"^<^« *'■« •"«* el^^mont of uncertainty in arriving at a full enumeration of
the herd It is only necessary to continue the census of the breeding herd each year
for a certau. period. Knowing the number of pups born in 18!»0, i" 1S!>D it wiU bo
possible from the .piota of that year to toll with reasonable exac ness the n« ber
ev';:? rrrirtr "i^'l^'^Vr-, ^^ '^" --•• — ^mg year the data will bec^i o
!^ /; r 1 ;' ;"'". "'f ' '"^•^^-''-^"^ «='» ^""^ o-^'^'-^y whut <,nota to expect and

b I tl rate o any year and the quota of three years later can be .letermined. n

detelX" "" ''•"^'^ ""' '"' ^"" *'^ '^"•^'^ ••"*« "•■ *•'-« ^-'- P-vious can ie

THE TRUE HA.srS OF ENITMEUA'JION.

i, n J''** ""'y reliable basis of enumeration has been found and demonstrated. This

o. the. f '7% '" »•"'"' '^' '-' "'"'' '^'•^ «-^«*l '■» *"«'r P'--eH on the rook 'ry

o. the f rst SIX weeks of their lives. Their mothers may come and go, but they re ni f

It .8 not necessary that all the pups on all the rookeries be con^te.l. It wou be

mpossible to make a count on the larger rookeries. But if .some typ al "k ,s

ieel';. r:;"*n' h"'' ^T'""*"^';'"" *"^ — -^^--ot- barem, and 'then 1 .en'

being iplicl to them, a census exact enough for everv j.urpose can be obf lii e.l

CIIAPTKU VI r,

THE DECLINE OF THE HERD.

ITS HISTORY.

It neressiirily follows from the foregoiiifj review of past and present conditions
that tiie fur-seal herd of the I'ribilof Islands has largely declined since it came into
the possession of the United States. That this decline is still in i)roKress is shown
by the decrease in breeding seals between the seasons of 1800 and 1807 and in the
diminished quota. We may now take up in detail a consideration of this decline and
endeavor to trace its history and find its cause.

RUSSIAN MANAGEMENT.

Of the condition of the fur-seal herd before it came inder American control in
18(>7 we have but little ik'finite infovmation. That it had a varied history we know.
The excessive slaughter which threatened its existence in 1790 was stopped by the
advent of the Itussian-Americau Company. Under the earlier years of its rt'^inie,
however, the seals were indiscriminately slaughtered, females as well as males, the
only ditfereuco being that it was limited slaughter.

GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS.

(xradually the habits and needs of the herd began to be understood by the
Russians and more conservative methods came into vogue. After some catastrophe
which involved the herd about the year 1834, of which the cause is not clearly
known, the killing of females was prohibited, and for twenty or thirty years before
the transfer to the United States in 1867 the killing was limited, as now, t(» the
supertluous males. On coming into the control of the United States the herd was in
a growing and ]»rosperous condition.

THE EQUILIBRIUM OF THE HERD.

From the growing ease with which the quota was tilled in the years 1871-1875,
as shown by the gradual recession of the date at which the requirtd number of skins
could be obtained, we may infer that the herd even increased somewhat. For a few
years longer, or until 1880 or thereabouts, the herd appears to have remained in a state
of etiuilibrium, or at least a state in which there was neither marked increase nor
decrease. It is probable that during this period the annual increment of breeders
was practically balanced by the vsirious checks acting upon the herd, chief among
which were the natural mortality among the young upon land and the natural death
of adult females at sea from old age.

THE BEGINNING OF DECLINE.

About the year 1884, and more particularly after 1886, a decline be^an to be
observable, gradual at first, then more rapid, becoming iu the year loOO alarming.

102

THK l/UOTA OF KIM,ABI-R SEALS

lo:?

Uti,

This dtM-nsast' in tiio htsrd was llrst Telt iii u .shil'tiii},' of tlie liaiiliiiK Krounds iiiid
alterwiirds in a !,'r(»win>i srarcity ' of the iiillabh^ seals lrc<iueiitinf>' them. From the
year 1H71, a iinota of 100,(MM> siiins iiad been rtnuimlly talien. After l.S8.'(, tlie
date at whieli this number conld be obtained from the lianlin^ grounds became
rehitively hiter, reciiiirinj^ more frei|iient and hiter driving. I'inally it was necessary
successively t() lower the grade of kiUable seals, until in IH.S!> t(» j^ct the <|uota of
1(H),(H)(> nearly the entire bachelor herd, down to an<l including most of the yearlings,
was taken. In IHiMJ the (iollapse came, when only :JI,0(M> skins could be secure<l.

THE FAILURE OF THE QUOTA.

The sudden drop from a (|Uota of 1(K),0(»0 in 18S!» to JlttMMJ in 1S!I(» of course does
not represent a correspondingly sudden drop in the breeding herd. In the latter
the decrease has been gradual but steady, the delitMcmiy in breeding «m»ws lessening the
birthrate of pups, which in turn diminished the annual incrcmentof ■'( year old breeders.
It also indirectly alVected the hauling groinuls by diminishing the supply of bachelors,
and this was the ell'ect which first nuule itself felt. As seals of the proi)er age
became scuirce the quota was tilled by lowering the age to 2 years and afterwards by
including the larger yearlings, thus anticipating the quota of succeeding years. Sucli
a (bourse of action would not have been indulged in except for the fact that the lease
under which the islaiuls were then held was approaching its e\])iration.

THE BREEDING HERD.

The fall in the bachelor herd servcul to call attention forcibly to the coiulition of
the breeding herd, a matter which up to that time had rec^eived no attention, interest
iteing centered solely in the quota of the bachelors. Sin(H' 189(> the breeding herd has
been more or less constantly under investigation, the results of which, however, owing
to misinterpretation of some of the important facts of rookery life and devel.quuent,
leave us confused and uncertain as to the actual number of animals consr itvting the
breeding herd during these years though they leavi; no doubt as to its cuntinued
decline.

THE QUOTA SINCE 1890.

In the meantime events c(Uispiredto confuse the hitherto delinite results obtained
from the history of the (piota. During the years 18!)l-!>3 land killing was limited
under the modus vivendi to 7,r»00 annually. After this long rest, when it would have
been natural t(» expect an increased quota, only a limited one was taken, a fact which
seems to arise rather from restrictions in the methods of driving than from the huik
of seals. We Hud from the table of daily killing (Appendix 1) that during 18!)4-!>.'»
only two drives each were made from the various hauling grounds in the killing
season. Middle Hill was not driven from at all in 18!).'), uor Kuglish Hay in 1894.
The (juotas of 1(!,0(K) ami 1 r»,000, respectively, for these years do not therefore give any
detinite information as to the nornnd condition of the bachelor herd.

THE QUOTAS OF 1894-95.

The probable failure to take the full (piota ii> iSl<l-9o, aided in 189(5 to further
confuse matters when normal driving was resumt*i. In tins latter year every im-
portant hauling ground was driven from at least three times and some of them four

' .See table otMrivi's auil liniilin^ groinuls, j>. 123.

104

TIIR PUR HRALH OF THR PRinil-OF ISl.ANDft.

tiiiu's, tiiurci hciii); lU diivus, including :(1 liniiliii^; groniidH. In lH!)t but 14 drivoH
wolf made tVoiii ir> liaiiling grounds mid in 1S!>5 V2 driveH from an vqnal nuinhor
of liaiiliii^r gruiinds. Tlie (iiiota of 30,(MH) taken in IHiNi wivm tlierefort; affected in a
iiieaHure by tlie nu^'ure of the killiiiff of tlie HeaHoiiH immediately |)re*-ediiiK> Tiie
(|iiota of IHilT i.v more nearly normal, but with the yeaiH ititinediately preceding; it
ran not properly be (ompared.

Hilt if these iiiatterH have tended to (roiifiise the data which mi^ht have led to a
dethiite iiieaHiiie of decline, they do not obHciire the fact of decline. ThiH in every-
where distinct and unmistakable.

THE EVIDENCE OF DECLINE.
AIIANDONEI) OROrNDS.

To the eye of the observer perhaps the most strikiiii; proof of decline is in the
abandoned rookery spaces. On the rear and on either side of the present rookery
areas are great tracts of ground which were once occui)ied, but which are now grass-
grown. Tlie evidence of former occupation is to be seen in the felt-like miuciiig of
liair over the surface, in the smooth condition of the stones, worn by the moving
animals, and especially in the |>cculiar vegetation covering the area. Tliese abantloned
grounds are now covered with line yellow grass, known as <'seal grass,'' which grows
here and nowhere else.

OR ASS-GROWN AREAS.

On some of the rookeries this grass-grown area shows three distinct stages.
Close to the space at present occupied is a narrow belt of ground, which is still occasion-
ally wandered over by the seals, and on which the grass is judt beginning to spring up
in spots protected by stones. This area shades imperceptibly into the absolutely
bare region now regularly occupied. Behind this space lies an urea of dark r n
grass, covering ground not now entered by the seals. The luxuriant growth s

grass is due to the fertilizing matter in the more recently abandoned gr
Beyond this there is an extensive area of thinner yellowish grass of the same general
character, its less vigorous growth probably connected with the impoverished condition
of the soil.

THEIR KXTENT.

On several of the rookeries these three areas iire clearly defined, and on all of
them the yellow-grass area is very extensive. On the hauling ground of Lukaniii
rookery ineasuiements made during the season of liSi)0 show the area of dark grass to
be l(> feet in width and the area of yellow grass 04 feet. The area on which the grass
is Just starting is less definite, aud can not be measured accurately. The outward
line of the yellow-grass region marks the extreme limit of ground at any time occupied
by the seals. The dark green area marks a stage of more recent abaixioninent.

On certain hauling grounds the area of abandoned territory is anywhere from ten
to twenty times the area at present occupied. This, iiowever, does i:ot mean that
there has been a corresponding decrease in the bachelor herds. Observations show
that a small band of bachelors can in a few days denude a large grass- <;rown area if
they begin to wander and sleep upon it. Five or six times the presei>t number of
bachelors would doubtless denude all these areas.

VALUE OF PlIOTOCiKAniS.

I or.

Tlit>s4' iil>»ii<l()ii(>(l iir»tiH, whilw tliuy ilo not jrive exact iiirorinution rcKanliiiK tlio
ainoiiiit of fleiTtniNo, ctM-taiiily do otl'ur iiniuiHtakablo uviiltMuu^ of a lar^ci dectrcuHU.
Tlut preHtMicc, of Mie dark ^^rotMi (frasH area hIiowh also tliat part ol tli«^ dvcrcaNi^ liaH
liciMi r<>(;t>iit, wliilo the area wlitn-e tliu ^rasH is jiiHt HtartiiiK indicates tiiat it iH Htiil
);oing on.

TIIK TIMK NECKSSABV TO KSTAHLISIf TIIKSK AKKAS.

The period iiecessarj' for tliese >jrassRrown areas to become established was the
subject of much debate in 1802. In that year a small plot of (ground, then entirely
bare, was marked ott' with cairns of stones. It is now closely tilled with the (charac-
teristic "seal" grass and other vegetation, including saxifrage and wormwood. This
furnishes proof that within four, or at most tlve, seaaons an area abandoned by the
seals may become grass-grown. The yellow-grass areas are therefore not ol too
remote date to be identified with the decline of the herd, which began to nutke itself
felt about the year 1884, thirteen years ago.

PHOTOGRAPHS.

A second evideiuie of decline is to be found in the com|)arative condition of the
rookeri(;s as shown by the annual series of jthotographs whi(;h have been taken
ea<!h year since 1892. On certain rookeries, which lie for the m«>st part within
circumscribed limits on bowlder beaidies, diHereuces are not clearly marked; nor
do the photographs of one yea (compared with the year immediately preceding or
following it show very detinite results. But when we (compare ]>hotographs of Tolstoi,
or Ueef, for exam|>le, for 181)(5 or 1897 with photograidis of the same rookeries for 1892,
the evidence of decline is nuirked nnd unmistakable. In Appendix 111 will be found
examples of these and similar photographs, to which reference should be made.

PHOTOOUAPHS UETWEEN SUCCESSIVE SEASONS INAI)E<iUATE.

That a comparison of photographs for two successive seasons should not show
detinite results is not strange, considering the shifting aiul changing character of the
rookery population and the broken nature of the ground the seals occupy. liy way
of illustration, the estimated decline between the season of 1890 and 1897 was in the
neighborhood of 15 per cent of the breeding herd. This would mean the absence of
20,(KM> animals. Hut as only half of the cows are ever present at one time even at the
maximum height of the season, the actual absence of seals involved could not exceed
19,(M)0. There are more than 8 miles of rocky and broken shore line occupied by the
breeding seals throughout which this loss must be distributed. That it should not be
perceptible to the eye at any one point or be capable of ineasureinent in a photograph
is but natural.

THKIU VALUE dOVERINit hONCr PERIODS.

But while it is in general true that the photographs of one s(;ason compared with
those of the next do not show detinite results, we must make one exception. A
comparis(m of the series of photographs for 1894 with those for 1895, wherever the
conditions are favorable for showing anything, show a marked diminution in the
latter year. In Appendix ill some examples of these photographs will be found.

106

THIC FUR SKALS OF THK PRIHII^OF ISLANDS.

It is evident that between tiiese two seasons the deerease, in the herd M'as more
stronj^ly iiiark(Ml than Itetween any other two seasons. The reason lor tliis is of
course plain and will be referred to Ur^ain in its api)roi)riate connection, lu a word,
the resumption of pe!aj;ic sealing in i8!»4, nearly (hmbliu;; as it did the draft of the
preceding year on the herd, naturally showed itself very strongly on the rookeries
in IHUf).

PHOrocillAl'IlS OF AHANIXiNKl) TKKKMTdRY.

There is one way in which the photograi)hs of successive seasons siiow delinite
results, and this is in the recording of the absolute abandohineut of breeding gnmnd.
Thus on the Hat at the head of the "slide"' on Ardiguen rookery tlierc were 7<S cows
iu the season of is'.Hi and none whatever in 1897. This fact is cleaily recorded in the
photographs of the two seasons. Photographs of the large breeding masses on Jteef
rookery, Tolstoi, and V'ostochni, which are calculated to show most plainly the effects
of slirinkage, give dear evidence of the fact even between t.vo successive seasons.
This evidence might not, however, in view of the daily Huctuations iu rookery popula-
tion, be so clear if it were not corroborated l>y more deliuite proof.

THEIR LIMITATIONS.

There are, on the whole, many reasons why photogra)>hs are at besi unsatisfac^tory
guides to the actual condition of the rookeries from year to year. In the tirst ])laee. it
is (litlicult to take them on exactly the same dates on account of adverse weather
conditions, and to be of value for comparison between two successive seasons they
should be .so taken. Afet.in, the peri(td during which photographs of any value can be
taken is short. It falls within a few days before or after the 15th of 'Inly, which was
found iu the season of 1897 to be the nuixinuim date of rookery ])opulation. but
between this maximum aud the population of the 8th of July there had been an
increase of '20 \)ei cent, while on the other hand from the maximum of the l-'Oth of the
same mouth fhere was a decline iu population of 38 per cent.

THEIR RELATION TO THE DAILY COUNTS.

To take a concrete example: The population of the A mphil heater of Kitovi, as
counted at its maximum on July l."). showed 703 breeding cows present. On the Iftli
its population was .mG, a difference between the two days of li(( jier cent. IMiotograidis
for these two days of this rookery in the breeding season of 1897 would have indicated
29 i)er cent of dill'erence, if they indicated anything. Suppose similar conditi(ms for
the year 189(5. and that a photograph taken on the I4th of .Inly in one year is to be
com|)aied with one taken on the same date of the next, or vice versa. Su« '' a com-
parison would clearly be misleading. The result would be more stiiking if the
eom})arison was made between a photograph in one seascni for tiie l.'itli and one in
another season for the liOth. If we continue the comparison we tind tlnit by the 31st
of July our population of breeding cows luis deemed 4(> i)er cent from its nmximum.

Here, however, comes in another element of coidiision in the use of photographs.
The pups have b.'cn growing in the meantime and are becoming more ami more
consjticuous. They are always at least twi"e as numerous as the cows, am) in a
distance photograpli they can Jiot be readily distin^uishetl fnun their mothers. It
therefore happens that a photograph taken on tin .'Mst of .liily for the Amphith<!ater

ssmmmmm

EVIDENCES OF OECLINE.

107

of Kitovi, \vli»n only about half as iiiaiiy tows were picNotit, sliows to tlie casual
observer vastly more aninuils than one taken ou the l."»th. Tliis ('oudirion of th'n;iM
continues throu^ho\it the remainder of tiic summer, the eows ImeoMiiuf; more sciuce
and the itups more (■on8i)icuous.

THE TBIE VALUE OF r"B<»T(WRAPns.

It is not the purpose of this discussion to Udittle the value of idiotojrniplis.
Tliey have their phme uud importance, but it is not tiieir function to ni-asure the
decline which the fur seal iierd is at i>resent sutterinj;-. or has suti«rwd in the past from
year to year. By a comparison of pliotograplis taken .at widi I >litferent dates, some
of them in .luly, others in Aiijjfust, i'rofessor Thompson, in his rcfMut for IS'.Mi, soufiiit
to prove that no decline iiad occurred in tlie herd between Mic -^Hiasons (»f 18iM» and
lHUr». In view of tiiis fact it becomes necessary tor us to detine the importance and
lindtations of ]iliotojj;raph8 as a measure of decline in rookery hte.

Photo>{rai)lis. in our Judfiinent. are of value only as showing the larjie results or
chanties wiucli come throiit;!) h)ntJ jieriods of time. Tlie photofjraplis of the rookeries
of the Pribilof lslan<ls show us plaiidy that its herd of .seals has suHered a iieavy
diminution since 18!)2. Those for the years' i,S(»^ and 18M.") show clearly the disastrous
results of the resumption of pelajjic stealing under the regulaticuis (»f the Paris award.
I5etwecn the .seasons of 189(! ami 18!t7 photographs can only be trusted to record
change where breeding ground has been actually abaiuloned. Of the magnitude of
the decrease which the herd hiis suffered in the past five years photographs afford
abundant evidence, but they giv<r no measure either of the total decrease nor of its
rate from year to year. Finally, for comparison only photographs taken at middle of
.luiy can be used.

TOWNSEND's CltOSSKS.

One of the most iletinite evidences of decline is to be found in the shrinkage of
certain large breeding masses on such rookeries as Tolstoi. /apadni, and \ostochni.
Tliis is most plainly shown in the relation of the breeiling masses to certain crosses
which Mr. Townsend. in 18!>r>. painted to mark their outward extension. During
tlie season of ISIM} these crosses were in no case reached at tln^ corresponding period.
In some cases the breeding masses loll away from them from .">() to HM( feet. In 181)7
tiie shrinkags was measured by yards where in 18!M) it was measured by feet.

SHIlINKACiK (IF nUEKI)IN(t AKEA.

Another positive evidence of decrease is to be found in the disapjiearame of
'Certain small patches of breeding .seals noted and marked on the rookery niajis of
1895, but which were not to be found in 18!t(!. One of these groups of harems was at
t!ie southern end of Vostoclini. Two others were at the extremities of the breeding
ground, known as /apadni lU'el.

TOI.STdl MAN!) FLAT, ARDIUUKN, ETC.

In 18!>7 this abandonmeui of li ceding tenit^)ry was still more noticeable as a
result of the minute iusiH^ction of the two sea.sons. On the sand flat of Tolstoi but a
small fraction of the area occapifu m 18!M» was covered this year, and practi(rally no
seals were on the slopes behind. At the head of the "slide" on .\rdiguen last year
were three harems, aggregating 78 cows, as seen on the 14th of .Inly. Making the
necessary aUowance for absentees, there must have been an actual total of at least

108

THE PUR SEALS OF THE PRIHU.OF ISLANDS.

150. This year not a single cow located permanently on this territory, and the thrci'
bulls, corresponding to the harems of last year, renntined idle tliroiigliout the season.

Another jjoint \vh(;re tlie shrinkage was ]>iainly nniiked was at a jtroniinent
observation point known as "Old John's liock," about which during the summer of
l.SJMi a large harem clustered; the ground was fully occupied between it and the water.
This year tlie breeding seals did not reach within 100 feet of luis rock at any time
during the season. Again the absence of breeding sesilis imm tlu^ ruiiways a!ul breaks
in the dill's of Lukanin rookery, another observatittu point freiiuentrd during both
seasons, was very marked.

Similar examples might be cited from all the ro )keries closel.N observed. Such
aban<lonment of rook< ry ground can hav»' but out' explanation, namely, decrease
in the breeding herd.

THE DECllKASE IN IIEAI) PUPS.

A striking, though indire(!t, evidence of decline in the breeding herd is brought
out by the marked decrease in the nuu-tality among nursing pups in the breeding
season. On all the massed rookery portions the population of breeding seals was
imi.'ii sparcer during the season of 1897. On the sand Hat of Tolstoi and in the
gullies of Zapadni only a small portion of the space (tccupied in 1S!M» was ()ccui)ied
in ls97. We are not, therefore, surjjrised to find the following contrast:

Dead pup», .iiiyiist 10.

Kookerv.

Tolatoi Siinil Flat iiiiil ii<l,iiii'<'nt lii'aoli
Zupiiilni L)llllie^ ami ailjacini hpaclicii

(ilirllUtL'll

Reef

1. 4a.-.
i,:tu

u.io

1K!)7.

.'»9:(

These counts were made where the death rate had to do directly with the
crowding of the seals on certain defective breeding spaces.

THE INCUIUSEI) MORTALITY AMONO COWS.

In this connection may becited onefurther evidence of decline. On IJeef rookery,
where 25 cows were found dead in l.SS)6, 42 were found in 1897. The diminished .supply
of <-ow8 led to tiercer struggles for their possession ami con.se(piently the death of a
greater number. The deaths of cows on the breeding grounds are due chietly, if not
wholly, to the nmgh treatment by the bulls.

THE DIMINIsnKl) (iTOTA.

Hut the moat clear and positive evidence of decline is fi»untl in the reduction of
the ({uota of killable seals. Tlie sexes are ecjual at birth. They nui.st b«' subject to
like natural enemies and hardship. Whatever tends to diminish the bachelor herd
nnist in like measure alVect the number of .! year-tdd cows which each year take their
jtlaces as bleeders on the rookeries.

For twenty years after the islands came into the i)ossession of the United States
it was possible to take each year a <piota of approximately 100,000 young males.
During at least thirteen years of this period this (|u<tta ccnild be obtained easily and
without exhausting the hauling grounds. This year it was more dilliiMilt to get a
quota of ^0,tM>0 skins than it was in IHSttto getoneof 100,(I(M>- Tlie inference is obvious.

ACTUAL COLNTS OF PUPJS.

10I>

Till'; DKCl.INK I5KTWKKN ISiKi AM> 1M!»7.

As ii result of tlii' investijjiition.s of the past two seasons we arc able uow h» sub
iiiit <U;liiiit(' aii<i liiial pniot' not only of tbo fact of decline, but also an apinoxiniately
accurato nioasuie of its rate.

CONrPAKATIVK COUNTS, JSiW-'.lT.

Diirinfj the season of I.S!((5a very accurate estimate of iliti total number of liarems
on the two islands was made. On certain rookeries and parts of rookeries careful
counts of the individual cows present were made at the height of the season and on
approximately the same dates each year. Afterwards a thorou{j;h enunu>ration of the
live and dead pups on the same breeding f^rounds was made. We have had <)(;casion
to criticise and revi.se our detailed census of 18i>0, but tliis revision does not affect the
actual (iounts for that year, whicii we have no occasion to alter.

Tiiese comparative counts for the two seasons are as follows: '

.IfliKit iimnls, ISOH-97.

KiMikrrv.

■#

Harvinii.

IH'.lli. IH

Kitiivi 182 I

I.auniiii 120

Tnlsldi (clills) 10«

/aiiaiini Uwt 17«

(■(>liiv:iiii ((litis; 86

l.itllc Ea»t» <'i)

AriU^iuMi 27

ClIWB.

I'u

IH.

117.

IH'.lli.

18!)7.

IKDO.

Irti7,

179

;i, 152

2, 436

0,049

5, 289

115

1,474

l,:il»

2, 484

2, .59K

»H

1.498

1 , 28l>

2, M4

(«»

114

2, 25li

l,04(t

;l, 802

3, (Ml

til

I,2til)

747

2, 40fi

2, 200

;i.l

((')

4117

1,3,50

1. lUd

3:1

551)

470

730

(iXutroiiiiti'd.

6<'otint of iHltft r('.it'(((>il ]i« ohviduwly inmrriTt.

'TIii'Ht^ f1i:;iir-HM itrn th«' joint wnik of Mr. (Mark, uf llit* Atiinrit-an i-omiiiUaion, iiiiil Mr. Macoiin. of tli(^ HritiHl)
<!niniiiis?4ii>n. Th«\ wcm- !U'('«|ilcit bv IVoiesnor ThontpHon, tlioM;;li iiiiuli* in lii^ aliHt'iu-c, 11s li«> iliil imi ariivi^ in liiiii' to
wiliii-srt till' wot k. .M'ttT t lit* <li|)iiriiin> of .Mr. Macoiin anil oiirsilvi'H trom tht' iHland.s Proft-HHor TliotniiHuii, iisnisli'il Itv
Mr. I.ui-a:4. nii<l<Ttiiok a rcrniiiit of tlu« livi- pnpH. Mr. Lucans action in tlir nnittrr wuh onr pun'ly nf ctmrtUHy, no
rt'^pGnsihilit y forthr work ot'i-ininn'ration having )>ecn ar^sij^ncil U* liitn by tbr rnnuni.'^.sjont'r in charu*'.

In tin' rcrniint nn Kito\ i rookrry rrotcHmir Tbonipsfin fiiiunl 'i.TiIU live piip.s : Mr . LncaM. 5,*)77. In a Minglo portion,
uf thi' rnnki-ry Mr. l.traH foiiml l.ltlH pups, whrrcaH rrnfi-sHor ThonipHoii luoml only 1,217. No t-tfort waH niailit by
ri'ciHiutin;; or otIM•r\^ ist- to nunoxu ilisrrcpanrieH. Tin- mean of tlii' two rtnihtM, or r».r)5r», was asMuint>tl as tlio tot a' 'lo
tliis I lit- ib-ail )Mips liriii^ i(«)<b'(l, a total of r>.70u pups fur tlii-^ lookcry wii^ funnd a.s a;;ainst.'>,281( iM'ijfinally > onnttd.

Aftcruanl'* a urinihi ot Zap;oI:'i Iti-t'f wjim mail*'. Here, following tlir .saint' niethoil.>*. n total of L'.780 pup.s wuh
lonnd a', against tlir total of :i.(i4l o the ori<;it) Hint. N'o furtln-r reconntH were uttnnipted.

Trofen.sor ThoinpNon lias Heen tit tu - itiitf* tli» results of bin reiuunt on Kito\ i riMikery loi the oitn iai one,
ro.je^tinf^ art iiniatintai-tory bis rceoiint id' /.apailnt l{iMt .V 4-aniparim>u of tbe two eotinti* ■4bo\v fdainly wby. Ihul
1'rofi'H.sor 'riionipKon subr>iitiited liotb ronnts. or li> . u-i ^m \im\ hr (ohiplvteii I lie recount on lie reni'iininir ro<rkeri(-s and
Ui^etl tin- loiiipb-ted lesnlt.H. bi.s action noiitd have been InHK opeM > erHlcliini

Tlif rcMiills ut the rerounia are in no senHc bindinj^ n. '<• Anierlt an comniiN-iinn. ilM'.\ bear on tlieir fait- the

evidence of tlnii faidtx character, which in strengthened by t lie adnn^Hinii that uiie n leant if* in errur. It may bu uaiil
tnat Mr. Maconu does not share with his col|ea;jue the faitli which is p i< ed in the rt^coimt.

We nia> say that in lliese i-eiounl.s no pHMantboi wan laknn which \mm omiltisl in the orJuiiiul conni. Tie
condiliooHtd' the count by ('lark and M actum were more tavtnuble. The piipn weru ton duvi* you tiger, were Icnh uclive, aiol
;veiv U'll uoinu intitthe water. The count was made in a continnoiii Hertsion of tixo bourn, a iM-reas in the rucuunt Hit!
rookcr> Was abandoneil for a period at iionii, ;:ivin^ room for the poHsibility t»f f«hii' \>a among tin* pups.

The gra* e ttbje^iion lo tlm rrcmints, howevi^i. restft in the fact that neith* r Mr. I,mi n- uor Prolu««or TlionipHon had
liati an\ lonHiderable evpern-nce in the work of counting. On the other hand M* is. t 'hn k and Macon n niuilt* their loiinl
11)1 Kit<nl rookery altn having counted ID.UOO 1,,-e pups in 1807 ami nearly l!0,tHXi in IHOn. tu sax nolhingtif '.>7,0(iU dead
nne.s and ^rrat nnmliers ot rows ami harems.

There in no xvork in xvhich experirnce anti adaptability count for more than in ibe < "iintlug of tln^ live pups. The
luiuinal < <inntH then' Ion', ntantl to the r<-t'tiiinta aa the work id'expertH to thai ot amai* '« in xx jth groat reluctance that

we relet lo thi-- mailer antI xvn xvniiJd not mentiiui it were It nol that I'rofessor ' < Uas umciI it to cast di.seretlit on

ligure.s undoubtetlly accurate ami tru.Hixxorthy. Kvtui with bis Hubslitution ;ber< K-it by his oxvn accepted llgures ji

poaitixi i|i< line of II. I per cent, l he dilb'tent c IhM ween tliia ami 12 p»r cent is .d' 1. i< ,il iiu|iorlanc< i-xcept that the tiHcof
llie (liscn-pHut tigui'cs Horvea ueeitlcasly ty weakeii the aj^imrent force «f evidence druwn from actual enuuicratiuua.

110 THE FUK SEALS UK THE I'UIIULOF ISLANDS.

SUMMABT OK PEECENTACxES.
Fruin thuse tigiires we luuy draw tlie tolluwing siiimnary of periteiitages:
I'ervi-ntaijfs of dvoline an thoim hy coiihIk.

('omit (if —

IHHli.

nun

111, IIM
18, '.Ml

I8«7.

ti:i:i
7, ;)(i7
i4,;iiH

I'lToeiit-

a^t^ of
ilern'ftHe.

».5
'J8 34

CUWH

I'uim

11.8 !

The i°08u1t.s in this limited count of ii ireiiis are not so striking as in tite completed
count of harems for each season on all the rookeries. These were 4,9.{li in l.SJ>6 and
4,418 in 1897, a decrease of 10.41 per cent.

DECREASE IN THE AVEISAOE SIZE UK IIAUEMS.

In connecti(ni with this marked decline in the number of breeding families it may
be noted that on Kitovi rookery, which we have taken as typical of rookery conditions
in general, there is also a marked decrease in the size of the individual harem. In
18U(» the ai)parent sizeof harem, as shown by a countof cows, was 17.3; in 1807 it was
13.6, a decrease of L'l per cent. As this rookery was counted on exactly the same date
and under like conditions these tigures may properly be compared and are significant.

THE ('(MNT OK COWS.

The count of cows, which shows a de«;rea8e of 28..i4 per cent, is less certain but
is still significant. Owing to their constant coming and going, the number of females
on the rookeries in the lu'ight of the season varies greatly from day to day. This will
be clearly .seen by reference to the daily counts of cows on Lukanin and Kitovi rookeries
during the season of 1897, which will be found in .Vppeudix 1. The countof cows
and jMips. as recorded above in the ease of Zapatlni lieef and Polovina dirt's, where the
latter were three times as numerous as the cows, furnishes a good illustration. At
the same time, while the decrease shown by the comparative counts of cows can not be
taken at its full value, the fact of large decline thus shown can not be ignore«l.

THE COINT (iK I'l I'S AN ABSOLITK MEASUUE.

The final and absolute measure of decline, however, is to be fimnd in tlie counts
of pui»s. As we have seen, the number of harems fluctuates. The cows come and go,
and throughout the breeding season the ro(tkeries are undergoiug constant chatige.
With the pups this is not the (!aa«'. They are fixed upon the rookery to wbi(;h they
belong at least for the first six weeks of their lives. A count of these animals, living
and dead, is an exact index t(» the number of lireedingcows which have during the
season api)eared upon the breeding ground in <iuestion.

THE QUOTA OK KILLAHLK BACHELORS.

Ill

LAliOON UOOKERV.

Kur tlu! wholi'. luiiiihui- of pupscoiiiitcHl, and the iir«a covered is varied eiion|rii to
be typical, we liiid that tiiere has been a decrease of 1 1.8 per cent. By reference to tlit^
coiiiit on Lanooii ntokery, however,it w:!! be seen that instead of a decrease since IS'.Ni
there has bee.'i an increase of i{ per (!ent. This increase is apparent rattier than real
for both the niunbcr of cows and the number of harems present on this rookery in
th" height of the season liad decreased. As a matter of fact we know that tlie
count of La{foon rookery for 18!Mi was much less accurate than that tor 1H!>7 because
in the latter year it was made under more iulvantageous coiulitions. We are convinced,
therefore, that the count of ISKC) is somewhat in error.

If we drop Lagoon rookery from the calcuhitiou the percentaije of decrease, as
siiown by our count of pups, rises practi<!ally to 15 per cent. We do not insist upon
this, and are willing to abide by the ti{;;ure of lii per cent which the completed count
shows. The diflerence between lli i)er cent and lo per cent is imnuiterial. The fact
remains that by the count of pups, which is the surest basis of kiu)wledge as to the
condition of the herd, the birthrate, and consefjuently the herd of breeding females,
has sutlered since the season of 1S9(5 a decrease which can not be less than Ili per
cent, and whicli we have good reason to believe is as high as 1-") per cent.

THE (^lOTAS OF 181W AXI» 1«97.

There remains one further element of comparison between the seasons of 1896
and 1897 to complete the proof of the decline in the fur-seal herd. This is the com-
parison of the (piotus of the two years.

I UK (;l()TA OF 18»t> FIXKK.

•

In 189(i .{((((MtO skins were obtained, the quota being lixed at that tigure. It is
probable that a few thousand more killable seals could have been taken had the quota
been an indetinite (»ne. On the other hand, however, a number of 2 year-old seals
were taken, which to a certain extent anticipated the <|Uota of 1897. To the best of
our knowledge these two elements in the (piota of 189(i balance one another, and we
nniy consider its total as fairly representative of the hauling grounds of that year.

IIIK ylOTA (»l' 1S!I7 INDEKIMTi;.

In 1897 the quota was left without definite limit to secure the utmost product (»f
the herd, tiie rookeries being already grossly overstocked with male life so far as the
need for breeding purposes was concerned. The driving was therefore <lone more
thoroughly and continued for a longer period, extending luitil the 10th of August,
whereas in 1896 it was terminated on the 27th of .luly. To make the comlitions sur-
lounding the (piota of 189(! and 1897 clear, we may here insert the statistii^s regarding
the killings of the two seasons.

imw

112

THK FUK HEALS OF THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

KilUnijH for the ijuota, IS'JG,
ST. TAirr- ISLAXK.

llaiiliiii: ){>'<'<»iil-

Diite.

Do June 24.

Koef Juiifl27.

Kngllsh Hay. Miilillc Hill, ToUtoi JiiiiuZO

Nurtlieaxt I'uiiit July 2 ..

1)1) July It..

Zoltni. I/ukaniii July S..

/.aiiwiiii riily 7 ..

I'oluviiia luly 8..

licef, Zoltoi Inly 10.

NortheaHt Point July i:i .

Do July U.

Keef, Zoltoi J»ly 15 .

TolBtoi, Middle Hill, Engli«li llav July 16 .

Northeast Point July 21.

Do July 22.

I'olovlua Inly 2:i .

Luknnin, Kitovi, Zoltoi, Ueef lulv 26 .

Middle Uill, TolHtol, Lukiiuiu July 27 .

I AniniiilH I Porrenl I
j killed. af;<' killed.

l>'(HKlHkinB Antuinn 1805. ...

1)0 Spring

Zoltoi June 19

Wati'iMuen June 2U

NortlieuHt Point ■ Juna2:i

Total 23,8i:

l)2ft

384

283

1,414

1. 4(18

2,076

1,3118

1,396

1. 1011

1.535

784

961

1.271

1,045

t, 169

849

0.44

1, 1,38

.46

8(18

.35

1,047

!>85

.«

1.630

.42

021

.43

23. 81'.'

ST. (iEOlidK ISLAND.

HauliuK ground.

Date.

j AuiuialH PoD'cnt-
I killed. ageklUod.

Food HkiuH Spring-Autumn .

" " July 10

EnHt rookery

Zapadni

Kortli and Staraya Artel

East

Zapadni

North and Staraya Artel

Eant and Little Kaat

Zajiadui J uly 9

North and Staraya Artel July 13

Eawt July 21

North and Staraya Artel July 24

July 24 .
Julv 26 .
July 29 .
J uly 2..
July 6 . .
Julv -

327
570
.168
9011
804
333
700
614
2*'l
4H7
221
308

0.32
.76
.72
.62
.68
.!>6
.57
.40
.46
.27
.17

Total ,

6,158

KILLINGS FOK (/lO'lA OK 1897.

KilliiiyHfiir tli,' iiuula, 18!>7.
ST. I'AII,,

118

l''ni)(l Hkinx

K.'ef

/iipiiiliii

Ztilliii.Ui-vf, 1111(1 Liikaiiin...
TolBtoi, .Midill.i Hill. Kiiglinli
NortlioiiBl IViiit

Do ;.

Liikiiiiin

Ki'ef anil Ziiltui

TdlsKii, Midfllr Hill, Eiiglisli

NortlieuHt I'ciiiit

I'liliivliia

KiT»' 1111(1 Ldkaniu

NorlliciiMt I'oiiil

Ziipudiii " '

Middle Hill niid Kiii;ligli iln'v
I'likaiiin, ZiilKd. niid Kopf '

Nurtlii)a.'<t Tdiiif,

I'oldviiia _\

Liikaiiiii and liccf.

/Canadni

Tiilstdi and M iddlo II ill . . '. "
^fortlll■ant roinl...

i)d ;;■■■

Pidoviiia '

Kecf and l.iikaniii....

Middle Hill and Eiinlisli jiav
Kei'f

Aiitiiinn and 8|irinK.

Jnnc 15

•lune \6

Uav.

llav

Total

.Iund2.1.
•)ini«20.

•lllllB.'lU.

■lulyl ..

.liilVJ..

July :> . .

Jiilvfl ..
, JulV « . .

July 9 ..

July 12 .

July 14.,
; July 18.
I July 17 .

July 10 ..

July 22 . .

July 23 . .

July 24 ..

July 20 ..
, July 27 ..
I July 29 . .
1 July DO ..
; July 31..

I AllfrUHt 1

' AUKiist 5
AugiiHt 7

NuniliPi
killiMl.

1,701
492
310
708

1,098
790

7o;i

208

7o:i
1,2311
1, 7i:i

4.'>8

WI4
1.240

88G

297

988
1.322

274

520

514

199

2U8

278

108

418

1(11

172

18,520 {

Percent- 1
kiiled.

0. 85

.67

.48

.04

..57

.58

..53

.83

.87

. 115

.88

..50

.58

. .53

.88

.39

.34

.24

.2S

.27

.20

.18

.21)

.18

.19 ;

.15

.20

ST. (iKORGK.

•I

m
.1

naiilint grnund.

Food akiofi to date

Kant ".'.'""'

Food skiuH

Xapadiii

Food Hkins

Staiaya A rtcl " '

Food skins

Ba»t "■■■'

Food Mkiiitt

Nortliand .Staraya .Ariel

East

Food skin.s

Zapad III '

Fast, Noitli, and Stai'aviiA rtel '. '

Food skins "

East

North and Staravii .Vitel

Food skins '

East, North, and Starava
Food skins

Date.

June 18

June 19-24.

June 25

Julyl

July 3

Jiil'vS

July?

July 8-10 ..

Jlllf 13

Julv 18

JlllVl?

Inly 10

. '111.7 22

July 24-31 ..
August 2 ...
August 4 ...
Au;{iist5-9
August 111 ..
Augnst 11 ..

Nuiiilier ''ene''!-

killed. , '.'?«,
I killed.

228

1,50

140

227

"'«

0.38 <
.16 i

253

209

104

391

179

1.53

.28
.22

13 '

.18

.18
.18

207
17

.12

2. 370

15184-

114

THK VVK SEALS OP TIIK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

THK t/COI'A (»K 1«}>7 HAKDKR TO (ilCT.

It must l»e evident From a study <»1' these figures that the quota of I89<» was in
every way easier to procure than tliat for 1897. In the latter year tlie driving was
continued ten diiys longer on St. Paul Island and sixteen days longer on St. (leorge.
The lowest percentage of animals killed in any drive on St. Paul in ISflfi was 3.5; in
1H97 it was lowered to l.*> per cent. On St. < leorge the lowest point reached in 180(5
was 17 i)er cent; in 1897 it was 12 per cent. The redn<;tion in tlie percentage of seals
killed marks the (iegree of exhaustion of the hauling grounds.

TIIK t^rOTA A nillKOT MKA.SIRK »H' Till', IIKKKDINO IIKBD.

This (roniparison of the bachelor herd of 189(> and 1897 is a dire(;t measure of the
condition of the breeding herd in the years 189.'i and 1894 when these killable seals
were born. It is not a measure of the condition of the breeding herd of 189r) and 1897.
To understand why the loss in the breeding herd for the season of 1S94 as compared
with that for 1893 was nearly 39 per cent, while the present rate of decrease is but
15 ])er cent, it is only necessary to consider that in 1894 pelagic sealing was resumed
in Itering Sea after the modus vivendi and the herd that year suHeied its greatest loss,
amounting to 09,(MK) seals, whereas in 1893 its loss was only 39,000. This fully accounts
for the great ditterence between the decrease for the season of 1897 in the fur-seal herd
as measured by the i»roduct of its hauling grounds and as measured by its birth rate
for the same season. The pelagic catith which affected the breeding herd between
1890 and 1897 was about one-half as great as that which attected the breeding herd
between 1893 and 1894. In other words, the pelagic catch of 1894 was double that
of 18!»3, while the catch of 1897 was about one half that of 1896.'

TIIK gl'OTA (»l" ISitT AM> TIIK I'AKIS RE(JILAT1()NS.

J^ot only does this marked decrease in the quota em])liasi/e the fact of decline in
the herd, but it tixes more clearly than ever the responsibility upon pelagic sealing,
and forcibly <!ondemns the regulations of the Paris Award, in the opening year of the
operation of which the loss which it indicates was sustained.

THK TOTAL 1»K(JLINK IX THE llEKIt.

In this comparison of the, quota of killable seals with the breeding nerd of the'
year in which its individuals were born, we find the necessary basis for an estimate of
the total decline which the herd has surtered. The killable seals found in 1897 bear a
diiect relation to the breeding herd of 1894. In like nninner the quota of 100,(K)0 skins
taken in 1880, for example, bears a direct, and we may sup]H>se, ]>roportionate rela
tion to the breeding herd of 1897. Tlie breeding herd which could without dittlcnlty
furnish 100,000 killable seals in 1880 must have been at least live times as great as the
herd which can today with ditticulty furnish l.'0,000. And when we take intoat!count
the increased eftbrt required to secure the latter quota, we may assume that the total
decline in the herd really lies between four-flfths and five-sixths of its nuiximiim size.

'This I'lut is overlooked by I'lofessor ThoinpHOU when lie iiNBiTt.s "tli.it tliu ratio nf tli«? ciitcli
(quota) of IHit" to that of ISlKi is not a fair proportionate inonsiire of, Init is largely in esceMS of the
actual (liiiiiiiiitioii of the gi'iieral herd." (Hcport of lS!t7, p. 11.)

I.Sl)<» was ill
^ (Iriviiig was
1 St. (leorge.
Mi was ,15; ill
idled in 18!)(J
tagc of seals

iasiire of tlie
illable seals
iOO and 1S97.
us compared
urease is but
vas resumed
:reatest loss,
lly accounts
iir-seal herd
's birth rate
rd between
icding herd
ilouble tiiat

,'!»

decline in
! sealing,
ear of the

erd of the'
stimate of
i!>7 bear a
000 skins
nate rehi-
ditHcnlty
eat as the
o account
the total
nnm size.

llii^ catch
C<'N8 <»f till)

CIIAPTKTI V I II .

THE CAUSE OF THE DECLINE.

JOINT AGREEMENT OK 1892.

At the joint meeting of American and British investigators in 18D2, preceding
the Paris Arbitration, an agreement was reached that "since the Alaska purchase a
inarkeil dimiiiuticni in the number of seals'' on the I'ribilof Islands had taken place,
and that this diminution was "the result of excessive killing by man." Hut when an
attempt was made to analyze what was meant by "excessive killing" each connnission
took a different view. The commission for the I'nited States claimed that it was the
slaughter at sea of female seals that was responsible; the commissioners fordreat
Britain held that land killing was chieHy, if not wholly, responsible.

As has already been shown, the decline admitted in 18!)2 has ctmtinucd t«) the
inesent time and is still going ;ni. It only remains for us now to locate if possible
th»' cause of the decline, to distinguish between land and pelagic killing.

NO NATURAL CAUSE COMPETENT TO EXPLAIN THE DECLINE.

It may be remarked at the outset that the investigations of the past two seasons
have brought to light no natural cause of injury to the herd which can be connected
with its decline. The subject of mortality among the fur seals is discussed in detail
in Part HI of this report. It is only necessary here to say that among the a<lult seals
no mortality was (bund which was n<»t due, directly or indirectly, to contests among
the bulls, or to rough treatment of the cows by the bulls. In the case of the very
young pups an hitherto unknown but apparently customary cause of death, due to the
ravages of a parasitic worm infesting crowded and sandy breeding areas, was found
to be responsible for a large number of deaths. In the case of very young imjis a
certain number are also trampled to death by the bulls. The number dead from the.se
causes in 189(5 as counted anumnted to 1 1,000, 1 )oubtle8s a considerable number were
overlooked.

NATURAL CAUSES OF MORTALITY CONSTANT.

It may be sai<l, however, that Itoth these causes of death are as old as the herd
itself, and were more active when the herd was in its prime. They are directly related
to the «'rowded condition of the rookeries and are, therefore, to-day, at a minimuni.
The piiotographs ' taken by the British commissioners in 1801 and 181>2 show that the

' A |iliciti)^riii>li tiikcii in IHill by l>i'. <;i'orf;<' M. Dawnon hIiows a piirt of the simdy nortliciii end
of 'I'dlstoi rookery tliickly strewn with <leii(l piipN, evidently killed liy tlie worm. The pliotoirp.iph
■will lie I'omid iiiiioni; the illiiittnitiuus in Ap)ieiidi\ III. In the lollowiiiu; year Mr. Mtuoiin I'eportH
liiidiu;; liy uctuid eount l,(MM) dead jtiips mi the uaiid Hut ol' tlins rookery. 'I'lieHe fiiits, '^'ndiiiK to
show the preNeiice of lireedin); seiils iiiid their yoini}; in territory Ciir lieyoud the preHent eoiiliiien of
Tolstoi I'uukery, are aUo valnulde us proving' the great shriiikaKe of thiH rookery since lS9t.

115

"';3

hi;

THE FUR SKALS OF TIIK I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

I I

ilt'iitlis tVoiii ITiii-iiiiiriii wt'ie gr«;atcr tlivii in proportion as tli«> lu>r«l wiih (rii-iitor. Tli»
wiiitciml Ihiih's uf )>iipH on Tolstoi Siinds, in arms not^.cctipied in 18!M, show jtlainiy
tliat it antedates oven that tiino, and tiiuru is no reason to supiwsc that itdid not exist
thronglioiit the period when the herd was in its prime. It was probably the (letcrniiniiiK
cheek whith prevented the herd's indctlnito in<'rease. Wo nuiy infer from the ll}rhtin};
and striiftglin;; of the limited number of bulls at presLiit on tho rookeries that in a
state of nature, when the males wore practically etpuil to the females, the destruction
from such liKbting amoiij^ all classes of seals must have been enormous.

THE REAL CAUSE OF DECLINE AN ARTIFICIAL ONE.

We may therefore assume that the cause or causes which have lea<l to the decline
«>f the herd are not inherent in the herd itself. In short, we may come at outre to the
conclusion arrived at in 1802 that interference by u)an, and that alone, is cliar^^eable
with the decline.

LAND AND SEA KILLING.

There are two ways and two only by which the acts of man have come to atlect
the fur-seal herd. These are (1) by killinjj on land, which has been practiced, ever
sintte the islands were discovered in 178(>, and for the last half century, at least,
without change; and (li) killin^r at sea, which has been practiced to a limited extent
by the Indians otl" the west coast of America from a very early date, but which since
about 1880 has been greatly extended by the introduction of sailin^r vessels under
the management and direction of white men. We nniy consider first the o]ieration8
of land killing autl their etl'ect on the herd.

A. LAND KILLING— ITS METHODS.
ANIMALS KILLKI).

hand killing on the Pribilof Islands has since about the year 183") been confined
strictly to the removal of a definite number of young males, chiefly 3-year-olds,
with occasional "long"' 2 year-olds and "sliorf 4year-olds, which approximate the
Syear-olds in size. At times the average size of seals killed has varied from this
standard, leaning to the larger seals and again to the smaller animals, as the demands
ot the market or the condition of the hauling grounds have dictated.

KILLING SEASON.

The regular killing season on the islands lies between the Ist of June an<l the 1st
ot August. During the period .ro ii about the middle of August until about the
middle of October the skins of tiie seals are not in |»rinie condition, being stagj', as
it is called, owing to the shedding ( i" the liair. After the middle of October kilHng is
resumed to a limited extent to fnrmsli meat for the natives. In like n)anner the seals
are killed for food as soon as they arrive in the spring, usually early in May. These
food skins are accepted as part of the quota and are included with those taken in the
regular killing season.

TIIK l)i:iVlN(i OF THE SEALS.

The y<»ung bachelor seals, which are the (^lass taken for their skins, haul out on
the sand beaches or in the rear of the rookeries and at a distance from them. In the

A DRIVK FUOM TIIK KKKI'.

117

eiiiiy iiiorniiijf llic natives visit such hauling groiiiulH as liavo been hoUtUmI, and,
HurroundinK tlm aniinulH, drive tlieni inland to the ix»int where tliey nniy conveniently
be slan«:iiteied. Ah illnstniting tiiis process of driving, we nniy «iiu)t« the following
record taken from tiie Meld n«>tes of tlie commission:

■^fi

TlIK DItlVK.

Thr ilrivr IVoiii Uorbiitcli luitl l{<if niukiiiii* this moniiiiK (.Iiily \T>) wiis witiiOHNfd liy Dr. .Ii>nliiii,
l'i<ili'HNiii''l'lii>iii|>Noii. 1)1. .Hti'jiii't;er. .Mr. I.iiciin, mikI .Mr. (.'I.irk. Ciiptain .Monit tiiiil Lii'iiti'iiiiiit (liiiiett,
ol' llic A I ha I rout, wi-yr iiIho ])resi-iit. Mr. Ciiiwlcy, Tn'iiMiiiy iijjrnt, rnniliirtiil tin- inovi'iiii'iitH of tlif
viniti>is. Kit'terii Alriils iiiiiili' up tin' diiviii),' imily.

Wf Irft tlir villiigc lit 2 o'l'liick in llir iiioniiiiK. It wiih llini \\n\\t ciiiiiigli to iiiiikc oiir's wiiy
witliuiit ilittlriilly. Aflcr ii IVw iiiiiiiitt'N' wnlk Wd rriiclnil /olloi hiiikIh, ii bciii'li iiliuiil iiiio-foiirtb ul'
II lulle from the villiiKi', itt the iiiigli' of which thi- bachrloiH fioiii (iorhatcli lookciy hiiiil out to icitch
tUc rocky shipc alioM-, Tlir ilrivrm ran in i|iii('kly liutwcni tlic sralw anti tlio Hca ami hooii hail the
iiiiiiiialM roiniili'il up in a lai^'' 1""'' I'loiii .i Hliiiil;ii' litilllili;; groiiiiil on the Hhori'.jUMt a< tonn llii' iicck
of tilt' pctiiiiHiila aiiiitlii'i' ]io(l w:iH in like inannri loiimleil ii|>. Tin- two ]ioiIh coinbiiicil were left in
chai'gr of thirc nii'ii to br ili'ivcn acroits the niiihIh Io thr village killing ;;i'oiiiiil n fuw hmnliril yurilN
bcyonil.

W'r then pi'ocrcili'tt to the i'.\trciiii' )ii>iiil of I In Kief peniiiNiila. 'I'lii' haiiliiiK K<'oitnil of lieef

rookery Hi'h in the rear of the bveedin;; groiinil anil ha> four well niarkeil runways com ting it with

the sea, on which no hareiiiN are locateil. \ line of iille linlls keeps ch'ur a coiiHiilerable spaeo bet ween
the hauling groiiuil anil the rookery. Kroiii the head of the various runways and in the intervening
space ]iodH of Hieeping liachelors were rounded up, ihe Aleuts passing between the idle IiiiIIh and the
bachelorH and tnrniiig the latter up the bank to the Hat parade ground back of the baulinu; ground.
Here the pods were all uiiiteil in one large gioiip and the drive started on its way. It was It o'clock
when we reached the point, and by 11.30 the drive wuh in motion.

.\fter pasHing over a short spaee of ground, scattered at wide interxals with irregular bowlders
and having a gentle slope, the drive came into the level grassy plain of the parade ground. Hero the
herd, which iiuinbereil about 1,5(M) bachelors, was Hcparated into two parts for greater ease and safety
in driving. While one pod was allowed to rest the other was driven slowly forwaid in the direction
of the village. Three iiieii wore now .issigned lo ea-b pod, and the rest cd' ihi' drivers allowed to
return to the vill.'iKe to make ready for the killing. We followed the lirst herd.

Over the green turf of the parade ground the drive moved alon^ i|uietly and without dilliciilty.
The drivers took their positions one on oaeh tl.ink to repress any lateral iiiovements, and the third
brought lip the rear. There was no noise or confusion. In general the seals were allowed to take
their own time and go at their own p.ice. Those in the advance acted as leailcis, and the rest of the
Mock followed naturally after them. At the beginning the seals showed some reluctance in leaving
their Iianling grounds, and made ini'ti'ectuiil attempts to break away. Itiit after the drive was under
way they moved forward apparently as a matter of course. When the leaders showed an inclination

to take the wrong course the men on the think simply st 1 ii)) and raised a hand, w liich was siitticieiit

to turn them back into the way. I'or the most part the men kept out of si|r||i ,if the seals.

The seals on the drive do not keep up a continuous motion. They take ten or a do>;en steps and
then sit down like dogs to rest and pant, resuming their way when they tinil that their (M>nipani()ns
have gone on. The leaders set the example, and as they ate rested by the time the rear members of
the herd have come to a standstill, they move on and are ready to stoji by the time the rear j;iiai'il

have started. The result is that some ](art of the herd is moving all the ti anil the pro^rression is

continuous.

There Is a teiiilcncy on the part of the young seals to go faster than the older ones, of wliiih
a large number were included. Ity a gradual sifting prooesK the old fellows fell to the rear, and on
several occasions pods of from a do/.en to twenty wore cut oil' and allowed to return to the sea.

All the seals anil especially the larger ones showed signs of fatigue. 'I'hey uppcnrcd to be hot
and excited, and a climd of steam ro.se constantly from the moving animals. This steam had a strong
musky smell. When the herd stopped, individual seals would often -prawl out on the <;r(Hiiid, raising
their hind llippers and waving tliem fan-like evidently in an eti'ort to cool oil'. After resting u

( '

lis

TlIK I'lIK HKALH OF THK I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

iiiiiiiii'iit tlioHi'iils wttnt I't'iidy to iiiovi' mi apimriMitly n-fn'Mlicil. CoiitliiiKiiiH cxArtioii istniiltiiillv liaril
on thniii, liiit tlio.N (jiiirkly recoMT rnnii csliiiiiRtiiiii. Am hoiiii as the lliick coiiioh to irHt fur ii I'inv
iiKiiiii'iiU' bi'xiitliiiiK. tlic'Y li<'){iii lo liiii' Olio aiiotliisi' uml ihihIi in an iiiu'oiicei'iii'tl faHliioii nnlil they aiu
I'l'iiiinilt'il liy llio almiMico of their <'oiii)iuiiion8 that thoy iiiiist \n'«\> iiioviiiK.

'I'hu HcalH well' nut nr{{ril forwaril, Init wcru allowt'd to take their own tinii'. Wlicn tho honl
\v»H liroiifrht to r«Mt tor a ftnv iiiinntnM, tlut rear ilri\"r Htuiti-il tlii'in on hy i'hk|i|iiii); hlH IimikIh or hy
nittliii); n Htick on a rock, (Mir prrMKiH'o I'vidi-iitly nr^rd tlii' Hi-alH, and mad)' tlit- diivu ri'tilly hardrr
than It would ordinarily liavo iiueii. Tho AliMits him'Iii to have a way oT haiidliii;; tliu HualK tliat tiny
iiiidt'rNtand.

A Nliort distanci' liroii){ht iih to th<« oiul of the ^raHHy plain and into an area of Kroiind llllcd with
enilieddrd liowhit'iH. 'rhimc were I'or the most )inrt llat and worn Hiiiooth. It lookrd liki' lianl ^(roiind
lor tho Hi'alH, lint iu reality th»y Mi'*-in to frrt over it li<<it('r than the llat Kruiind. On tint flat then-
wait roiiNtaiit rrow'diiiK, while hero tlie lockf) kept the NeiiU apart. The nninialM art' really inor)'
iainillai' with the rocky tiroiiiid, their lin-ediiiK rookerieH with lew exceptions lieiiiK on the rocky
heaelieH.

After paMHin^ over anliglit riil^re, where the paHsaKeway bei'itine narrowed hy proJeutiiiK elill'Mand
wliere there was a piod deal of crowding and HcrainhliiiK, tlie dri\(i loft tho liowlder-Htrewii |iatli and
passed into a valley overgrown with tall Klyinns (tiuhh and lying hetween rows of sand diineH alHn
graHs-growii. The seals seem to ho refreHJu^l liy the nndstiire of tho graHs, which was wet with ilew
and rain.

TliiM grassy (liain h'd into the top of the liowlder-set slope above Zoltoi sands, from which tho
earlier Heals were driven. The NcalH jiassod down this slope without dilllciilty and came into the level
sand llat. Here the liiHt really hard work of tho drive liogaii. ThcHi'aUNcemcd to find tin ir greatest
dillioiilty in walking on the yielding sand. Tlieir dippers take hold of the rockH like niliher, hut slip
liack ill the sand. No rocks preventi-d the animals from crowding. They Htopjiod on each other's
IlipperH, liecaino much excited, and seemed generally worried.

lint in a few minntca the nauds were jiassed and the herd emerged into tlie grass-grown killing
ground. As hooii as tlie HealH came to a Htnndstill, they Hecined to forget their tronhlcs. At once
they began biting. Hiiarling, and blowing at one another as though nothing had liiip])oncil. I'hey
were then tnriicd into the littlu lake beside the killing grouiid to cool olV, iiiid wiTc herdeil up on
the bank to rest until thoir turn came to be killeil.

It was .'< minutes after ."> when tho llrst herd reached the killing ground. The second arrived
tlirei-<|uarters of an hour afterwards, having taki'ii more time on the way.

THE KILLlNd.

Xftor the seals liavo siUlicieiitly rested siiid coided oH" tlio killiiijj: is bepin. Tlie
1ai'};e di'ove of animals is put lit niotioi) in tlie direction ot' the spot where the killing
is to begin. Two men elose in on the moving animals and ent otV a small ])od of from
twenty-five to fifty, turning the main body back. This smidl groni» is driven up
within reach of a iinmber of men armed with eliibs. These "cull" out the "kill.able"
.seals (.'5-year (lids, large liyear olds, ;ind sniall 4-year-olds) by striking them on the
head, allowing the nonkillable .seals (yearlings, small liyear olds, iiiid all "wiggetl''
seals) to escajie iind make their way back to the .sea. As soon as one i»od is knocked
down, a .second is cut out and driven up. This process is continued until the drove
is exhausted.

THK AI.EUT.s.

The operations of the killing ground are carried out by the Aleuts, under the
immediate direction of the native chief, who is in turn subject to the direction of the
agent of the lessees. The latter supervises the clubbing and indicates the pro]»er
grade of iinimals to be selected. The drives are authorized by the agent of the
(lovernnuMit, iiiid he is required to be present on the killing grounds to look after the
interests of the tloverniueut as the owner of the herd.

pr the

bf the

proper

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*^^M

pmrn

"& Ji^^'V

/v:,f;*

i^^B^^^^^^^WjflRA *

"^'1 l^J if

■r <^-<^A, '

WjjB^ 1m ^

fVA . ff'j ■ H

1^ m:^i:r^^

W^^

l^g^H

ll^EB

■-.■I

.^^^■>i

Wif 'It '^

%*,

'-^^^S^ajL'

^\\ I' Hi.y . ▼•>.■

IB^^^^IbI

'( 7^ "

{-A^ ^s

.'trt^^^'

* ~'^ ^^U^^^H

^^^HhV'Io^VHh

-1 ■ ■

•^

17 •* m<^'

^M ~ .--• r

<
u
<c
<
o

z
(-

s
o

■1

'■ !

„

EFFKCTS OK LA 'D KILLING.

119

Witli tilt' knocking down of the killablc seals iinit tlie reloiise of those not Huitiible,
the work of handling; the seals on land ceasea to liave any erte<-t on the life of the
herd. The inoeesses of taking' and curing the skins have been so well descrribed by
Mr. Kliiott and others that it is hardly necessary to redescribe them, but for the
sake of completeness a brief siimnniry may be given.

SKINNINU THE SKAI-S.

As the animals are clubbed they are stretched out in order, with space for the
skinners to work about them. The skull of the fur seal is its weakest point, and the
blow of the club renders the animal instantly unconscious, if it does not kill it
outright. It is immediately stuck to the heart with a knife, which serves the double
(Mirpose of insuring death and bleeding the animal.

TIIK DIVISION Ol" LAUOB (»N THK KILMNO FIKLl).

The Aleuts, by whom the various operations are carried on. follow at jtresent a
sy.steunitic division of labor, working in four .sections, the operations of "clubbing,"
"sticking," "llip|»ering," and ".skinning" goingou simnltaneou-sly. The clubbing and
skinning are <lone by the most skillful and experienced of the men. The beginners do
the sticking and tlippering. This las>t process involv«>s the cutting of the skin loose
from about the no.se, tail, and flippers, and slitting it through the median line of the
belly. When this is done the animal pa-sses into the hands of the skinner, who
removes the ])elt with a few (piick strokes of the knife, spreading it out llesii side
downward on the grass to cool.

THK TKKATMKNT <»r THE SKINS.

The skins are gathered up in wagons and counted into the salt house, where they
are salted in tiers, with the tlcsh side up. layers of .salt alteriniting with tin' .skin.s.
After lying thus for live or six days they are taken out and resulted in reverse order.
They remain in this salt for about ten days or two weeks, when the process «tf curing
is complete, and they are taken out, wrapped in neat bundles, each containing two
skins, and tied .securely, ready for shipment.

The skins are then counted into the bidara, which is to lighter them to the ship, and
are counted for a third lime into the hold of the vessel. At San l-'ranci.sco they are
phiced in casks and shipped to London, where they are dressed and <lyed and tinally
distributed t4> be mannfactnied into garments.

THE EFFECTS OF LAND KILLING.

Owing to the i»olygamons habit of the fur seals, the greater part of the nuile life
born is superthutus for breeding jdirposes. I'ttr the 1,'{(),000 breeding cows found on
the rookeries of .St. Paul and St. (ieiuge islands in the season of 18!)7. 4,418 bulls were
adequate, or at least out of fully KMKM) adult bulls ready iind willing to serve harems,
only this number were able to obtain them. Therefore only 1 bull in 30 is absolutely
necessary under present conditions. That this limit could he materially lowered
without i)08itive danger to the herd is conclusively shown by the history of the
Bu.s.sian herd on IJering Island, where the observations of the i»ast three years, as
detailed by Dr. Stejnegcr, .show that a male fur seal is capable of attending to the
wants of between KM) ami lidO cows. '

' Stoj lienor, I'rel. lifiiurt, 1897, i>. U.

120

TIIK FIIK 8KAL.S OF THE PRIHILOl' ISLANDS.

BKMOVAI- ol" SlM'KBl'LUOrS MAl.K, LIl'K HK.NKKKMAL.

Moreover, tlio rt'inoval of this siipertliiotis iiiale lit'*' is not only possible, but is
really heneticial to tlie herd. As already indicated, the only deaths anions adult
bulls and eows discovered upon the rookeries of the islands resulted from the strujj-
^les of the bulls anu)njj; thtMuselves or to obtain possession of the rows. In the death
of youn^r ])ups also this ti^rhtiii}; and stru;>:glini( of the bulls is a small but by no nu'uns
insi^rnilicant cause of loss. In IStXi the great early mortality among luirsing pups was
wrongly ascribed to the trampling of the lighting bulls, lint while the more complete
and satisl'act(n'y investigation of I8!)7 shows auother and more important cause, there
still remains a considerable loss from this source. This loss is now insignilii-ant
compared with what it was in the wild state of the henl. When the number of adult
males and females was practically eipuil, the destructimi both auuing the cows and
auKMig the pups must have been enormous. It undoubtedly rivaled the ravages of
the worm ITncimiria in its destructive work and combined with it toolfset the natural
increase of the herd.

I'OSSinil.lTV OF OVKKKlLLINCi.

While as a general prim-iple the removal of these superlluous males is beneticial
to the herd, excessive removal would undoubtedly lead to disastrous results. The
percentage of uuvles recpiircd for the needs of propagation is small, but it is essential,
and if reduced too low or cut oft" entirely the etlect must be injurious. .Such excessive
killing would be felt in the scarcity of bulls, from which cause, through inadequate
service, the usual increase of pups would not be born and the heid nuist ultinuitely
begin to fail. It is on this ground that laud killing becomes a |)(»ssible source of
danger to the herd.

A UYPOTIIKTICAL CASK.

To understand how such killing would act, let us take a hypothetical case. If in
any given year absolutely every 3-year old nnile was killed to till the ipiota, this
would involve the absence of rei>resentatives of this (ilass of s»'als from the reserve of
bulls tor the replenishment of the rookeries in subseipient years. It would not alfect
the breeding bulls, nor the reserves of four, live, and six years. These latter would
supply the deliciency in the breeding stock caused by old age for at least ten years, and
it would take that period at least to show the effect of the ch»se killing. If it was
not repeated, no intluence would be felt. The 7-year ohl bull of the following year
would simply enter the rookeries as a (5-year-old.

Hut suppose the killing was continued through a series of years, every .'{-year-
old being killed, the reserve would in time be cut oft" and the stock of breeding bulls
would die out. It is impossible to say how long it would take to produce this etlect,
betrause we do nttt know the length of the lifiv of the bull. We nniy infer, however,
that it is not less than lifteen years, ami therefore the injurious elVe«^ts of this exces-
sive killing begun in any given year and continued iudetinitely would not be seen
within ten years at least.

This is only a hypothetical case, but it shows what is meant by too ch)se killing
of nnvles in tilling the quota. The killing of males, which wcmld ju-oduce imuu'diate
and disastrous results, nuist strike at the adult unties. To destroy this class or any
considerable nuud)er of them would at oiu-e weaken the herd. liut then^ would be
nti object in such killing, and it Las never been thought of.

N(» OVKUKII.MNU OK M.\L18,

121

MICH KII.MNti NOT I'llAC I ICAni.K.

Ill flip liypotliptical <iis«> aliovo cited we liuvc snppostMl that every iiial»M)('a jiiveii
a(H' could betaken. While in tiicory this i^ iMis,sil)h', in juaclico it coiihl jtiiibtiltly
never bo (lone. There are certain iianlin(f ;;riinn(ls, hucIi an lia;;onn, /apadni Head.
Otter Ishind, Sivutdi Ifock. anil Houtliwest I'oint. I'roni wliicii tiu* seals are nut and
have nevi'i' been driven. The vunnn nudes iVeiinentin}; thcM' are lelt undisturbed,
and it is safe to snp])ose that the nni.jiMity of them pasH kiilaide a^'e before tiie s(>\ual
instinct draws them to tiie vicinity of the rookeries from wliieli se;ds are driven.
I'lirtherinore. there are always litth' ;>ods of bachelors in the turns and corners of the
rookerii which either can not be reached or are t«H> insi^'iiitieaiit in nniuber U) bu
followed M|t.

OTTKU ISLAND NoT DIMVf.N.

Otter Island, one of these haulinj; tjrounds from which seals are never killed,
must liave been a source of reserve male life thiouylioiit tln^ hist<M\ (d" the lierd.
i<'rom the records in the lojr of St. Paul of the days when a ;;uaid was stationed
thereto prevent raids, we ku)»w that anywhere from two to t«>n thousand bachelors
huuh'd out there re;,'ularly. During' the jiast summer at lea-^t l,(MKI yonnj; nuiles were
found at the time the island was visited. Tliero were also from ~Mt to «(Ml males of
this sort on Hivutuh Hock at the time of its inspection in 1S07. These yoiin^ nuUes
are not disturbed, and from these hauling' ^.^rouiuls aloiut an adequate supply ol
reserve male life nu;iht be expected today if none whatever escaped otherwise. In
the earlier days w hen the herd was larger their yield was also larj^er.

of
feet
i>uld
and
was
ear

re«ft,
-er,
•es-
•eu

ling

late

iiiiy

DKFECTIVK SKINS.

One other matter in this coiinei;tioii is worth mentioning, l-'rom the killing Held
at every killing a considerable number of young males, otlu'rwise .strong and vigorous,
are rejected because of some defect in the skin, chielly bites or scars of imperfectly
healed wounds. These males go to swell the <|iiota of reserve male life.

<lVi;!{KII,l.lN(i OI' MAI.KS HAS NOT IKCI K1{K1>.

Wo far we have considered the possibility of too (dose killing of males. Let us
examine the facts in the case. At the time the herd came into the possession of the
rnited States it was in a prosperous coiu.ition, probaldy increasing, and it main-
tained a inaxiinuiu condition of expansion for a number of years. We need theref«»ro
not go back of the transferor the rookeries to the I'nited States in ccnisidering the
causes (d' decline.

From the year 1871 a nominal <piota id" 100,0(M» male .seals was taken ea«'h year to
and including 188!). Since 188!) the quota has tluctiiated as a result of various caii.se.s.
To and including the year 18!)<» there were killed, in addition to the normal quota each
year for food for the natives, from .■$,()()() to 0,0(10 male jmps. There was further a large
killing of males for food in the stagy .season and of animals too young to furnish
skins of the desired grade for the quota. Since 1890 the killing of pups has been
slopped, as also the killing of stagy seals.

PF«

122

TIIK I'lIU MKAI.S OK THE I'RirUI.OF IHLANDS.

SIAIISTies (»l' TIIK (>r»»TA.

Till! luiiiiiiil killing: of limit' lil'u on tlie t'ln-Ht'ikl islamls iliiriiif; tli«* perioil of the
tli'st IciiHU \v(> lliid liiiH iiv(>i'a(;<>(t iilioiit IO.'>,<Hll> pt'i' year. Tlu* rollowiii;; taltiv k>vi'h
tliu total killiii)(Hor males lor all |Mirpost'H \vli»tHiH>vei' tor tiii^ pcrioil in ijiieHtioii:

li\»A killiuij, i,s;o~isH!i.

Vi«ar.

Liinil '

Vfiif.

V-iir.

1,11

kill

»u

kllliliu.

kill

nu.

IH7II

•.':i

1K7.-.

UNI

tl.U

IHMI

lll&,7IH

IHM,-.

iiir>

IH7I

III'.'

IHUI

1X711

«r.7

IHHI

Iii5.iia:i

IMIMI

IIM. 521

IK72

ICIX

MIU

IM77

•iiii

IKH'.'

mt. HI'.'

1MM7

iu;i

7)M

lH7;i

Kill

177

:h7h ...

mil

:r.';i

IHKI.. .

"11 'ii'ii

IMMH

IIKI

;WM

1H7<

11"

riK.'i

I87'.i

nu 411

mm... .

III.'-. 4:m

IfWU

iii'j

•117

i i

Voj.rSTAIiV HKIHlTloN of i^lo'JA IN IM7tt-"7.

From an exaniiiuitioii of this table wo liiid that Itclwccii the years ISTl and iHTn,
inclusive, an average of l(>7,r)lNi male seals were annually killed on the islands. In
IH70-77 this avt'iajje was rodiieed to S.S,r»tMI. Some »|iiesti(iii had heeii raiseil liy Tap-
tain Itryaiit,' then anient in ehar^'e of the islands, as to theetVeet of the killing' of this
full ipiota. lie liad even reedniiiended that it be reduced. This may have inlliienced
the contraction in the i|nota, but it was n(»t insisted upon by the (ioveriinient and was
voluntary on the part of the lessees. The fact tliat in 1.S7S killing was resumed and
continued at an average <tf 10.">,tMM) tor four years shows clearly enough that the alarm
about the <|Uotii felt by Captain Kryaiit was without touiidation. The temporary
reduction tor the two years could not have intliienced the herd. Itiit in these two
years we liave a right to assume that at least ;{8,(HI0 young males of the age of .'5
years were allowed to escape and grow ii)) as an additi(Ui to the reserve of bulls.

VOLINTAKY KKliI ( I'lON IN I8S2-S:!.

In 1882 and 188:( we find a similar redmttiim to 88,7<K) of the (piota of male life
from the ))receding average of l((."»,(MMl. This eontraction was, as we know, purely vol
niitary on the part of the lessees and due to the overstocked condition of the seal-skin
market. That it was not due to any scarcity of seals is clearly enough shown by the
fUct tliat the killing was in I8H4 re.sumed and continued at an average of I(I4,4<M) until
the year issil.

The point we wish to make clear is that the •18,(100 males in this tirst e.vtraordinary
reservation made in 187<i-77, .i years old at the time, were 7 years old, or ready for
harem duty in 1880-81, and 10 years of age, or in their breeding iirime in 188."»-8(i,
when the decline in the herd was well begun. Likewise, the second reservation of
.'{li.soo young bulls was ready to replenish tlifi rookeries in 18S(i-S7, and they were
still in their prime in 1S80 and subsequent years when tlie decline was in the height.

NO DKAHTH <il' MALK Lll'K.

That the young male life represented by these annual killings from 1871 to 1880
should liave been produced upon these rookeries is in itself abumlant proof that
there was no <leartli of lireeding males. In its prime 1.'.~>,0II0 bulls were ample for the

' St'u uxtractH I'roiii the log of St. I'uul, Pt. II, iiiiili-r tliittt of .lime It), .Inly L'.~>, AiigilHt I, et«., I87.'i.

ANTICIPATION OK TMK yUOTA.

1J3

needs of tlic lieiinl. IJy the extriionliiiiiry leserviitioiiH of mule lite « liitli we liiive
jiiKt noted niure tlian snttleient linlls were snpplieil to the ronkeries iVoin and tittcM'
|H,SO to meet their neetls. Tins wuH in itddition to the re^Miliir reserviitionH whieli
were nukde t'rnm ,v«>ai- to year and, I'lirtlier, in addition to thoxe whieli eseuped natnially
on hanlini; ^nonnds not driven.

In the history of thiit period, as reeorded in the lo); of .St. I'aul Island, there is
nothing; to show that the breeding' ({rounds were not amply stoeked with hulls, anti
on the killing' grounds systennitie provision whh made tor the neeussary reserve of
male life.

KII,IJNU i»r MAI.KS NOT \ KAOTOU IN KKCI.INK.

When we tonsider all thesr thint;s in eonnection with tin- difllrulties whieli wo
have shown to stand in the way even of a deliberate attempt to kill too elosely, we
believe ourselves fully just i tied in asserting that land killing has not, thiont^h too
close killint; of the males, been a faetor in the decline of the herd.

IMtKMATIKK KILLINO.

It vemaiiis to be noted that there is another class of close killing' which, while it
does not injuriously atfect the herd as a wlitde. produces etlects which are unfortunate
and which may ap|>ear to be harmful although they are not so.

We have said that from 1H.S4 to IH8!> an avernKe of KM. KM) male seals were killed
<ui the islands each year. This w(Hdd seem to indicate a normal condition of the
herd, while as a matter of tiu^t we know that during; this period the herd was rapidly
declining, and the immediate drop from 100,(NK) skins in 1HS<> t,> 2I,(NH) in ISIMI
proves it.

ANTKII'ATKlN <>K <,H'(»TA.

To understand how this killing could be thus maintained it is only necessary to
remember that the quota of killable. or nominally 3year old seals, is <;tilled from a herd
of bachelors which contains also the tpiota of two subsequent years as L'year-olds
and yearlings. When in I8.S."> the killable seals began to gradually become s«!arce
upon the hauling grounds, it at tlrst became necessary to drive oftener, to in(;lude
more hauling grounds, and tlnally to increase the period of driving. Tliis matt r can
be made clear by the following table:

Tahte Hhowiiiij dale of fiUinij i/iitila, iiiimher of IkiuUiiii iiniiinilii itiid drh-m, St. I'mil Inlaiid.

Yi'Br.

ball' lliiiiliiii; N'liiiiliir
illlnlii ^rnlllKir, (il*

tfllril.i ilriviMi.' ilHv.s.'

at
the

IHHO Iiilv

IMI Inly

1HH2 hilV

1H8I July

lH«t , .Inly

Ili«5 1 .Inly

188« liilv

1887 lu\\

1888 Iiijy

188K Inly

' l>«t<' nt wliiih luHl ri'),'iilai'ilrhc' (cii- ilir i|iiiitu wax miriIi'.

'Si'viTiil liniiliii): KroiiiKln hit iiiilmli'il ill u niiiKlv ilri\«: iih, lor t-xuiiipli'. TiilHtiii, Midclli' Hill. ami KiikHhIi Hay are
rv|{iiliirly iui'liidwl in uiii' ilrivn.

;iH

211

(Ml

:i4

'.Ml

Mil

:ie

II)

;iu

>l|

nil

inii

ti.i

•-'«

117

■J4

|ii|

-7

lO'J

:ii

nil

124

THE i'l'H SEAL.H <>F TMK I'UIIUI.uK ISLANDS.

THE KILLING <IF INDKUSI/KIi SKALS.

l'\)r il tiiiK' tliese more vinoroiw laetliiiil.s had tiin def»irwl ett'ect, but tlie scarcity
of biiclielors as a result oftlie dfcreasimij l)irtli rate mailv ir necessary tiiially to lower
the age for killahle seals so as to iucauile first the _ veai-olds and in the end nuiny
of the larger yearlings,' in order to i.*wnire the rei|ui.-it< lo(l,(M)(( skins. By these
methods it hapjjened, in l.SS'.t. that |)raelicaliv the wiioie biu-iielor herd of lonr years
and under, down to the yearlings, was wiped out. Tut- result was the abnormal drop
to L'1,(KK> in the (luota of ISitO.

SICH KILLING DID NOT IN.HIJE TIIK IIEKK.

It is evident, however, that this sort ot killing is not inimical to the breeding herd.
It simply destroys the superrtuous bachelors through premature killing. It is an
anticipation in the (piota of one year ot the product of the next. That even the close
killing of 1S8!) did not endanger the iierd i> clearly shown in thai it was possible to
secure, in IfSiM), 21,(MM) seals of killabie age. This fact alone shows that in the nature
of things it is imi)ossible to get all ihe males ot a certain age in any given year.
That there were 21,0(10 seals which were (»f killaul*' age in 18!M» may be taken as
showing, indirectly at least, that, in like manner, other older baciidors escaped, which,
in the interval between lS8i» and l.HOO. had |)assed to the 'wigged" stage, wiicre
they were no lonjjfcr suitable tor the i|Uota. Of this class Mr. Klliott records in his
1890 report the turning back of 1.112 from a |)art of the killings of that year.

I'KKMATlKi; KILLIN'Ci WASTEPIM-, Mil' NOT I.N.UKlOfS.

It is not the intention here to Justify the methods of killiu'; (;m])loyed in the
closing years ot the lease of the Alaska Commercial <'ompany. Such killing ought
never to Iwve lM*en allowed. It would not have occurred had noi tiic termination of
the letise l»»*n lipproatdiing, as it would have been wholly against the interest of the
lesnees. \Un n is not conceivable that such killing could '\<m' utlect the life of tlie
aeitd, ii»i it woiiU" necessarily bring ti- ruin th<- business of taking .seal skins on land
mnjS iMttbre it •«««tid produce any eti'ecf on tU** bleeding herd.

KIIJ.INC Ol- VVrt* WASTEFUL.

Nor (^an nt^ niuttcful practice of killiing pups lor food and killing seals when
stag vhic'i muwiessariiy augmented Mie draft on the male life of the herd, bo
pass«*< • vet MTiitmt cnndemnation, Tht magnitude of this wast«f injiy be inferred
from : • ')Iiih i\___ -\-mo|isis taken fr<»m rie- rv<*ords:'''

JMa<« killeii irlionv hUih' irrrc iranlrd, IS7 l-.'S!Ki.

Httittp.tmml-) ._

T«t^ —

if I>r. Mcliir«w, Henate iJor. 137, Pt. 1, p. 3iri.
Butlix I.

27, 790
M, 798

l.M, 2lti

MKI'HOPS ON TMK CoMMANDEK ISI.ANUS.

125

III

I'd

vusKNci. ur iN.irwv m Tin; iii'.un.

This (oiiili'iiiiiatioii, liuwever, iimst n-st solely on tlu^ Imsis of tliu wiustr involved,
ll H'sulted ill no in.inry to the lieid lioeiuise there were stilt eiioiiyli males, and to
spare. In spite of the iinneeessaiy draft on its male life, and in spite ol the preina
tine ;;atheriii}j of its product in the closiii}: years of the (dd lease, the male life nee»led
tor the lueediii^' herd iievpi faileii. The breodiiiy; jjioiinds are to day yio'^wly over-
stocked with adult Ineedintj '"dls which can not be less than S years of a;,'e, and
many of them must i»e older, tiieir birth datinjj from the vi-ry period when the closest
killiiif,' took plai-e. In addition to the.se tiie rookeries are beinj; Hooded by a swarm
of yoiiii(;er bulls as a result of the partial suspension of killing under the modus vivendi
of l.s!M -!».!.

METHODS ON Tin; roMMANOKH ISLANDS.

< )ver tlie whole subject of land killing, as conducted on the I'ribilof Lslands, a flood
of li;>lit is thrown by a comparison with the methods in vov:ne on the Commandei'
Islands. On Meriii;; Island, for .somey»'ars past, nokillalilebaehehus have been spared,
and the pro]»ortioiiate iiuinber of bulls is very far below what it has been under the
ehwest killiii;; on St. I*:'.!' and St. (ieorge. On roliidinnoye (South) rookery, iUTiiijf
Island, for example, tin r were in ISil.'i live bulls, in ISOli three bulls, for between .")0()
and l,(MtO females. Vet this number, assisted, doubtless, by immature bulls, has beea
shown to be entirely adei|uate for the iiiiprefjiiation of all the females. Aeeordinu to
Mr. liarrett-llainilton of the Itritisli eoinmission, so far as roiild be 8e«Mi, every cow on
this rookery had a pup in IsiMi. This observation wasi'onlirmed by Dr. StejiicKer and
Captain .Moser, who visited the rookery at about the same time.

DR. .sTK.tNi;(iKR"s oltSKKVATIONS.

In his report for 18J>.'),' Dr. Stejnefjer observes:

Oil tli.it rooki'iy I l*<iliiiliniio,v<' I the (lispiopoitimi liotwcKii tlic two honcn wiis excrSHivc in ISitf).
According to rcliablu iiit'iiriniilioii, tln^ iiiiiii!iei' of luills on the whole rookorv (li<l not cxi'i'i'd livo.
.tii(l);iiij; tVoin wliiit I «nw ol' Ijiin rooUiTV diirlii;; two visits, I nIhuiM \t\Mo. tlu( niniilier of linodiiij;
feiiiiil»>N III about lUm, [msHilily only ."IMl.- It woiiM Im ik r(iin]iai:itiv('ly easy matter to obfierve this
yenr i IS'.Mii whi'tlier tlie iiuinber of |iu|is Uoin be M-ry inaiUedIv small in iiroportion to the nnniber of
ffuille« iianlinK out.

THK llKAIMH UK MALK 1,11 K ( >N ItKlMNO ISLAND.

Imm- the tiirce bulls which had charye of the (i(t(> or more cows on South rookery,
Beriiif,' Island, in ISiK), Dr, .Stejiieo-er found in ISi>7. by actual count. ."iJli pups.
Considering!; the inoiiortion of seals which must have died dm iiij;- the winter of old aoe,
and those which were taken by pelajjic .sealers, this birth rate shows clearly eiiouj^li
tiit- /apacity of the tiirce bulls, l-'or this rookery, which in ISi>7 eoutained at least
5'.Mi cows, there were but two adult Iniils and a youii^' half inill.

Such reckless killing as that practiced on the Commiiiider rookeries is by no means
to be comineiidcd nor to be imitated, but in the face of the absence of injurious results
from it, it becomes impossible to cliaroc ajfainst the more moderate and conservative
killing of the Pribilof Islands any share of responsibility for the decline of the lusrd
breeding upon their shores.

' Kussian Kur Seal Islands, ISlCi, p, (ft.

■' Dr. Sto,jne;;er's estimate of ."lOO lo (ilH) cows was made nnder the snppo.silion that the cows seen
on the rookery represented pructieiilly nil lii'lonj^ing to it. It waouot until ISlKULut it wasdiacovured
that not over hah' the eows ari' present at one time.

V II A 1* i' i: i{ IX.

THE THEORY OF OVERDRIVING.

DRIVING AND ITS SUPPOSED RESULTS.

I' rum the toreK<>'"}I '' imist \w rli'iir Unit laixl IcilliiiH: has lunor jn'oduwd a scarcity
of iiiaU" lite lor brccdiiin purposes, and has not therolore been a factor in the decline
of the herd. Tiiia woidd naturally eiul the nnitter, were it not for tlie prominence
whicii certain absurd tlieories have received. These \vc nitist consulcr in some (h'tail.

It is to .^Ir. Henry VV. I'.ljiott, wlio was sent in liSUO to investi^rate the condition
of tlie fur seal herd, that we are indebted for the theory that overdriving: is a cause of
injury to tin- herd. In ids report Mi'. Klbott haw elaborated tliis theory at p'cat
lenfjtli. It is plaiidy not the outgrowth of his investifjations. but tlu'ir fjiiiiling
h\ potiiesis IVom the befjinnin^; to the cud.

Mr. Klliott, inst«'ad of scekiii}! in the breediufi herd the cause of its decline,
impressed l»y the {jieat diminution of the l)acheior herds, conlincd his attention s<dely
to them. Tlie (!ondition of this class of animals is onl.\ an incident to the \\Sv, of
the herd. The causes atVectMiu' it necessarily orijjinate in the brcedinj; heril.

lie found, what is uutloubtcdiy true and has been trom the first, tiiat the younjj
nujies betjau a course of dri\inu from the haulinjj fjrounds to the UilliiiK {>rouiMls at
the age of I year. They were rejected because too sm.dl. The following year they
appeared in Ww. drives ajjain as L'year olds, and were a;;ain rejected for the same
reason. In the third y»'ar tiicy were, so far as driven, killed. The fourth and
subseipient years found those which escajM'd as .'<-year olds unsuitabh' for killinff on
accitnnt of tin- incipient wiy;, and they were accordingly again rejected, as certainly
as they ap|)carcd in the drives.

This course of driviuf; resulted, accordinfj to Mr. Klliott. in the death of practically
all the animals released, or else the iinpaiinieut of virility in I hose which survived.
The only recruits which the br<'ediu}j males received therefore was an insif-nilicant
iMUubcr of debilitated males, whose sexinil powers were lost. In this way the herd
had been <lestroyed, This, in brief, is the tluvny of overdriving.

THE PROCESS OK DRIVING.

liCt us examiiH' for a moment ihis ]u'oiess of driviiif"' and the aidnud which Inis
to under},'o it. As we know, very few of the yearlings jjct into the drives till alter
till middle of July, when the sealinf*' season is nearly over; therefore, not many of
the seals sno driven at this ajje. In the second ami subseiiuent years they (!ome
rarlier and are driven more frci|uciitly. The seals on each hauliiifj pound are
gatl'.ered up about six times in a .season; but as in ea*;h drive new kiliable seals
are found which certainly have not been driven before durinjf the sea.son in (piestion,
we may assume iliat the n jected .seals tliemsilves arc not all driven each time. In
fact, we must as.sume that in the years immediately subseipient to ISiK> the .seals of
the affe of W years that escaped to pjrow up were not driven at all; otherwise they
could not have survived.

ll!ti

ALLlXIEl) EVILS OK DKIVING.

127

las
Ici-

HUO,

of
ley

THE ANIMAL DRIVEN

ir we suppose that rtti.v rejected .seal is diiveii lifleeii times in live years we
iiu\e made a liberal estii;;:ite. This means an avera;'e of !."> miles of land travel lor
(Mcii animal, for the drives on the islainls do not average more than a mile in len^^th.
The seals, as we have alrea<ly seen in the description of the drive, are aUowetl to take
tlieir own time ami rest freipiently on the jonrney. The animal, moreover, is not ill
adapted to land travel. It is not a fish, lint a liear whl(;li has become adapted to life
in the water. It can and does vohintarily elind) cliffs which a man would find
ditlicnlty in stalintf. It makes considerable journeys of its own accord. When on
its balding grounds, it is constanliy in motion, pitted aj^ainst its fellows in contests
reqnirin};: violent exertici. On its mi^ratiinis it is capable of swimming thonsands
npon thonsands of nnles and bnlletinjj; the storms of an iinnsually tempestnons sea.
Snch is iii«' animal which is supposed to be fatally, or at least ]iernninently, in.inrcd
by an averairc of ! miles of land travel annually in live years. The coindusion is
jireposterons.

THE THEORY INTANGIBLE.

When V, e ctime to scrutinize Mr. Klliotfs theory, we can not lind a tatifiible bit of
cvitb'hce to :;upp<ut it. I'liere was no dearth of bulls in I.S'.IO. He t'ound iL'.lMMt Imlls
o;i the rookeries, with imire to s]>are idle on the sand beaches. This was a nnndier
cntiicly adetpiate to the needs of the herd. The presence of idle Imlls showed there
were more than enonp;li. It is true he as.serts that the bull."' were imptdent. Why
they should .seek tin' rookeries in this cuudition i,>i not e.xplaimil. Furthermore, .Mr.
I'.llioft has not, in support of this «*har}jc of impot>Mn y, recorded the dissection of a
single animal, the only way by \vhi<'h the fact of impotencv <ould be ascertained.

Mr. I'.lliott declares that no fresh male life e.visted in reserve to replenish this
wornont stock. In the lace of this statement he records. li<iwe\or. in his data lor tlie
killings he witnessed, the rejection of more than l,l(iO ytHiiifj; half Imlls, which are
Just the class he says d<tes not exist. He lays peat stress • pon the strain and
exertion which the few miles of land travel ji^oduces in the driven seal, i.i.d asserts
that practically none of them suivive it. Of the thousaiids lejected under his eyes
(HI the kiilin;; ;:r.Minds in IH<.)0. he records but a single instance of death lesiiltin^'
from this cause, ,ind inasninch as no antop.sy examination is reconled. we have (,nly
hiso])inion in the matter and must dis.sent from it.

When we attempt to lit this theor.\' of overdrivinj; tn i he conditions dnrinjj the
period jirioi to I.S'.HI, we meet with no yreat success That the drivinjf in tlic.se years
did not kill the '2 and 1 year old animals driven is shown by the fact that the.se
seals ajtpeared each year as .'Jyearolds to be diiven. I'r.im tlic yonn;;er males so
relea.sed each year and from these alone <(»nld the killable 8,'als of sidtseipient years
come. That the bul's serviuit' the rookeries in these years were not impotent is shown
by the imiiiber of yoiinj; males which the hauling' uronnds were able to supply. The
tlnmsands of yearlim^s which he has recorded as turned back from the killinj; fircnmds
in isiKt show clearly eiionfih that the bulls were not impotent in l.s.ss. Snbseipiciit
events show as clearly tli ' the bulls he .saw in 18110 were i;ot im]»otent.

ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION.

This contention as to the elVects of overdriving:, ])ushed to its lojrical conclusion,
means that animals are killed by it which persist in apiH'ariny' afterwards distinctly

12S

THK 1 ri{ SKAI.8 OK THK PUIUILOF ISLANDS.

alive; others aro rfixlered iiii|H>t4'i)l wliiult arc yut able to till tliu rookciies witli pups.
The wholu matter is too absurd lor serious eoiisideratioii, and ini^ht be passctl by
with the silent «'onteuipt it deserves were it not lor the faet that it was accepted
by the British coniinissioiiers in l,S!)l au)l made tiiu chief foundation of the British
«-oiitcntion before the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration.

In view of this fact, it has seemed necessary to };ivo more attention to the theory
than it deserves.

THE DRIVES AND DRIVEWAYS.

As other elVeets than tlutse contemplated by .Mr. Hlliott's theory, for example, the
driving of the animals away from their breeding; haunts, the stampedinf^ of the
breedinf,' rookeries, etc., have been associated with the methods of handling the seals
on land, it will be useful for us to consider the subject in detail as it came under our
observation durinji the |>ast two seasons. We have already given an account of the
process of drivin;-.

At th«' outset it is well to contrast the driving of the present time with that of
the past.

THE RUSSIAN DRIVES.

in theeaily Itussian days the drives were all long and tedious. On Ht. Paul,
everything was brought to the village, at the extreme southern end of the island.
Thus the seals ironj Northeast Poiiit he l to travel a distance of about 12 miles; those
from I'oiovina and Zapadni, res|(eetivcly, 5 and iS miles. On St. (ieorge Island the
seals were driven over tlie rocky ridge from /apadn". ,t distance of about (» miles.

Days and nights were occupied in these long drives. The .seals were aUowed to
take their own time, resting freijucntly, tlui natives watching and guarding theni in
relays. Of the time taken by the drives from Northeast l*«»int in the Itussian days
we have norecttrd, but in tlie year 1.S.S8, in .lanuary, according to the log of St. Paul
Island,' a food drive of r)()(» seals was made to the village from this point, and it
gives us some iilea of what such a drive meant.

THE DRIVE FROM NORTHEAST POINT.

The seals were driven in in two sections, the tinu'.on the road being, respectively,
eighty-two and one hundred Inmrs. No deaths are reported to have oe<',urred. The
instru<!ti()ns to the men were to b«' 'M-areful and go slow, if it t(»ok a week, and to kill
and bring in all that perished on the way." The seals are reported as arriving in
good condition. Drives of sea lions have in recent years also been brought from
Northeast Point to the village.

THE AMERICAN DRIVES.

ruder American control the long drives wore doiu' away with. Salt houses were
established at Northeast Point, at Polovina, at Zapadni of St. Paul, and one had
already been established at /apadni of St. (leorge in IStJS. The seals on tlie.se
rookeries are to day killed near the hauling grounds, and their skins are salted ami
cared for there. I'rom Northeast Point the skins are loaded directly on the vessel.
I-'rom Zapadiu of St. (leorge they are packed across the island by the natives on their
backs.

■I

' See ixtnictH Iroui tbo lojj;, Pt. II, datr of .laniuir.v '.'0. 188S.

'■•w

CHARAC'TEK OK THE KKEF DKIVEWAY.

121*

no
cill

I
I

.«

THE DRIVES GREATLY SHORTENED.

The (Irivos liaveb<;eii still lurtlu'r Hliortuiietl l>y the location of new killing f;roun«ls
still nearer to the rookeries, and today the longest drive on St. Paul is not over a
mile in Iciifith, wliile several Jire less than half a mile. On St. (ieorjje, excejit in the
ease of Zapadni, the drives are the same as in the old days, everything' liein;;' brouffht
to the villa^re. North rookery, however, is witliin half a mil'} of tiie villa},'e killing,'
}jronnd, an<l this is the iarnest of the rookeries. From Stnraya Artel and from Kast
r<iokeries the drives follow a course upward of '2\ miles in len;;tii in opjjosite directions
from the viUaifo. On tliese driv«'ways there are marshy i)liiees and occasi(»nal poiids
of fresh water i?i which the seals are allowed to cool oH". These drives, tiierefiue,
though lon^, are easier than shorter drives would be under ordinary c(>nditions.

REEF DRIVEWAY.

Tiie Keef drive on St. I'aul, though only about a mile in len^tii, is in fact the
iiardesl of the drives. It contains all the dilferent conditions to Ia met vith on any
of the drives, and thercfcae u detailed description of its course will answer for the rest.

li'ecf drive begins at the very point of Heef peninsula. The hauliufj; {jround of
Keef rookeiy lies ir the rear of tlu; central ])ortion of the hreediiij^ ground in a hollow
between two rocky ridjjes. cuie dividing; it from the rookery itself and the other
leadint;' up to the tiat {iround of the "jtarade ground." The hauliiiff fjn.uiul has
four runwiiys connecting it with the .sea. I'rom the heails of these runways and
from the central |)ortioii of the hauling ground the straggling bands of bachelors are
gathered up ami driven to the Hat of the parnde ground above. Here on the level
the ditVerent groups are united in one great j)od.

THE CHARACTER OF THE RO' TE.

After the drive is formed tlie lint !•<> yards of Its course lies over practically level
gnmnd, sloping very gradually toward tlie east, the direction to i>e taken. Toward
the end of this (irst .section the ground iKMomes strewn with large itowlders. sutli-
ciently far a|)art. iiowever. to otter no obstructions to the seals.

The ■••ourse then leads out into a level, grassy phiin, ."32.") yards in length, with a
scarcely perceptible sh>|)e to the east. The grwuml is level, fre^ from stones, and tlie
damp seal grass makes going easy. In this plain the larger drove of seals is nsnally
divided into two smaller ones for convenience in driving.

Beyond the grassy I liain is a bowlder covered area, the rocks imi»ethled in the
soil, flat and worn smooth. This area was (Mice hanling ground. |»ei-lia)»s bree'iing
teriitory in tiie jialmy days of the herd, lietween the stones are patciits of yellow
seal grass. At tin* ridge, about midway in this rocky .stretch, the course is narrowed
by piles of rocks, traces of the original dit!' which formed the ridge. In this
narrowed pas.sage there is a tendency to crowd, due to the desire of il»*» .seals to go
in a nuiss wherever they go. The whole length of I his rocky area is about -'(lii yar<l*«.

l''rom the rocks tiuMlrivevva.v leadsupa gentle sand slo|)e lo a |i!aiii lying between
two rows of grass-grown sand dunes. This plain is too yards in length ami furnishe.s
veiy easy going f(H' the seals. Its surface is covered with a heav growth of rye
grass, which is always wet with rain or dew, and serves to cool off ti- seals.
l.-,l,SI <)

130

THE FUK SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

At (hi! cud ()(■ tlu' griissy plain tlio course drops downovcrasiiorl ItMlgc ol" rocks,
suinc .1 Icct ill lH'ij;lit, to n bowlder covered areii of about 2(H» yards in extent. This
ai'cii at tirst level falls in a gentle slope at the end to the level of Zoltoi sands. The
bowhlers are large, smooth, and Hat, and tlie interspaces are tilled with lava sand.

Aloiijj the 4(M> yards of level sand beach is the hardest part of the drive. The
seals slip and sink in the loose sand. They do not niiiid the rocky and grass grown
areas, but the sand worries theui. This sandy area leads by a narrow passage, lined
on eith<-r side by sand dunes, to the grassy plain between Kast Landiug and the little
pond at the foot of the village. This is the village killing ground.

THE LENGTH OF THE DRIVE.

The total length of Ifeef drive as paced otV is about r»,t».'il feet. Its greatest
elevation is not over 7."i feet, and the slopes are very gentle. The drive is usually
made in about two hours. In the preceding pages is given a detailed a<count of a
drive over this course witnessed on -Inly ir».

On none of the other drives of I'riltilof Islands are there rocky areas such as
those described on the Reef. On Tolstoi and Middle Mill are short stretches of sand,
but they are of limited extent. With these exceptions, the driveways on St. I'aul
are comparatively level and jiiassy tliroiiglioiit. Tlu' saiiu is true fi»r the long drives
of St. (ieorge.

COMPARISON OF DRIVES.

It is only necessary to contrast this drive from Keef, the longest and hardest on
St. Paul Island, though less than a mile in length, with the lli miles which the seals
were forced ti> travel from Northciist I'oint in Itu.ssian times, or with the .'» and (imiles
of travel from Zapadni aj>*i I'olovina of St. I'anl, and Zapadni of St. deorge. That
no injury resulted to th«- seals from these early drives is clear from the condition ia
which the herd was wli«i it came into the poss<?ssioii of the United States.

THE COMMANDER DRIVEWAYS.

To appreciate tiic ease of the I'ribilof Islands drives it is only necessary to
contrast I'lcm with those ol the C'ommandti Islands. The following descii|)tioii of
the rlriveways i;f Medni Island is t| noted from Dr. Jordan's record in the .Journal tor
Au^ustlir). ISIMJ:

/iipail)!! i/ririirwt/.— rii«- 4rivr (Voin /a|i!i(llii j;ot'H up IVoiii the stony liciich lietwccii two towers of
rmUH. iliiiiliiiifi tlie soiyf ot J littlr brmil^ wliiili ciitH into llif liowldcrs niid clay of the liillsitln. iiii
r\c('S!<ivi'ly li:ii<l. ii>Mi;li littlf iinllv. very tliDiiiilt lor !i iimii to rlinil). tiiero lieiiij; siiiiill oas. ihIcs anil
« tM clay ill its rc>iii>i . Tht' « ay is iimrkcd l>y mail skoletoiis. AI'tiT an astcut over ^uroiiiKl ol' this sort
lor :>(Mi iir lim fi'i't. more or less, tlii' (lrivt< not » ii|i through stit'|i, grassy sh.|ies. some ot' them of i.ol't
clay, »oiM«'vvliai iiit into roiigli steps li,\ iii(mi>; lioots. 'I'lir neneral < liiirartiii of tin- t;roiiiiil is iinrc-
lit'vril. ulthnii;;h mole or less lirolvcii liy cro.ss Knllius uutl rulers. The linal riilgo is "(iO feet above the
sra. On till' (iliiiUa siilf i> ;i Ion;; 8lo|u'. at lirst i|niti' i«tee|i, evrrywhrre grassy, anil rather e;isy, lint
markril with mail skeh'tiius. as it is very loii^. Thi' rye {{iubs ;;rows rathir longer helow. anil a littlr
Htii'.'iiii has ilicp ili'iiressions, whnli serve as ili-ath trups, as thr skeletons show, when the seals i'all
in pile- one over another. .Miove iJliiika is a steep slide ol'yellou clay, from wliieh the village is said
to have reeeived its name. TluH slide must lie a hard jilaue tor the Heala. I'he seals (tew in niimher)
that are released lieeaiise loo young or too old .ire allowed to go down to the >ea, wheiiie they go haek
to the west again.

Till". I'ALATA IMilVKWAV.

131

<!g«' or rocks,
uxteiit. This
i saiuls. The
hiva sand.
I drive. The,
grass grown
»i»ssag»', lined
and the lirric

Its H;reiitost
X' is iisiially
arcount of a

reus such as

ihes of saud,

on St. I»aiil

' loM;^«irives

1 liardest on
it'll the seals
• and (t miles
*orge. That
condition in

lecessary to

sci'iption of

I<uirual lor

.wo towers of
II' liillsiile. an
<• 'lies and
itl ol' tliis sort
litiui of soft
oiiiid is iiiirc-
>cl ;ibo\ o tlu)
Iht tMsy, Imt
:M1(1 ii little
the Noals fall
illa);o in saiil
V ill iiuiiilier)
tlit'v yd liark

I'ltliila <liiriiviiy.—T\u- drivx- IVuiii I'liliita is luiw rari>ly iiiutio, uh tlm oi'aU htivu ^ro\vll so low.
'I'lii-.v an' killetl all aloii;; the lieacli, ami tlin iiiyriadH of IlieH alioiit tln' dci'aviiijj cannsscs iniint lit- llin
soiirri' of ;;n'at aiinovaiu'c to the lirt'cdliijr suals. Thr drive asreiids from the |i:irade yroiiiid cm the
top ol' Ihe laiidsiide. This wuh formeil.v oei'ii|iii'd hy haihelors. lint there are no sipiirate droves of
liaeheliiis now. They are scattered in little rlnin)iH alioiit and liel ween the rooUorie>, 'I'lie drive then
for aliimt KKI feet asi'eiid> a ^rasHy clitV mi Nli'e|i that steps lia\ u lieeii dii^ in it to faeilitate elimliiii)t.
Then lollows some "IXt feel ol irroKula.- hut M'ry Hteep slope, in which the ciinicst dc|ircs>ions arc
NiiiiKlit. though Ihe hill Is everywhere about hn steep as a man can elimli, and one w ho himh n|> it miiHt
cling to the grasH. Above this Hlupe the drive reaches the back of Ihe knife-like ridge that separates
I'alata I'mm /.apalata. This widens out into an easy, level plateau for about L'O rods, marked with
road skeletons. I'he elevation is alioul s.'iii (ect by IM. Sle.jneger's map. I'lieii lnllo»s a Hteep climb
lui gravel and clay, with scanty grass and heather, worn into steps, the driveway bounded (in the
Miiitli»est by a sl.inting precipice that lies above Sabatcha Dira. A sleep shoulder nl lie.ither and
small plants i- lollowed by a lin.il e|imli into the clouds to the siiminit of the pass, I.JL'U I'eet above
the Mca. From the summit an abrupt descent leadn down a distame of about .MNl feet by a zig/ag
trail as steep as a horse coiihl pass over, strewn with gravel and coveri'd with low llowers, to the bed
of a swift little brcnk. This stream Mows duwii into a grassy basin, the slopeo becoming Iphm and less
steep, the rye gia» and piilchki growing lalliT. At the junction of this slreain. Ilowing into the little
liiook from the west, the drive merges into the one lV<iiii /.ajiadiii. Ihe drive from I'alata is not in
any pl.'ice so ililbcnlt as the gully .just above /apadiii. but it is half liigher and twice as long, a trip
one eoiild not take on horseback, nor would it be easy to load a horse over it. Coniparing it with
oiiditions on SI. I'aiil, the I'alata Pans is as steep as the cone of Itogoslof, twice as high, and is
uithuut water. Compared with the severest drive on .St. I'anl, it would Ntand as the ascent of .Mount
Blane to a walk in the park. It in n very fatiguing trip for a man. It took ine, walking rapidly,
thirty eiyht minutes I'deilm ting stops) from I'alata to the grassy level. MtlO fei't ; thence twenty-eiglit
miliutus to the top, I.:.''.'!) feet : liftren minutes down the upper slope, and lifteen iiiciie to lilinka.

NO EVIL RESULTS FROM THESE DRIVES.

.\iul yet, iiotwitiistamliiij; tlie severity of the drives of thi^ (Joiiiniander Islands,
no liarni has resulted to the breeding herds of these islands \vhi;!h can be traced to
this cause.

CARE EXERCISED IN DRIVING

Many drives were witnessed during the past two siiiniiiers on St. I'anI island.
In connection with none of them was .seen warrant for the harrowing tales of uniunds
dying of exliaiistion and fright by the wayside or smothering uinler the feet of
tlieir terrilied coinpaiiions. In the drive of .Inly 1;"». numbering 1, .">(»(» seals, from the
Heel not a seal fell by the way or siiowed signs of dangerous exhaustion. Many
were plainly fatigued by tiie journey, anil when allowed to rest sprawled out panting
on the ground. Mat after resting, when the drive was ready to move (ui. they were
ready and able to go with it.

THE FUR SEAL NOT ILL ADAPTED TO LAND TRAVEL.

Tiic fur seal's only ditliculty in land traveling is the inconvenience <iccasioiu'd by
its thick blanket of blubber. In the water and in a moist cool atmo.s|iliefc this does
not trouble it. IJiit under the action of dry hot air it experieiu^es great dillieiilty in
making the least exertion. Combined with all this is the fact that the great oar like
feet of the seal make it clumsy, and undoubtedly its muscles become tired t|iiickly
under the unwonted exercise of walking iiisteu*! of swimming.

When a seal bt'comes exhausted and is iinnbh^ to continue the journey it is killed
on the spot. This is in)t becitiise the animal is necessarily |ierinanently injured, if

\:.-

132

THE FL-H SKALS OF THE rUlBILOr ISLANDS.

left to UH'oviT it would tloiibtluHs iiiiike itH way to the sen. lint to save time and
avoid possible lo.ss of tlie .skin the animal is at once killed and skinned, the pelt
beiiijj brought in by the drivers. These skins are ealled "ntad" skins and the
••arcasses left to i)e eaten by the foxes .soon become the '• road skeletons" of which .so
much has been said.

THE "CARCASS-STREWN" DRIVEWAYS.

So much had been .said about the earca.ss strewn driveways that it seemed worth
while to verify or disprove the matter by personal (d>servati(ni. .Accordiiiyly, after
the killing season of l.S!>6 was over, each ami every one of the driveways of St. I'aul
Islaiul were tiaverse«l and eh)sely inspected. Two skeh'loiis were found on the Keef;
two others were found in the course of a small food dri\e, brou^'ht over from Lukanin
to the salthou.se at the foot of the cove. This latter drive was evidently carelessly
made, as its siiudi si/e and the short distance made any casualties unmH-es.sary. The
deaths on Iteef driveway each occurred on separate drives, and lu'ither occurred on
the drive wittiessed on July !">. On mnie of the other driveways were skeletons
found. Scattered bones were found here and there, but these were common to all
parts of the islands iu the vicinity of killing grounds, having been carried away by
the foxes. Tour deaths are therefore known to have occurred on the drives of
St. I'aid Island during the season of l.S'.Mi, which aggregated L'4,0(H) ainmals killed,
besides many driven up but rejected as of unsuitable age. It is safe to say that in
the handling of no similar body of animals, of no nuitter what kind, would a Binaller
percentage of deaths by accident occur. .Moreover in the few eases involved the
animals were at once relieved from sutVering. and their skins were saved.

FATALITIES ON THE DRIVES.

During the season of 1M1>7 a much greater proportion of accidents occurred on
tlu' drives, the number of seals dying probably reaching a total of 25 out of about
liO,(MM). This was (hie in large measure to the unfavorable weather of this sea.scm.
At times the sun came out warm and occasioned considerable sutVering among the
animals driven. In the books of the islands is kept a record of the skins of animals
dying on the drives. The list is a small (»ne. Of the 21,<HM» seals killed on the two
islands in the year 18!M>, only 11 are reconled as dying by the wayside. This
miueover is the year ami the driving on which Mr. Klliott has based his theory of
the evil et1c(!ts of overdriving.

INJURIF" TO BACHELORS COULD NOT AFFECT THE HERD.

liut even if the lUiig males were driven to death on the driveways it would not
aftect the herd of fur seals any more than the slaughter of steers would alVect a herd
of cattle. It would be cruel ami inhiunan to dt> it, but the resjjonsibility would rest
with the person doing the driving, and the evil etfect wouhl end with the life of the
animal so tortured. If the animal as a result of the oi'dea! of driving goes back
weakened in physical strength and vigor, it either recovers from such injury or dies, if
not at once, then in the next migration. No seal physically injured in any serious
inaniuM" survives the harsh sifting process of tin', northern winter, which .sends back
only those i)erfect in every way and lit to survive. We nuiy therefiue assume that
if a seal returns t(» the haiding grounds the next si»riug, he has fully recovered ami is
physically able to repeat his experiences.

DKIVINO NOT A I'ACTOK IN THK DECLINE.

133

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SEXUAL INJURY.

There remains, tlieii, but (tue furtlier poiut, namely, tb J possibility of the male
seal Itecctinintj sexually iiijured as a result of iliiving while .s ill letaiiiing his physical
vigor. The orKana t»f ^feneration in the nuile fur seal are i.-anied like those ol the
dog or similar animals, and owing to the peeiiliar chaiiK-ter ot the hiud legs ot the
seal they appear to be iu an exjtOHed and dangerous position. It would seem as
if tlie testes must eome in actual tuintaet with the grountl when the animal is in
motion. A hasty observation might lead to the supposition that to tbree an aninml
in this condition to travel several miles over rocks and stones would prmluce direct
injury to these organs. Whether or not this is the .source of Mr. Klliott's theory of
the im|)airment of the virility of the bulls througl (tverdriving we do not know, but
if this did not suggest the theory it is hard t(t understand what did.

VOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS OF THE MALES.

The violent voluntary movements of the adult bulls on the rocky tloors of their
l)reeding grounds would besutticient answer to this contention. No etVorts required
of the seals on the drives are any harder than tho.se they undergo of their own
accord. But witlnmt relying upon this, the investigations of the past two seasons
show that the testes of the male seal are under direct contrid of the animal, and when
he is in motion are drawn up into the binly, where they are absolutely protected.'
Thus there is no jtossibility for direct injury to the generative organs of the nude
from driving.

DRIVING NOT A FACTOR IN THE DECLINE.

Therefore, after a full consideratiiui of the subject of driving in all its bearings,
we are inevitably brought to the conclusion that it is not and has not been a factor
in the decline of the herd. It would be possible under thoughtless or unfeeling
numagement to make the operation the source of great physical suffering to the
aninuils concerned, and the driving slumld be, as it e\ idently is, always under hunumc
and intelligent supervision. The interests of the herd, however, are not concerned
ill the pre8en«'e or absence of such care. The treatment of the bachelors on the drives
and killing grounds of St. I'aul Island no more affects the breeding rookeries than
would iuhumaii treatment of horses on the street-car lines of 8an l-'rancisc-o attect the
breeding herd of the I'alo Alto stock farm.

It is not necessary for us to consider certain alleged sources of injury t<t the
herd through stampedes occasioned by fright on the rookeries <m' tiirougii raids by
seal poachers. These and many other more or less imaginary cau.scs of injury to
the herd were used to support and strengthen the main contention of the Hritish
case before the Paris Arbitration that land killing was the cause of decline. Hut
these causes, if they ever actually t'xisted, could produce only temporary results, as
they were themselves necessarily temporary in their nature and action. The decline
of the herd, to whatever it may be due, has been constant, and for it must lie sought
a permanent cause.

' See oli.sorv.itiiiiis in tlir ll:iil.\ .l(iiiril:il iiiidiT il;il<i id' ilitiiixr 11 ,iimI 111. lS!t7.

wrr-

<• II A I'T K l( X.

ALLEGED POSSIBLE CHANGE OF HABITS.

MIGRATION TO COMMANDER ISLANDS.

It limy 1)0 W()itli wliilo lieiv to note certaiii HupposeU possihl*' rliniit;«'s of lial)its
on tlu; part of tliv tiir seals as a rt'Hiilt of tin* iiitiMioreiice of man. Miu-li lias liei'ii
said at tlit* I'aiis Tiiltiinal ami «'ls«-\vli<>fv itf^'anling tlie dangt>r of driving tint seals
from tlieir haunts on tlic I'ribilof Ishuids to seek other shorca. There is no such
possibility.

It has been a tradition in the Iiistory of the fur seals that the (\)iiiiiiaiider Islands
were originally occupied by seals which had abandoned the I'ribihif Islands. This
tradition has not the slighest fonndation. Doubtless all came centuries ago from one
parent stock, but as the two herds exist to-day they are distinct races or species and
do not intermingle in any way. Notwithstanding this, it has within recent times been
thought possible that under exce))ti<mal circumstances we might expect an exodus of
seals from the Tribilof Islands to the liussian islands. Kven so late as the present
year it has been asserted that I'ribilof seals were taken on the Asiatic side, the
alleged cause of their going there being the fact that they had been branded on their
native rookeries. These stories are all very absurd and rest upon no basis of fa(!t or
knowledge, but, in view of the jtersisteiicy with which they have been urged, it will
not be out of ])hice to consider the habits of the animals in the light of such possil)lc
results.

THE FIXED HABITS OF THE SEALS.

The liai)its of the fur seal are strongly fixeil. From the natural ruth'^'ss
destruction of all seals in which the geographical instinct or the instincts of feeding
and rcprodut'tioii are defective results the extreme perfection of the few instiucts
which the animal possesses. The life processes of the fur seal are as perfect as
clockwork, but its grade of intelligence is low. Its range of choice in action is very
slight, it is a wonderful automaton, and the stress of the migrations will always
keep it so.

THE SEALS LOW INTELLIGENCE.

JJy i.it(!llect or intelligeuce in this sense is meant the power to choose among
ditl'erent possible c<mrses of action. External intiiiences and internal impulses
produce certain imi>ressioiis «m the nervous system of the animal. By the automatic
instinct the respon.sc which follows is directly related to the cause, and there is no
choice among responses. So mu(;h intiueiice, so much rebound, liy the oiterations
of instinct each indi\idual in given conditions will act just as any other individual
will. Intellect, however, inijilies individuality. One animal will choose to do this,
another that, adapting action to certain needs and circumstances. A fur seal will do
what its ancestors have had to do to perfection. If he is fonted to do anything else
he is daiced and stupid.

134

EFFKCT8 OF CONTACT WITH MAN.

13:

Ah 11 irsult of nil tliis tlic luibitH ol' the fur sual are llxed uimI iiiiiuutablf. Nu
bettor illustration of this can be cited than the fact tha* after having i)eeii driven
from their hauling; ^Tound, culled ever, and subjecte«l to the excitenient of the killin;-
irrounds, bachelors have been known to return <|uiotly and take up their places on
these sanu' haulini; grounds as if itothiiig had happened. During the past two
seasons seals have been repeatedly watched as they were released from the killing
ground at the village, swim away directly through Zoltoi liay, round K'eef I'oint, and
haul out on the hauling groumi of Keef rookery from which they Inul been driven
perhaps three hours before. And this thing ;ioes on throughout the season and has
been going on for half a century. The .seals have no reuKMubrance of past events.
Once in the water they are solely governed by the instinct which leads them to haul
out at the particular point where tiu'y are aceustonu'd to rest. That they have been
HO recently disturbed there is merely an iiiciilent of whi«-h they remember nothing.

CONTACT WITH MAN HAS HAD NO EFFECT.

The fur seals on tlu^ Pribilof Islands have been constantly in contact with men
during more than a century. At times, in its early history, the herd has come near
annihilation as a result of man's rapacity and improvidence. Hut neither this nor the
more systematic and reascuaible treatnuMit which has been accorded them in recent
years has affected in the least the habits of the aninnds. 8o far as we know, the fur
seals of a century and a half ago did exactly what their descendants of today are
doing. There is nothing in present conditions nor in the coinlitions of the past to
warrant the assum)ttion that in the future they will cea.se to do the same thing.

At the ai)])roauh of winter they depart on their ndgrations. With the returning
spring they unfailingly arrive class by class antl go through the riuitine of their daily
life. There is no evidence that any phase of their life a<-tivity has changed since num
found them. None have been found to .seek other shores. It is probably not po.ssible
tor man to drive them from their breeding haunts. Their rookeries are their home,
and to them they will return so long as they live.

ALTERATION OF CONDITIONS.

Some slight alteration in the ccuiditions of life among the fur .seals have neces-
sarily resulted from the interference of man. Land killing has le.s.sened the number
of bulls, reducing their turbulence, in the natural .state of the animals, when the
adidt males were practically equal in number to the females tb'? lighting among
them must have been something territic. Today, when the adult bulls are oidy about
one thirtieth of the number of females, the anxuint of tighting indulged in is snttitMent
to show that the male fur seal has lost none of his belligerent qualities.

THE BACHELORS OF BERING ISLAND.

From the excessively close killing of the males on the Russian islands, a curious
result has been brought about. On North rookery of Hering Island, for a number of
years, every male that could be tbund had b«'en killed. As a result, there were in
1895 uot njore than 6 adult bulls to a herd of about 1,000 breeiling females. On this
rookery the bachelors were ibund to occupy jtlaces among the breeding seals insteatl
of hauling by them. selves, as uiuler normal conditions. In this, however, we are not
to assume a change of habit. It is the instinct of the nnile to .seek the breeding

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

1.25

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93 WIST MAIN STRUT

MIBSTIR.N.Y. 145S0

(716) •72-4503

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■■■

13<)

THE FIR «KALS OF THE PKIIilLOF ISLANDS.

ground. On his return as a yearling force of babit draws bini there. As be grows
older sexual instinct exerts its inliuence. Eventually, if be is not killed, be arrives
at tbe age when bis streugtb enables bini to win a place and rule a liareiu of bis own.
It may therefore be said that the natural habit of tbe bachelor is to get on the
breeding ground or as near it as possible, tbe fear of the bull alone keeping him
away. And he has good reason to stand in dread of tbe harem master. At the close
of the breeding season, as soon as the old males go away to feed, the bachelors scatter
over the rookeries and enjoy their new found freedom until the bulls return. If the
bulls were iillowed to increase on llering Island, they would certainly drive out tbe
bachelors and restore ti:C normal conditions.

ARBITRARY SELECTION OF MALES.

There is not the sl'gbtest evidence that tbe race of fur seals as a whole IJas been
in any way affected by the arbitrary seleciion of males for killing. Only strong,
vigorous males can maintain themselves on tbe rookeries, and those allowed to live
are neither more nor less vigorous than the others would have been.

Effects resulting from variations in the character of tbe breeding males can not
be great, and would not, if they existed, make their appearances for many generations,
perhaps not for centuries. Careful supervision might possibly make effective artificial
selection of males, and such experiments, whetLer leading to ])ractical results or not,
are worth trying. But wliatever may be done in tbe future, it is certain that the
character of the herd has not been changed by the action of man in removing its
superfluous male life.

It must be remembered, in this connection, that a strong selective influence is
exercised by the migrations in tbe sea. Only the vigorous members of the herd
survive the experience of winter. Xo decrepit individuals have been known to come
back in tbe spring. The rough sea of the north tells no tales, and it sends back to
the islands only those fit to survive.

THE EFFECT OF DECLINE.

The decline which the fur-seal herd has suffered within tbe past decade has so
diminished its stock of breeding females that the rookeries have contracted in area
and at the same time become more sparsely populated. The harems are more isolated
and distinct. Tbe i>ulls have more room and are farther removed from their neighbors
or tbe idle bulls. These alterations, however, represent mere adaptation to changing
conditions and are not indication of changes in tbe habits of life.

THE POSSIBILITY OF DRIVING THE SEALS ELSEWHERE.

Most of the dire evils charged to man's interference are vague and intangible.
Before the Paris Tribunal much was urged by tbe British representatives about the
danger of the methods of land killing driving the seals to seek other breeding haunt.<>.
But no proof was adduced of such result. Perhaps tbe best illustration of this class
of vague possibilities is found in Mr. Elliott's monograph.'

The subject of bow best to manage the fur-seal islands had been under discussion.
In objection to the plan of the Government itself controlling tbe taking and selling
of the seal skins Mr. Elliott, assuming that such a course would involve tbe sailing of

' Seal Islands of Alaska, 1881, p. 27.

Jl'i.X±4^1» ..ai^tfili; -^Ukf .>!.

ABANDONMENT OF SPILKl KOOKEKY.

137

"a thousaiitl ships to be present at the sale," exclaims that "the rattling- of their
anchor chains and the scrapiiij; of their keels on the beaches of the two little islands
would alone drive every seal away and over to the Russian grounds in a remarkably
short space of time." Tiie (luality of seamanship implied in the second feature of this
dire calamity is a fair indication of the value of the prophecy as a whole.

THE ABANDONMENT OF SPILKl ROOKERY.

There aie, however, a few of the alleged injurions effects of contact with man
which can be located and considered. One of these is the abandonment of the small
breeding ground formerly occupied by seals under the cliffs beiiind St. Paul village.
Tiiis breeding ground, though out of sight of the village, is very close to it. The
claim is made by Mi. Elliott that the children and idlers from the vilhige, by playing
with the fur-seal pups and teasing them, gradually brought about tlie abandonment
of the rookery.

Tlie abandonment of Spilki was gradual and finally cubninated in 18S(J. The
old bulls came and took up their places, but finding iu> cows the;^ withdrew. In
187L*-1S74 Mr. Klliott reports tliis breeding ground, in common with all the others, in
good condition and full of seals. In 1890 he found it deserted. His conclusion was
that the seals, under tlie annoyance of the natives, had witiidrawn elsewhere.

THE PRESENCE OF THE VILLAGE NOT THE CAUSE.

It is sutlicient answer to this theory to say that the village of St. Paul has existed
on its present site, and conse(iueutly in the same proximity to Spilki rookery, ever
since 1824. For fifty years, therefore, according to Mr. Elliott's own testimony, no ill
effects on the seals had been produced by the presence of the villagers.

MORE EXPOSED CONDITION OF LAGOON ROOKERY.

In further opposition of this theory we may mention the example of Lagoon rookery,
which lies just across the little cove from Spilki. It is in plain sight of the village and
but little farther away from it. AH the traflic of loading and unloading the sliijjs passes
before it. Moreover, this rookery existed undisturbed for years and yearr^ with the
operations of the great common killing ground of the island going on within jdain
sigiit of its inmates and only a few yards away. For a time all the seals on the island
of St. Paul were slaughtered on the Hat beside the narrow (channel of water, about
one hundred feet in widtii, separating Lagoon rookery from the killing ground.

Xo clearer proof could possibly be asked than the example this rookery shows,
of the uttei vlisregard for the presence and actions (»f man iniinifested by the fur seal!

THE REAL CAUSE OF THE ABANDONMENT.

When we come to seek a more rational cause for the abandonment of Sjtilki rookery
it is not hard to find. The rookery was but a small one at best, as the ground it
occupied was limited. Mr. Elliott ascribed to it in 187-'-] 874 about 275 harems and
about 4,000 breeding cows. We know that as a matter of fact this estimate is largely
exaggerated. The log of St. Paul Island shows that in 187!) its breeding families
numbered 29. There was at that time no hint given of abandonment or unusual
diminution of the rookery. With the decline of the herd, which began a few years
later, and may have been begun earlier, this rookery suffered diminution with the

I i

138

THE FUR SEALS OF THE I'RIBILOP ISLANDS.

otliei'8. In \8W) ^\r. Elliott t'ouiid that the herd on St. Puiil h.ul diminished to about
oii«! fonrtli. A proportionate reduction for Spilki would have diminished it to less
than a dozen families.

To one who understands the grejiarious nature of the fur seal there is no surprise
excited by tiie abandonment of so small a rookery as this. The conclusion is inevi-
table that when reduced to a mere handful of harems, the animals njoved over to the
larger Lagoon breeding grouiul across the cove.

ORIGIN OF LAGOON AND SPILKI.

We do not know which of these two rookeries was first established, but it is
reasonable to suppose tliat the one originated as an overflow of the other, as both are
Iiniite<l in extent. As the rocky spit on which Lagoon rookery is established appears
to be of recent formation, it may be that Spilki was the original breeding ground. But
in any case the simple explanation of the abandonment of Spilki is found in its small
size originally, tiie known fact of decrease in the herd, and the gregarious instinct of
the animals. When the remnant became too small to exist as a unit, its individuals
moved over to the Lagoon, to be with the crowd.

THE ABANDONMENT OF MARUNICHEN.

In further support of this, we may cite the only other example of absolute .abandon-
ment of breeding territory on the islands. On the north shore of St. Paul formerly
existed a small rookery which has long since disappeared. Even the oldest inhabitant
(Kerick Artimanof) merely remembers it was talked of in his childlmod. Mis expla-
nation that it was a small rookery and never looked upon as important gives the key
to the situation. Its breeding seals abandoned their isolated position to be with the
crowds on the shores of Northeast Point or Zapadni. Interference on the part of man
can not be ottered as a reason for its abandonment, for there is no more isolated and
inaccessible place on the islaiul.

ELLIOTT'S THEORY FOR SIVUTCH ROOKERY.

In his 1890 report IVIr. Elliott explains the presence of a breeding rookery on
Sivutch Itock by saying that the seals had been so harassed by the severe methods of
driving employed on Reef rookery that they had sought on its surface a jdace where
they might rest in peace, lie says that prior to the beginning of the severe driving in
188L* the seals had instinctively avoided this place because of its exposed position and
the probable destruction of the young by the storms which sweep over it. In short,
he assumes a few seals had chosen to waive tliQ instinct of self preservation and to
locate themselves in a dangerous position simply because of temporary annoyance.

We have already si)oken of the strong instinct «;f the fur seal and its lack of
reasoning powers. Such an explanation as this is wholly inconsistent with both. If
the animal possessed any such powers of discrimination as here assumed, there would
never be a second drive nuide from any hauling ground on the islands.

SIVUTCH OVERLOOKED IN 1872-1874.

We are inclined to believe that Mr. Elliott in 1872-1874 simply overlooked the
presence of this rookery. He says nothing about it in his earlier report. In 1890 he

""^^'

NOTIONS REGARDING THK SEALS.

139

says it did uot exist then at the earlier date' Iiisi>ecti()ii of this roclc on several
occasious duriug the seasons of I8<»(i and 1897 shows that it has probably always been
(occupied as a breeding' ground. It is certainly well adai)ted as such. It is not wind
swept or dangerous to breeding seals. The high ridge of lieef peninsula protects it
from the northern and western storms, while Otter Island breaks the force of the
storms from the southwest. Furtiiermore the drowning of pups by storms is one of
the rarests of accidents.

The occurrence of a breeding ground on Sivutch Hock is iierfectly luitural. Tlie
ground is adapted for rookery purposes. It is within a few hundred yards of the shores
of lieef rookery, and lies directly in tiie line followed by tiie seals in apj)roaciiing it.
There is no need of seeking a more complex explanation. It would be a matter of
greater surprise if it did not contain a rookery.

THE NOTIONS OF THE ALEUTS.

Most of the a.)8urd notions current regarding the seals have their origin in the
minds of tin; Aleuts themselves. At least they possess such notions now, though
originally tiiey may have adopted them from the earlier restrictions which were once
in vogue on the Pribilof Islands, and some of which are still enforced on the Com-
mander Islands. Some of tliese rules are the following: The prohibition of the use
of tobacco on the rookeries, of the wearing of hobnailed shoes, or of the lighting of
iires when the wind was in such a direction as to carry the smoke into tiie vicinity
of a rookery.

The Aleuts may be excused for their beliefs. Their training and exi>erience is
limited. They have had nothing to do with domestic ainmals, and have never had
opportunity to test the theories they hold regarding the seals. It was plainly the
belief of these tjcople that direful results would follow our work of the past two
seasons on the islands. Une intelligent native declared that the scarcity of the seals
was due to the tiamping of investigators about the rookeries in recent years. Another
complacently declared that the rookeries were all right, because the old bulls came
back regularly and in large numbers.

THESE NOTIO'-TS SHARED BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS.

That the fears of the natives have been shared in to a certain extent, at least, in
the past and are still held by the agents in charge of the islands, is evident. Tiius,
weliud recorded in the log of St. Paul Island, under dateof ,luiu5 11, 18i>l, the opinion
that the "constant and persistent running over the rookeries of HUiott last year at
this time may be charged with a large i»art of the falling olf of seals driven." Again,
under date of November 11, 18!>5, the opinion is recorded that the "daily scientific
and photographic investigations" of the summer have demoralized the rookeries.
During the season of 1897 serious objections were made to the experinuMits in elec^trical
branding as conducted in the vicinity of the rookeries because of supixised injurious
ertects which might result from the noise of the gasoline engine, yet the animals
themselves paid not the slightest attention to the engines or to the branding operations.
Most of them have not even yet noted the existence of num.

' Set) extract from loj? of St. Paul, Pt. II, uudcr date of August IS, when Cuptam liryimt icitorts
luany Heals hiniled uut tlu-re.

'BIS^BB

140

THK FUK SKALS OF THE I'RIBILOP ISLANDS.

• I

As a result of this spirit which has i)erva(le(l the inatia$j:ement of the rookeries
tlie policy of the past has been virtually to keep the fur seal herd in a wild state, it
being shut out from all sifjht or contact with man except in so far as it was necessary
to disturb it to secure the product of the herd.

THE POLICY OF SECLUSION DETRIMENTAL.

This mistaken policy bore its fruit. From the time of Mr. Elliott's investigation in
1872-1874 until the collapse of the herd in 1890 the history of the rookeries is a blank,
so far as any real knowledge is concerned. What was needed was a thorough and
systematic study each year of the condition of the breeding herd. It is safe to say
tliat had this been done, the error, falsehood, and confusion which so eftectually stitled
the truth before the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration, and caused that bewildered court
to legalize pelagic sealing, would not have been possible.

Under this policy of seclusi 'u the herd melted away to one-half of its si/e before
it was known that iiny danger threatened it. Year by year thousands of the young
died and rotted on the rookeries as the result of the ravages of a dangerous parasite,
wiiich should have been recognized and measures taken, if possible, to suppress it.
Otliers of the young died of starvation on the rookeries, proclaiming not only the fact
but the cause of the decline of the herd, but they were unnoticed. Had the fur-seal
herd been treated as any valuable herd of animals are and should be treated,
its habits, needs, possibilities, and limitations studied from year to year from the
beginning, it is safe to say that there would now be no fur-seal (piestion. Koi-
the didicu'ties of the situation to-day the policy which deferred to these groundless
fears of what might result from examination and disturbance of the animals is in a
measure, at least, responsible.

INTELLIGENT INSPECTION NOT WANTON INVASION.

It is, of course, not contended that the precautions taken against wanton invasion
of the rookeries by the natives and by casual visitors are not wise and necessary.
They should never be wanting, but they should never include or influence the officers
in charge of the herd. We make a clear distinction between mere disturbance and
intelligent inspection and supervision. It is possible to visit the rookeries daily and
study them closely, to count their families and to photograph them, without disturbing
the breeding seals in the least. After the breeding season is over and the harems
have broken up, the rookeries can be entered, the animals driven oflF, and their grounds
insi)eeted without harm.

INSPECTION NOT HARMFUL.

In the work of the past two seasons it was assumed that the herd could be
inspe(!ted and disturbed to any extent necessary. Whatever would throw light on
its condition was unhesitatingly carried out. The breeding grounds were under
constant inspection from the beginning to the end of the breeding season and until
almost the departure of the animals from the islands in the fall. On all the rookeries
the seals were twice driven off" into the sea. They returned immediately to their
l»laces and resumed their usual routine as if never disturbed. On the rookeries most
frequently visited the animals came apparently to ignore our inspection. They were
manifestly less troubled by our presence than on rookeries seldom visited.

cs^

EKFPXTS OF CONTACT WITH MAN.
RELATIONS OF MAN HAVE NOT AFFECTED SEALS.

141

III ,slioit,oiir exiKiieiicc leads us to heliuvo that not only lias contact with maH
produced no in.jniions ettect on the herd, bnt, on the contrary, more intimate and
constant c<mtact under intelligent direction would tend to render the seals more
tractable, and certainly open the way to the improvement of their condition. It will
never be possible to house and feed the fnr seals, but their breeding grounds «!an be
drained of the tilth whic-li now breeds death to the young. These breeding grounds
can be extended and improved. An exact enumeration of their number can be nuide.
The nudes to serve the breeding grounds can be selected and more closely limited,
thus obviating loss of revenue on the one hand and injury to the herd on the other.
In other words, much if not all that can be done with other animals is possible with
the fur seal.

To sum up this matter of the relations of man to the animals on the islands: We
And that the killing of males us carried on, at least since the islands were transferred
to the United States, has not been so great as to endanger the breeding stock; that
the methods of handling the seals on tiie drives and killing grounds has not been
such as to permanently injure those surviving them. In a word, the interference and
operations of man have in no way contributed to alteration of the life habits of the
fur seal aud are in no way responsible for its decline and threatened extermination.

I '

<iiAPri;i! XI.

PELAGIC SEALING, OR KILLING AT SEA.

THE NATURE OF PELAGIC SEALING.

We may now pass to a consideration of the secoiid way in wliicli man has come in
contact with the fur seals, namely, by luinting and killing; them at sea. Pelagic sealing,
as it is calh'd, means the taking of seals at sea, either on their migrntions oi' on
their food excursions to and from their breeding grounds. It is necessarily indisciim-
inate in its character, aniiiuils of both sexes and every age and condition being taken.
The animals are killed both by the spear and with firearms.

THE HUNTING OF THE INDIANS.

I'rom the earliest times the natives in the vicinity of Cape Mattery and Vancouver
Island have been accustomed to hunt the fur seal in their dugout canoes, going out
from sliore for this purpose a distance of 10 to 30 miles. It is jn-obable tliat this
hunting has existed as long as Indians luave occupied these regions and fur seals have
annually passed their shores. The taking of the fur seals was at tirst doubtless asso-
ciated with the hunting of the sea otter, and it has been suggested that the Hesh of
the seal rather than its fur was the original object of its capture.

With the decline of the sea otter and the various land furs, the skin of the fur
seal came to have a value and found its way into the markets through the haiuls of
the traders. In time the taking of fur seals became the object of special attention,
and the plan was developed of transporting the Indians and their canoes to the
sealing grounds by means of sailing vessels, thus enabling them to carry on their
operations consecutively and over a wider area.

THE INTRODUCTION OF VESSELS.

This first use of vessels in hunting the fur seals dates from about the yeiu- 1872,

and for several years the number employed was small, probably not exceeding live or

six before 187*.). By their means the hunters were able to reach a distance of from 7.">

to 100 uiiles from shore and to follow the herd on its luirthward journey to the brei'ding

grounds. From 1.S70 onward the number of vessels engaged in pelagic sealing

increased rapidly. In 1880 the tleet numbered 1(> vessels, making another bound to

31 vessels in 1S80, this second increase being due to the opening up of Bering Sea

in 1883,' when the schooner Vity of Stiii Dief/o took a catch of between 2,000 and .3,000

skins there.

THE EXPANSION OF THE INDUSTRY.

After the introdu('(ion of vessels there was a steady expansi<»n of the territory
covered by sealing operations. The fleet gradually began to go south of Cape Flattery

< Siufu this WU8 written tliero has couu^ into the possoaaion oi' Mr. C'liiirles II. Towiiaeixl the log of
tlit« achooncr .Srtii Diego (often confnsrd with tlie Cilii of Sun Diri/o, anoth(U' vessel), wliioh shows tliat shi-
took :i ratdi of at'iils in Bering Seii in ISSO. See Mr. Townseud'a |iiipei' on Pelagic Sealing, in Tint III.

112

METHODS OF PKLAtilC 8EALIN(i.

148

['ir

•^•'■'0*2

to meet the herd Itet'ort' it rejw;hetl that point, and the huutei's tiullowed its course
from the moutii of the Cohimbia Itiver to tlie passes of the Aleutian Ishuids. finally
enterinj;- Bering Sea, and continuing their operations on the summer feeding grounds
of the animals.

THE USE OF FIREARMS.

iJefore the year 188(5 Indian hunters were used exclusively, and the primitive
methods of the spear and the canoe were cmidoyed. But with the great increase of
the tieet it was necessary to employ white hunters, and as these could not compete
with the Indians in the use of the spear, flreatms were introduiicd, the rifle first, and
afterwards the shotgun loaded with buckshot. The use of the ritle resulted in a great
loss by sinking of the seals killed. The shotgun proved more ettective, though many
seals were still lost, esi»ecially at first, before the hunters had learned to avoid piercing
the lungs.

The development of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea after 1880 was a steady growth,
though the number of vessels fluctuated on account of seizures by the American
authorities. In 1891 the fleet numbered lir» vessels.

THE MODUS VIVENDI.

In this year a modus vivendi was declared, closing the waters of Bering Sea to
pelagic sealing. The measure was i)ut into force too late in the season of 1891 to
prevent the fleet from entering upon its work. It had, therefore, at best only a
deterrent ett'ect. As a result of being warned out of the sea, certain vessels crossed
over to the Asiatic side and obtained seals there. On this account, notwithstanding
the fact that the modus vivendi was renewed in 1892 and made efleetive, the pelagic
Heet in that year was increased to 122 vessels. More vessels engaged in sealing on
the Asiatic side, and in 1893, still under the modus viven<li, the bulk of the sealing
was transferred to the Commander herd, t)(>,000 skins in all being taken from Asiatic
waters.

THE REGULATIONS OF THE PARIS AWARD.

Bering Sea was opened again in 1894 under the regulations of the Paris Tribunal
and the largest catch ever made in these waters was taken. Since this dute sealing
has continued under certain limitations, the chief of which are a closed zone of (iO
miles about the Lslands and a closed season from the 1st of May to the 1st of August.
The decline in the herd has elfected a decline in pelagic sealing itself. During the
season of 1897 less than half the vessels engaged in sealing in 1890 en*-oved the sea
and the catch from all sources for that season was but little more than oie-half. From
a fleet of nearly 100 vessels in 1894 the sealing vessels have dinunished to less than
30 in 1897.

THE SEALING VESSELS.

The vessels comprising the pelagic Hectare sailing schooners ranging in size from
25 to 125 tons burden. Hach vessel carries a crew f)f from ten to fifty men with from
half a dozen tt> twenty boats or canoes. Boats are used where white hunters are
employed. The Indians use their own canoes.

Kach boiit is manned by three men, two hunters, armed with rifles or shotguns
or both, and a rower to manage the boat. The Indians hunt with two men in a canoe,
one a steerer to wanage the craft and the other the hunter to throw the spear.

144

THE FUR SEALS OK THE I'RIUILOF ISLANDS.

I •

METHODS OF SEALING.

Wlit'ii the HohooniT comes into sealing territory aiMl the weather is favorable, her
boats or canoes are lowered and sent in .seareh of seals. They go to the windward and
at i'ightly <lirterent angles ; the vessel follows under .slow sail trying to keep in
sight of the boat.s. Night or the approach of bad weather drives in the boats
with their catch of the day whatever it may be.

THE SEALS AS FOUND.

Seals at sea are desiguateil in three different classes. When found in motion they
are called "travelers."' When at rest they are called "sleepers." Sometimes resting
seals are awake, but listlessly floating on the water, and from the nu)vement of their
dippers they are said to be "tinning.''

METHODS OF CAPTURE.

THK Sl'BAB.

in favorable weatlier seals are found sleeping between the hours from 1> o'clock in
the morning until 5 or (i in the evening. In stormy weather the seals can not rest and
so sleep more soundly in the first good weather after a storm. Sleeping seals are as
a rule taken with the spear. Mr. A. li. Alexander has given us the following graphic
account of the operation : '

At the eiiil of an boiii' w<- miw our tii'Ht st-al about a quarter of a mile ahead. The canoe was
kept oil' under its loo, the sail taken in, ;inil everytliin^ put in rcadineHH for iictiou. Cautiously we
paddled toward the prey, eare liein;; taken not to make tlii' sliji;litost noise. We approached within
about 40 feet when tho seal began to grow resth'ss, as if It was dreaming of danger. The hunter
stood brared, spear in hand, and with true aim ho burled it with all his force at the sleeping object.
In an instant the scene of repose was changed into one ol' intense excitement and pain. With a Jump
the seal in-stantly disappeared below the surface, but not tii escape, for when once a sjiear becomes
fastened to au object it siddiuu ]iulls out. Soon it cauu^ n]> to breathe and renew its desnerate
struggh' for liberty. It stood in the water facing us, with its body half exjiosed as if taking in the
situati4)n, and with a kind of low piteous growl, as though itreali/.ed its end was near, it renewed the
contest. It fought madly, diving, jumping, and swinnniug with grcttt speed, first in one direction,
then in another, sometimes on one side of the canoe and then on the other, the Indian all the time
holding the spear rope, trying to draw the seal near the canoe so as to strike it on the head with the
killing club. In its frantic efforts to escape, it bit at the line several times, but soon abandoned the
idea of gaining its freedom in such a manner and again resorted to jumping and diving. The loss
of blood soon caused it to grow weak, ami after a tight, which lasted perhaps five minutes, it t^t^asod
to struggle altogether and was hauled to the side of the canoe and dispatcheil with the club.

THK SHOOTlNd OF 8EALS.

Traveling seals are taken by shooting. Sleeping seals are of course shet also, but
with these animals the spear is more effective since they are fre(|uently found sleeping
in groups. To shoot into one of these groups means the taking of but one animal, and
the report startles all the other seals in the vicinity. With the spear but little noise
is made.

Where the traveling seal is jumping clear of the water, "breaching," as it is called,
the rifle is used, as the shot must be made at longer range. Where the seal is within
close range or can be approached, as when it is asleep, the shotgun discharging buck-
shot is used. The aim is for the head or breast of the animal.

' Proc. Fur Si-al Arb., Vol. 9, p. :M6.

SHOTGrN AND 8PRAK.

Uf)

J, lier
I iiiid

boats

II they
eating
f their

;loeiv ill
est ami

I are as
graphic

•aiioe wiis
iously v.e
ed within
ho liuiitpr
ng oh.jfct.
itha.iunip
r bet'oiues

deHi)eiiit<!
.ing iu th<>
nowed the

direction,

II the time
d with the
adiined tliu

Tlie loss
H, it (cttsp.d
ih.

also, but
sleeping
liiual, and
ittlo noise

t is called,
1 is within
lini

The tbilowing dcsi-ri|)tion of the methods of taking seals is given by Lieutenant
(Jiiiiian,' of the revenue-cutter Vonrin, in relating his experi»'nce in a canoe with
Indian hunters ott' Sitka Sound, May 1, isitli,

\Vi< hiid pulled Hovoral inilt'H witlioiit Bei-iiiK iiiiythiiiK, wlioii Niiddenly the Ntcoi'Miiiaii gnvit thx
raiioo II shake mid pointed in Hileme to n sral 75 yiiids distant. " ' The howniaii tonk in his

oars and sii)istitiited the paddle, and the eanoe ^I'ded noiselessly toward the iineoiiscioiisseiil. When
williin 10 yards of it tlie after paddle alone was used and the liowniaii stood ready with the shotgun.
During all this time not a word was spoken, and so noiselessly did the canoe glide that wo
got witliiii 10 yards of it and the hunter tired, pouring aeharge of biieksbot into its lireast. The seal,
to my great astonishment, was not killed, but gave us a siirprlHud look, and instantly dived out of
sight. It rostt again ■'iO yards otV, gave us another look, and a second time disappeared. Then followed
a eliaie to windward, the Indians dexterously applying their paddles in that direction. Three tiinus
it disappeared and re.ippeared before it was linally shot iind captured. Kven then it was necessary
to use the club to kill it. One hook with the gatV, a sudden pull, and the unfortunate seal was in the
canoe.

L <S BKSfLTIN(} FROM SHOOTING.

It is phii'i that l>y the method of shooting a curtain jiercentage of loss rtssults
from the wounding of animals and also fr<mi the sinking of animals before they can
be recovered. That many of the wounded a.iimals escape is shown by the coiisid-
eralilc! number of bachelors on tiie hauling grounds which carry buckshot in their
bodies. At each killing the natives gather up a collection of slugs. That other
aniiiials escape only to di(^ later on may reasonably be inferred. In the summer of
18!M> several seals wounded by shooting were known to die after coming ashore on
the rookeries.-' What the i)ercentage of loss may be which thus results can not be
determined. The liuiiters themselves can not tell what eflect their shots produce,
where the animal is not recovered. It may escape unhurt, may have been slightly
wounded and thus likely to recover, or .so seriously injured as to cause it to give up
later on and die.

The greatest loss probably results from the use of the ri tie. Where the range
is (tonsiderable and the animal is killed instantly it sink.^'. out of re.ich before the boat
can get it. With the shotgun the same result is likely to occur, but the range being
shorter not so many animals are lost. Of late years the loss of shot seals has been
greatly diminished, because it has been found that when the animal is shot in the
head or neck and the lungs left full of air the body does not sink so rapidly.

THE Sl'EAB LEAST WASfEI'lTL.

With the spear the loss must be very slight. Where the animal escapes by the
tearing out of the spearhead it doubtless recovers, but these instances are rare.
That some animals escape through the breaking of the line attached to the spear-
head is shown by the number of these weapons picked up on the rookeries. Two
spearheads with the lines attached were found fastened in the rocks on Zapadni
rookery of St. Paul in 18!)l!. The lines had become fast and the aninnUs had torn
themselves loose. During the past season a cow came aslior»» on St. Paul with a
spearhead through her back which, while it did not kill her, left her (irippled atid
useless. •*

buck-

' Proc. Fur .Seal Arb., vol. !>, p. ;t.">l.

-.See Daily .lourui'l, I'art II, date of .Iiily 25, ISSHi.

'Hee Daily Jonrnal, I'art II, date of August 15, 1897.

15181-

-10

146

THK VVH SKAI.S OK TlIK I'RIBII.Ol' IHLANDS.

or tlio two iiu'tliodH or killing Mu^ siv.ils at sea I lie spiw is llic surest and results
ill tlie least waste. ISotli iiietliods iiave tiieir speeial tields, however, and the
reguhitidiis under which i>ehi;,'ie sealing;' is now earned on, as if desijiiiod expressly
for the pehij^C'c sealer, recojujiii/es them clearly. Thus, wiien the seals are on their
iiiiffrations and consei|ueiitly alternately traveling and resting hoth lirearnis and
spears are allowed. For the traveling seal the gun can l»e used; for the sleeping
seal the spear. On the feeding grounds in iJering Sea only the spear is allowed.
There the animals are found almost exclusively sleeping or feeding. The noise of the
gun wcmld be a positive disadvantage, as it would startle all the seals in the vicinity.
From the point of view of the herd both methods are deadly, the ditl'erenco being
merely one of degree.

NORTHWEST COAST SEALING.

l*elagi(r sealing is carried on in two distinct areas and at two distinct seasons.
While the seals are on their return migration along the Americaii shore they are met
by the pelagic tleet otV tlie coast of California at about the latitude of Point
Conception. From here northward tit the vi<'inity of Middleton island the herd is
followed by tiie pelagic^ tleet. Formerly seals were also taken along the coast of the
Alaskan peninsula to the passes by which they entered Bering Sea. At present
the closed season begining in May shuts off this c.itch.

BERING SEA SEALING.

In Bering Sea sealing is c/trried on in the summer feeding grounds of the fur
seals. These grounds are locited from lt)(t t » LMH) miles distant from the islands and
lie cliieliy to the westward and southward in tie deep water ott' the IdO-fathoin curve.
They are fre(|uented cliieliy by the female seals which leave the rookeries at regular
intervals during tiie summer t(» feed, returning to nourish their oflfspring.

It is not necessary here to go into greater detail regarding these matters nor to
mention the sealing grounds of tlie ('omnmnder Island herd. The.se matters are all
taken up in detail by Mr. Townsend in a sitecial paper whi«'h appears elsewhere in
Part III of this report.

THE PELAGIC CATCH.

In the statistical appendix to the present volnine will be found a detailed talile of
the pelagic- catch from the various hunting grounds. From this table we may here
give the following summary:

Tiilal peliujic <uUh in all watira, 1Si:S-lS97.
I'ribilol' liei'd:

North west, roust 395, 8H()

Bering Sea ._ 240,908

63«, 7!<8
(Joiuuiuntler herd: ■liipaii and Kiissiaii coasts 256, 259

Total 893,047

KFPECT OF MODUS VIVENDI.

147

lay Ueie

,8»0
, 25!t

1,047

In iulditiuii to this total thcro am U5,0(M) skins wliivli liavu buen tukeii, luit t'oi-
wiiicli tiie (Ic'Hnito locality of «;aiitur« lias not been detormined, niakin;> a grand total
of !t.S8,OI7 animals, or approximately 1,(KK>,(MK» seals, known to have been killed at sea
from the combined Russian and American herds.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE SEALS KILLED BUT LOST.

The tigures just given inelndeoidy animals actually secured and who.se skins were
lirought to market. N(» attem|)t has been made to form any estimate of the nund)er
of animals which escaped to die of their wounds, or of th(»se killed outrijjlit. whose
bodies sank before they could be secured. The loss arising from these sources is
considerable even at the [tresent time, where lirearms are used, and in the early days
of their use it must have been very great.

EARLY SEALING CONFINED TO PRIBILOF HERD.

Until the year I8!tl all pelagic sealing was confined to the Tribilof herd, anil pri(»r
to the year 1883 all t\n' .seals were taken otl' the Northwest coast. After 188;{ sealing
in Bering Sea was added. In 18iH a modus vivendi was declared ou June IT), desigued
to close Bering Sea.' This measure \vn enewcd in the two succeeding years, ju-nding
the results of the Arbitration Tribumil. It nniy be remarked in tl. is connection that
the importance of this modus vivendi "f 1891-181K1, in its relation to the herd, was not
great. Its promulgation in 1891 \i is too l:\te to make it etl'ective, as the fact that the
herd h)st li>,()00 more sealsat sen uithat year t!, an in 1890 abundantly shows. In 1892
it merely checked the increase of the calch, leaving it still 6,090 more than it was
before the measun was put into etfe -i. In 189.?, when the catch fell to ,'50,000, which
was but 10,000 less than the catch of 1890, the herd derived some benelit. Of course,
if we take into account what the herd might have lost through the increase of the
catch in this period, the benetit to the herd was grciiter. But it was at best oidy a
postponement of the loss, as in 1894 the catch rose immediately to 01,000 — double that
of 1893— and was in 189r» still 1(5,000 greater than the catch of 1890; its decline since
that time has been due to the dinnnisbing herd.

THE SUSPENSION OF LAND KILLING.

On the other hand the suspension of killing on land only released young males to
grow up which are now, as idle and supertiuous bulls, a menace to the rookeries. In
the case of the pelagic sealers the measure only ])ostponed the time of taking the seals,
as the females which escape in one season are still available the next, while on land
the young males released were irrevocably lost to the (lovernment and the lessees,
because before nornnil conditions were resumed they had taken on the wig of the half
bull, and their skins became of no value. The suspension of land an<l sea killing,
therefore, during the modus vivendi, was at be.st of very doubtful value.

MODUS VIVENDI TRANSFERRED SEALING TO ASIATIC JIDE.

The modus vivendi, however, had this effect: It intluenced a certain nund)er of
sealing vessels to try their luck on the Asiatic side of the racilic Ocean. These, in

■ 8eo foutnote to page 144 of this volume.

P;,

148

THK FUR SEALS OF THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

l.Si>l,took a small catch of 8,(H)0 seals from tlio Commander herd. In 1892, when the
modus Vivendi was renewed and made eHective, a larger number of vessels crossed
over at the close of the spring sealing ott' the Northwest Coast; and in 1893, Bering Sea
being again iosed, the greater part of the sealing vas transferred to the Asiatic side.
The growth of the catch from the Commander Island herd was very rapid. Beginning
with 8,000 skins in 1891, it numbered 06,000 skins in 1893.

THE DECLINE OF THE CATCH.

During the period from 1 808 to 1880 the pelagic catch was merely nominal, ranging
from four to live thousand skins yearly. With the year 1881 it increased steadily
until 1894, when the maximum was reached in a catch of 141,143 skins. Since that
year it has rapidly declined to a total of about 39,000 skins in the season of 1897.

The following table will make clear the fact of this decline:

Year.

Pribilof
lierd .

18<>4.
1895.
1896.
1897.

61,838
58, 201
43, 017
24, 321

Coiniiiander
lienl.

70, 305
37, 03.1
24, 101
13, 801

UNFAVORABLE WEATHER NOT THE CAUSE OF DECLINE.

The decline in the pelagic catch has been explained by the sealers as due to
unfavorable weather' and ill luck in locating the animals rather than to any lack of
seals. It is unnecessary here to discuss the matter at length. Hefereuce to Mr.
Townsend's notes and tables of daily catches, published in Part III of this report, will
show clearly enough that no marked difference has e.xisted between the weather
conditions of recent seasons and those of earlier onesi. The real cause of the decline
in the pelagic catch, of course, is the depleted condition of the herd. With a herd
reduced to less than one-fifth its original size it could not be reasonably expected
that the usual number of animals could be found at sea.

PELAGIC KILLING AND LAND KILLING COMPARED.

It will help us to arrive at a. just appreciation of the relation of pelagic sealing to
the iiistory of the fur-seal iierd if we compare its catch with tliat taken on the islands.
In tlie following table we have this comparison fully set forth. There is given, in
addition to the total number of males killed for all i)urposes, tlie date at which the
([uota was each year filled, the number of hauling grounds wliich it was necessary to
drive from, and the number of drives required. These are taken from the records of
the islands. The statistics of the pelagic catch are taken from the ot!i(!ial data of the
Treasury Department, which is given in full in Appendix I.

' Her. St'ii Quest., llcpt. Murine and Fislmriow. Ottiiwn, 1«9(>, Venning, p. 16.

STATISTICS OF LAND AND SEA KILLINQ.

14i)

SlatMic$ rt'ijariliiig laud and »«■(/ killimj, lf<71-tS9^

ViHr.
1871

Uato
iiiiiitn
micil.'

Jiilv 28

1872

Jiii'v 25

1873

Jiilv 24

1874

July 17

1875

July ]«

187G

\iiir. p

1877

Inly 14

1878

1 July 18

1879

lulv 1<>

1880

I Illy 17

1881

July 20

1882

Iiijv an

1883

Jul'v 1!)

1884

July 21

1885

Inly 27

1886

Inly 26

1887

July 24

1888

Jniv 27

1889

Jnl'v 111

1890

.fiil'v •>()<

1891 .'

1892

1893

1894

A UK- 4

1895

.. July 27

1896

Jnl'y 27

1897

Auir. 7

Ilniillii);
(iiiiunils
ilrixt'n.'

46
4»
51
01
55
;)6
44
54
71
78
'.»
80
81
101
100
117
101
102

87
(*)
(')
(»)

Nuinl)or

of
driypK.'

;io
;i7

37
30
32
35
36
38
34
30
39
42
03
74
66

73 I

74 1
55 I

(=)

31
42

KiUimI cm
liiud.'

102. 070

108,81!)

11)9, 177

1 10, 585

106. 4<(l

04. 0iJ7

81,310

1(I<J, 323

110.411

105. 718

105. 063

1)9,812

79, 500

105, 434

105, 024

104.521

105, 700

103, 304

102, 017

28. 05!)

12, 040

7,511

7,396 :

IB. 270

14,846

30. 054

10,200

Killed

ilt St'H.

16,911
5, 336
5, 220
5,873
5, 033
.5,515
5,210
5, 544
8,557
8.418

10, 382

15. .55 1

16. .5.57
IB, 971
23. 040
28. 494
30. 628
26, 180
20. 8.-i8
40, 814
5!), 568
46, 042
30, 812
01. 838
56. 291
43. 917
24. 321

■ These figures refer only tn tliii hauling grounds of St. Paul.

'Tlifsi' tottils ini'ludu alt tnali's killed for any purixise on the islands.

^ In 1876 tilt' killing wan cIOHed at an unnsual datf, said to be on aocoiiul of an vxceptiunully late ai'a.snn.

^C'logi'd l>y order of the agent in charge.

'Years ol' the modus yiyendi.

THE PERIOD FROM 1871-1882.

For purposes of study we may divide this record into two sections, the first
covering the period to and including 1882 During this time we find that the number
of animals taken on land as well as at sea was each year relatively constant, the former
being maintained at a maximum, the latter at a minimum. We find that from 1874 to
the close of this period the requisite number of killable seals could be procured at such
an early date as to dearly indicate that no difficulty was experienced in tilling the
quota. During the whole of this time the number of drives and hauling grounds
diiveii from was uniform and normal. In .short, all the evidence goes to show that the
herd was in a state of practical equilibrium, neither increasing nor diminishing to any
marked degree. The reduction of the number of animals killed on land in the last
year of this period has already been di.scus.sed iu its appropriate place. It has no
significance here.

THE GROWTH OF THE CATCH.

It will be seen, however, in the record of pelagic sealing that from a normal catch
of slightly over 5,000, covering a period of eight years, it a^lvanced to S,000 in 1H80 and
to ir»,0(M) the closing year of the period. This latter fact is significant.

RELATION OF GAINS AND LOSSES IN THE HERD.

We have already shown that the condition of the fur-seal herd is determined by
tiie relation of its gains and losses. Its losses are of two kinds, natural and artificial.
We may class as natural those losses arising from old age, accidents of the .•sea, or the

i !

' I

(
u

150

THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Btriiygles on the rookeries. The sole artiticiul loss to which the herd has been sub-
jected is that resulting from pelagic sealing. We may assume that the natural losses
pf the herd were in these early days, as now, constant and uniform. With the small
added loss resulting from pelagic sealing they balanced the gain of the herd due to the
intlnx of young breeders. It may be that the loss entailed by the pelagic catch was
the final determining check on the herd's increase. As we have seen, in the last year
of the period we are considering, this pelagic catch was trebled.

PERIOD SUBSEQUENT TO 1882.

If now we take into consideration the period subsequent to 1882 we find that this
increase in the pelagic catch was maintained and steadily augmented until at its
maximum in the year 1894 it exceeded by twelve times the normal size of tlie (jatcli in
the former period of e<|uilibriuin. On the other hand, we find the land catch which was
maiutained at its normal rate until the year 1889, suddeidy fell to one-fifth its size in
1890, and has remained there since.

EXPANSION OF PELAGIC, DECREASE OF LAND SEALING.

From a study of these statistics two important facts are made clear: First, that
there has been since 1880 an enormous expansion of pelagic sealing; second, that there
has been in tiie same period a marked decrease in the product of land sealing. From
w}>at we know of the nature of the two industries and their ettect on the herd we are
prepared t« find these two facts related to each other as cause and effect.

We need not repeat here the ]>roof that land killing has had nothing to do with
the decdine of the herd. It must be pointed out, however, that land killing is strictly
dependent upon the condition of the breeding herd. The <[Uota of any given yesir
represents the male animals which survive to the age of three years from a given
birthrate. As the quota of males is, so will be the increment of young breeders which
the herd receives, A diminished (piota therefore means a diminished gain to the
breeding herd for the same year.

CAUSE OF DECREASE TO BE SOUGHT IN THE BREEDING HERD.

Naturally, the cause of any diminution in the supply of killable seals must be
sought for in the condition of the breeding herd three years previous. From this fact
it becomes apparent that for tlie cause of the enormous reduction in the bachelor herd
seen in the quota of 1890 we must look back to the year 1887, and inasmuch as the
decline in the bachelor herd was great and alarming in 1890, t'.e depletion of the
breeding herd in 1887, when the seals for this quota were born, must have been equally
great and striking. The date of tlie decline in the herd must, therefore, fall prior to
the year 1887.

From what has been said about the relation of the bachelor herd to the breeding
herd it must also be plain that no serious diminution had occurred in the birth rsite
prior to 1882, else it would not have been possible to maintain, as was done until 1889,
by any possible moans the killing of 100,000 animals of no nuitter what age or size.

THE BEGINNING OF THE DECLINE.

We may therefore assume that the decrease in the breeding herd began some-
where between 1880 and 1887, It is impossible to locate the exact date. We have

EFFECTS OF PELACJIC KILLING.

151

assumed the years 1S82-1885 as the approximate date, becaust' in the latter year it
was necessary to greatly increase the number of drives and the nunibei' of iiauling
grounds driven from to get the regular cjuota. This will be apparent from an inspec-
tion of -lie [(receding table. The cause of this scarcity of killablc seals must ne(;e8'-
sarily date back three years, or to 1882. Moreovei-, within this period occurred the
extension of the operations of pelagic sealing into Bering Sea. Again, in the year
1882, the pelagic catch was trebled in size and thereafter continued to increase, while
from the steady retardation of the date at which the quota could be tilled and the
increased number of drives necessary, tl)«' bachelor herd as steadily iU'clin»'d.

PELAGIC SEALING AS A CHECK FROM 1871-1880.

During the long period fiom 1871 to 1880, we may infer that the pelagic catch
had no influence on the herd except i)erhap8 with other causes to neutralize possible
increase. With the rise of the catch to 15,000 in 1882, wc may assume that the strain
was too great and that the ctpiililuium was broken. The further increase to 24,000
in 188') intensitied the decline, and when in 1887 the pelagic catch reached 40,000 it
became serious.

In estimating the intluence of the pelagic catch in these early days it must
always be borne in miiul that the catch as recorded is only a part of the loss which
the herd sustained through ])elagic sealing, it will never be possil)le to estimate the
loss, due to the killing of animals which were not recovered, but that it was great we
have no reason to doubt, and it nuist not be left out of the account.

IRREGULAR QUOTA SINCE 1890.

Since the year 1890 the results of land killing can not be taken as an index of the
condition of the herd from year to year. lu the years 1891-1S9;5 land killing was
arbitrarily contracted under the mo<lHs vivendi. The (piotas of 1894 and 1895 were
iiirtuenced by the changed methods of driving practiced in these years, and by the
heavy pelagic catches of 1890 and 1891 lesulting in the starvation of pups in these
years. Tiie quotas of 189ti and 1897 have been in turn slightly influenced by the
protection afforded by th« modus Vivendi, which reduced in a measure the i)elagic
catch of 1892 and 189.'}, thus saving i)ups from starvation. The results of the heavy
pelagic catches of 1895 and ' 39t) have yet to show thcmsehes in the coming quotiis
of 1898 and 1899.

PELAGIC SEALING AND THE COMMANDER HERD.

We may here, for the sake of illustration, compare similarly the land and sea
cat(!hes f'nun the ('ommander herd. Pelagic sealing began on this herd in 1891. As
the fleet was a large one, its results have been nu>re rapid and disastrous than in
connection with the Pribilof herd. The following are the compiirative figures:

I'dan'ir ralcli of CommaiiiUv herd, lS9t-lS!i7.

Year.

' S..n

liillilljr.

I.iniil
killing

1891

18U2

iti<i:t

... 8,4;k
(Hi, 14:1

3(i,8|->
;il, 244

;t'.> i'8(i

1894

. . 79. Ma

27. 287

Vulir.

18«.'i.
I89(t.
1897.

Sril
killiii;:

;i7.(i;i,"i

24,191
l», 8(11

LkkiI
killing:.

17,719

i:t,r>i(i

1 1, 3H5

152 THE FUR SEALS OK THE PRHlILOr ISLANDS.

THE INTERRELATION OF PELAGIC AND LAND CATCHES.

The relation of tlie pelagic catcli to tlie land catch is here well illustrated. The
catch in 1891 was small. Its effect on the bachelor herd was .slight and together with
the larger catch of 18!)2 accounts for the reduction from 3«,000 to 31,000 in the laud
catch. Bearing in mind the fact that the really important eflfect of the pelagic catch
of any year is only seen in the herd of killable seals after three years, we are ])reparcd
to iind the first marked reduction in 1895, and are not disappointed. The quota of
1895 is less than half the quota of 1891. Since 1894 the pelagic catch from the
Commander herd has rapidly declined, showing how pelagic sealing has exhausted its
own resources. Its catch of 1897 on the Asiatic side is about one-sixth the size of
its catch for 1891.

In the case of the Pribilof herd the result has not been so striking. As against
01,838 seals taken in 1894 we have 134,321 taken in 1897. But the results of the
modus Vivendi, the closed /.one and the closed season are seen in this herd. The
Commander herd lias had no modus vivendi or closed season, and the protected zone
has been but one-half as great as that of the Pribilof herd.

The example of the Con)mander herd strengthens the evidence in the case of
the Pribilof. With the former, as with the latter, the decline of the herd and the
expansion of pelagic sealing practically go together. If no other proof was available
than what these figures adduce we must be forced to the conclusion that pelagic
sealing has been the cause of the decline.

fjt

!■

. i

(' II A I' T K 11 XII,

THE EFFECT OF PELAGIC SEALING.

PELAGIC SEALING INVOLVES THE KILLING OF FEMALES.

Ill the foregoiiiy discussion we have assumed for the time being tiiat pehigic
scaling has been the cause of tiie decline in tlie fur-seal herd. The relation of the
laud catch to the sea catch is sucli as to lead inevitably to this conclusion, lint there
remain other and better reasons for holding pelagic sealing resjionsible for the
decline.

As has been already shown, only males are killed on land; the females are not
disturbed. On the other hand, at sea animals of evcrj age and condition, and of
both sexes, are taken. In the water it is impossible to distinguish I he sexes, .'ind all
animals seen are killed if possible. On land the habits of the animals are such th.^t
the males can be readily separated and handled without disturbance to the feiii;iles.

PELAGIC SEALING AND THE SEALING OF THE SOUTH SEAS.

With the above contrast between land and sea killing in mind, we may pause for
a moment to consider the strange proposition put forward in the IJritish contention
before the Paris Tribunal, that "the methods practiced on the Pribilof Islands and
those practiced in the southern hemisphere" were parallel in results. This was in
answer to the contention by the Tiiited States that pelagic sealing was essentially
the same as the sealing which destroyed herds of the Antarctic. On the contrary,
say the British commissioners in 1801, the history of the rookeries of the south seas
proves incontestably that "excessive slaughter on shore in the entire absence of
pelagic sealing results in commercial extermination.*' '

The absence of pelagic sealing in the southern hemisphere has nothing to do
with the matter. It would be absurd to expect pelagic sealing there when there was
nothing to prevent the sealers from landing and directly invading the rookeries.
It is safe to say that there would have been no jielagic sealing in the northern
hemisphere had it been possible for any who might choose to do .so to land and kill
females on shore.

METHODS OF SOUTHERN SEALING.

In the case of the rookeries of the southern henii.sphere, men armed with clubs
or firearms were landed on the rookeries, who killed all the animals they could
secure, making no distinctions as to sex, age, or condition. In a day or a week they
returned to complete the work of destruction if it was not complete at the tirst trial.
It must appear from a candid contrast of such slaughter that it has nothing in
common with land killing on the Pribilof Islands beyond, perhaps, the fact that
in both cases the killing is done on shore and with a club.

' Hep. of Hiit. Coniiii., Fur Sonl Arlt., vol. 0, p. 217.

153

If!'

' 1

154

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANI>8.

Suppose that a crew of 25 or 30 men were lauded in July on Reef rookery of St.
Paul; that these men entered the breedinj? grounds and slaughtered every animal
they could reach, keeping up the operation day after day as new animals came ashore
or until no more were found, returning the following season to pick up any remnant
which might be left. This would be the method of slaughter in the southern
hemisphere transferred to the northern.

"INDISCRIMINATE," NOT " ETiCESSIVE."

The trouble with the contention of the British commissioners lies in the use of
"excessive'' for "indiscriminate.'' It was not the contention of the ITnited States
that the land killing of the south seas was identical in method with open-sea killing
in the north, but rather that the results were identical. Both were indiscriminate
killing, and, as a result, it was to be expected that the fate of the southern rookeries
would overtake those of the north if such slaughter were continued. That the herds
of the north have lasted longer than those of the south is simply the results of their
protection on land. Were it possible for the pelagic sealers to land on the Pribilof
and Commander islands, they could accomplish in one season what it has taken a
dozen years to accomplisli contending with the uncertainties of the sea.

PREPONDERANCE OF FEMALES.

Before the Paris Tribunal, and even subseijuent to it, the claim has been made
that land killing was excessive in its reduction of male life, and had been in large
measure, if not wholly, responsible for the decline. We have already discussed the
latter part of this contention and shown its untenable character. The fact, however,
is freely admitted that the killing on land had greatly reduced the male life of the
herd. The investigations of the past season, showing that about twenty-nine males
out of thirty born are destined to be supertluous, indicate how this has been possible
without aft'eoting the herd. Since the islands came into the possession of the United
States nearly 3,000,000 male seals have been taken on land, while no females whatever
have been killed.

The point we wish to make clear is, that with such an abstraction of male life it
niiturally results that the herd as a whole under normal conditions must show a large
excess of females. Notwithstanding this self evident fact, it has been persistently
contended by those interested in pelagic sealing that the i»elagic catch contained no
preponderance of females; that in fact the sexes as found and taken at sea were
pract" ally equal.

THE SEALING CAPTAINS' RECORD Of SEXES TAKEN.

To illustrate this, we may saj' that under the regulations of the Paris award it
was made obligatory on the captains of sealing vessels to keep a record of the sexes
of all animals taken. It was manitestly absurd to suppose that men engaged in a
business like pelagic sealing would take the trouble to report accurately facts which
must injure their business. The result has been that whenever the sex returns have
been supplied by the sealers themselves the sexes have been reported so nearly equal
that the proportioa of females has on the aver.ige rarely exceeded 55 per cent. What
we have said regarding the relation of land killing to the proportion of the sexes is
sutticient i)roof of the falsity of these returns. But we also note that during the

■«mm

THK SEX OF PKLAGIC SKINS.

166

peiiod covered by these retnnis by tlie sealers, showiiifj an excess of no more than
j") per cent of fe.nales, it was possible to secure only 81,000 mules on land, whereas
187,000 animals, males and females, were taken at sea. That 4.") ])er cent of this latter
number should have been males is simply out of the question.

CUSTOM-HOUSE EXAMINATION BY EXPERTS.

Fortunately, however, we are not force<l to rely merely upon inference or upon
the reports of interested parties for our information in this matter. For the past f(UU'
seasons the United States Government has provided for the examination, by experts,
of the pelagic catches of American vessels iu the customhouses on their iiindini>;.
These returns are as follows for the seasons 1894-18!>7 :

lupvrtH xex veiiiniK for Ameriean vatch.

1894. I'.Tcciit. I 189(5. IVrcciit.

Xortliwost coast 88 Northwest const 93

Bering Sea 09 , Bering Sea 75

1895. 1897.

Northwest coast IX Northwest coast 9,'l

llcring Soa TA

CONTRAST OF SEX RETURNS.

With these figures may be compared the percentages furnished by the logs of the
captains of the Canadian sealing fleet, which we are forced to use, as (Ireat liiitain
has refused to permit the insi»ectiou of the Canadian catch in port. No returns for
these vessels are available for the Northwest catch until the si)ring of 189(i, when the
percentage of feniales is given as 40. With it may be compared the exi)ert report of
y;? per cent for the American vessels on tl»e same grounds in the same season. I'or
the three seasons, 1894-1896, the Canadian reports for the IJering Sea catch are
respectively 55, 55, and 61 per cent females. The vessels of the American fleet were
eng<aged daring the same time and side by side with the Canadian vessels. The latter
average 52 per cent of females and the former 80 per cent. Comment is not necessary.

This high proportion of females in the pelagic catch is borne out by the expert
examinations of furriers iu liondon. See affidavits in Appendix II.

THE SEX OF SALTED SKINS EASILY DETERMINED.

It may be remarked that it is entirely feasL'ble to determine the sex «»f the salted
skin, as reference to Mr. Townsend's paper on this subject published in Part III will
show. There is, therefore, no doubt of the accuracy of the results of the customhouse
examinations.

THE INVESTIGATIONS OF ALEXANDER AND HALKETT.

With a view to studying the operations of pelagic sealing iu 1895, Mr. A. t»
Alexander was detailed to make the cruise on one of the pelagic sealing vessels.' The
results of his observations are published el-sewhere in this report and contain the most
complete account of the methods and operations of pelagic sealing yet obtained. Mr.
Alexander found in the cat(!h of the Dora Sieward, numbering about l,.'iOO seals, 62

> A comitleto Account of the criiise will he t'ound in Part III of this report.

I'.; I

15(J

THE FUR SEALS OK THE I'RIUILOP ISLANDS.

l>ei* cent nf females. The followiii{>; year Mr. Andrew llalkett, inakint; a aiiiiilnr
iiiveistigatiuii for the Canadian government, I'ound in tlie catch of the same vessel
also in Bering Heti the percentage of females t(» be <S4.'

The ditterence between the resnits of these two investigations shows that the
proportion of the sexes may vary considerably from season to season and between
dirt'erent vessels. It must not be forgotten, however, that these reports are based (Hi
the catches of individual vessels. The returns for the tieet of l.S American vessels in
1895 gives the i>ercentage of females as 73, wiiile for the fleet of 13 vessels in 18JM5 it
is 75 per cent. It is probably not possible to determine more definitely the exact
jn'oportion of females, but these Hgures are sulBcient with the known preponderani^e
of the fenuile sex to show that the proportion is large.

THE FEMALES MORE EASILY TAKEN.

It may be noted that the habits of the animals are such as to make it probable
that were the sexes equally numerous at sea the females would be taken in greater
numbers, in the spring of the year ott" the Northwest Coast the female is heavy
with young, and consequently more sluggish than the young males. In liering Sea
it is the nmther driven by the necessity of nourishing her offspring that is found
constantly on the feeding grounds. In either case her necessities and habits leave
her the easy victim of the pelagic hunter.

THE CAPTURE OF MALES NOT IMPORTANT.

We have not taken into account the fact that a certain number of males are
necessarily taken by the pelagic sealers. It is unnecessary to do so. With the males
taken in this way we have no concern. Their capture decreases the profits of the
lessees of the islands and the revenue of the Government, but does not aflect the herd
any nu)re than does the killing of nniles on land. It is for this reason that they may
be left out of consideration in this discussion.

The important matter is that of the animals taken at sea by the pelagic sealers
from (52 to 84 per cent are females. It may be remarked here that we are not con-
<;erned to make this percentage of ft>nui1es high. Were it a fact that among the
animals taken at sea the males were in the excess of the females, the ditterence would
be merely one of degree. So long as feinalei; in any number are taken, the herd is
injured, and the injury is greater in proportion as the number killed is greater.

POSSIBILITY OF EQUILIBRIUM UNDER PELAGIC SEALING.

Much has been said of late by those interested in the retention of pelagic sealing
about the tendency to eiiuilibrium which is to be found in the rapid falling ott' of the
l)elagic «!atch. In ISDIi Professor Thompson of the British Connnission professed to
believe that this e(|uilibrium had then been reached, and that we might under present
conditions ho)>e for a perpetuation of the numbers of the herd as found in that year.'
The investigation of 181>7, showing a nuirked decrease from the condition of 1897,
demonstrated clearly that this was a mistake, a fact whi<>h Professor Thomp.son
admits in his 1897 report.

' See llalkett MSS., Report 1890.

'Tlioiiipson, Misainn to liering Sen, 1896, p. 3.5.

THE EQUILIUKIITM THEORY.
THE EQUILIBRIUM A THEORETICAL FACT.

167

There IH, liowevcr, u t'crtaiii iiinoiiiit of truth in this iUeji of e(|uilibriiiiii, uiid we
iiiiiy iiiqiiiie whiit it is and wliat will be the coiiditioii of the herd and of the industry
of |)ehigi(' sealin;; when it is reached.

As already indicated, the condition of the t'nr-.seal herd is determined by the
rehition of its various losses to its sinjjle source of j;ain, the yearly accession ofyoniiK
;{-yearold breeders, i-'roni the history of the herd in the jteriod from 1S71 to l.SSO
we know that the vaiious losses which tin; herd sutferetl about balanced its gain, and
there was neither increase nor diminution. From the nature of the losses which the
herd is subject, to we may infer that in its less crowded condition within the past
few years, they have been somewhat mitigated. This would be esjiecially true of the
loss through the parasitic worm and through tights and struggles on the breeding
grounds. Tnder normal «H»nditi(ms in its present state, tiie herd might be expected
to increase by a slight margin each year. That it does not so increase is duo to
the action of pelagic sealing. The measure of this possible increase in the herd is
the margin of ditVerence between the number of 3 year-old fenuiles which enter the
breeding grounds in any season and the total number of deaths resulting to the adult
breeding herd from old age and the inci<lents of the sea.

DEATH FROM OLD AGE.

If we assume for the breeding fenuile an aver.age life of thirteen years, this
would give a breeding life of ten years, and the death rate from old age must each
year amount to about 10 per cent of the breeding herd. On the other hand, it is
clear from the proportion between the breeding herd of 130,000 an<l the (piotai of
liO,000 for the present year that the pro])(n'tion of jmps which survive from any birth
rate to the age of .'5 years is about one-third to one-fourth of the total number. The
<piota of the present time is therefore roughly a measure of the gain of the herd, as
an approximately e(pial number of young females must survive.

A HYPOTHETICAL CASE.

As an illustration, let us assume for any given year a total breeding herd ot
180,000 cows. Of these loOjtMK) would be adults and 30,000 young cows coming into
the herd for the llrst tinu' as breeders and representing the normal gain of the li'-rd.
Asanming that, as a result of storms at sea, old age, and attacks of enemies, 10 per
cent of the herd are lost in the winter migration, this would mean the absence of
18,000 animals for tiie succeeding season, to cover which and provide fctr continued
increase the herd iec»'ives a gain of .MMMK) young animals. The net gain to the herd
is, therefore, r_*,000 breeding females. This is a liberal «'ftinnite of gain.

THE POSSIBLE ABSTRACTION OF FEMALES.

If the killing of female seals produced oidy the direct loss entailed by their
absence, this removal of 12,000 females from the hyjtothetical stock of 180 (MtO
breeders would leave the herd in a state of e(|uilibriuni. But for each life thus lost
results the death of an unborn pup, and with such part of the 12,000 females as are
taken in Bering Sea nursing pups die also. This secondary loss is felt later in a

^=>np

158

THE FUR SEALS OP THE rRIHILOF ISLANDS.

'■ 1

(liiiiiniHiied ac(;usHioii of bi-uediiif; 3 year-olds. In other words, the yearly increiiicnt
of 'tO.OOO could not ha maintained, and as a matter of fact the taking of 12,0U()
females would cause the herd to decline.

THE SECONDARY LOSS OF PUPS.

We can estimate approxinuitely this secondary loss. For the li;,000 fewulea
killed an e(|ual number of unborn youni>' are destroyed, and if one-half of them are
killed during the summer, 0,000 adtlitional young will starve; in all, 18,000 young arc
lost. Hut as only one third of them would naturally survive to the age of 3 years, and
but one half of these wouhl be breeders, the total loss would be about 3,000. This,
at least, must be deducted from the 12,000, leaving 0,000 females which can be taken
from the herd and still leav<> it in a state of eciuilibrium. The abstraction of fen)ales,
therefore, which the herd of 180,00(> breeding females can stand without declining, is
not to exceed ."» per cent.

We do not put this percentage forward as absolute. Its value rests solely upon
the percentage of young which survive to the age of 3 years. We Lave assumed that
one third so survive, and this is i)robably a maximum, but for the purposes of the
calculation it will answer.

To determine whether or not the ett'ect of pelagic sealing is such as to warrant the
supi)osition that a state of e<iuilibriuni has been or is likely to be reached soon, we
have only to refer to the pelagic^ catch for the yeai" 1896. The summer catch of 1890
in Bering Sea numbered 2i).'>0{>, of which 84 per cent were females. The spring catch
of the same year was 14,4(;0, of which 93 per cent were females, making in all 38,000
females from a herd of about IGO,000, api>roxinnitely 24 per cent, with additional loss
to appear in 1899 from the destruction of young life.

PELAGIC CATCH STILL INVOLVES i6 PER CENT OF ALL FEMALES.

In view of the heavy falling off whi(^h (lelagic sealing has undergone in 1897, we
may carry out tiie comi)utation for tliis season also. There were taken in the spring
ot 1897 oil' the northwest coast 7,.S,")7, of wliiiih 93 percent, or 7,300, were fenuiles. In
Bering Sea 10,4.54 were taken, of which, using the percentage of 189(5, which is low, 84
per cent, oi' 1.'{,S00 were females, making in all for 1897 21,000 fenuiles. This for
a herd of 130,000 is 1(1 per cent. It is evident that pelagic sealing must still fall
considerably before equilibrium is reached.

IT MUST FA'^L TO ONE-THIRD BEFORE EQUILIBRIUM COMES.

In short it would appear that the pelagic catch mast fall to about one-third its
present size before the decline in the herd ceases. It is doubtful whether such a
reduction will result. The haunts of the seals are too convenient. The same vessels
may not go out each year, but enough will be ready to risk the chance of a remuner-
ative catch to keep the herd on the down grade. The very reduction of the fleet
in one season will stimulate the business for the next, each vessel hoping that its
neighbors will drop out, thus leaving a clear held. It is probable that so long as the
herd exists theie will be a sufficient number of adventurous spirits to prey upon it
and continue its decline. The historj' of the repeated unsuccessful attempts to secure
seals on the rookeries of the south seas fully illustrate what may be expected in the
north. If the spirit of adventure is sufficiently strong to lead to the fitting out of a
schooner, as was done in 1897, to visit the Galapagos Islands on the possibility of

KQUIMKRII'M MEANS COMUERCIAL Rl'IN.

1')!)

taking Hviilrt there, \v«> may nut expect that the iiioro ueeessihle haunts of the seals of
the North J'acitU' will be abandoned.

THE EQUILIBRIUM COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED.

In a theoietit-al sense there is a state of e(|nilibriuni of the herd whirh is com-
patible with a limited amount of pelagic sealing. The condition of this ei|uilibrinin
we have just discussed. We know it nnist be too low to leave any profit either in
pela;>'ic sealing or in land sealin*;. Pelagic sealing:, already unprotltable, must be
reduced to less than one third its present extent before this state of equilibrium is
reached. No manner of protection (tould enforce the* necessary limits to such pelai;i«;
sealin};' iind they are not self-adjustable. Furthermore, the herd under such conditions
would not be worth protectinjj; on land. Any such protection must be maintained at
a loss to the Tuited States. To remove it fr(»ni the herd even for a short peiiod of
time would leave the breeding- haunts of the aninmis open to invasion, and the
destruction so vigorously begun at sea would be speedily comideted on land.

EQUILIBRIUM EXISTS ONLY FAR BELOW COMMERCIAL RUIN.

Thus, while an ei|uilibrium is possible, it must not be forgotten that it exists only
far below the |)oint of (;oinmercial profit, and must prove unsatisfactory either to the
interests of the I'uited States or to those of the pelagic sealer.'

''I'|]i8 (!i|iiilil)i'iiiiii III' the riii'-Huul hunt is a more liKurcof Hp<MM'h, ii Juggling witli worils fur
<U|>liiiii:itic piirpo.seH. In tln' cdiii'liisiuiis of tlio rucriit oiifereiire of oxperts iit Wiisliiugton tlio
IKiHHiliility of tliiH tliooiftii'iil «'i|iMliliriiiui wan ii('kn(>\vlcil<;i'il \t\ liotli Niilt'H, IxMMime self-uvidi'iit
whatovoi' tlio coiiilitiiiiis. Hut llic fiict wiik not coiiHichM'oiI in iiny way i)ertiiituit, as ■■<M|uili))riiim" in
tlii.s 8C1IS0 is only aniitlii'r iianii; fiir coniiiiercial <leHtrni'tioii. 'I'Iiih ailniJHsion tluit pi'lagic soaling
It'iids to leasr as tlu! liciil ilit-s nnt lias however licrn nsnl l»y tl:i' Canadian (JovcnniuMit ua a pretext
for declining to taUo immediate action in the fnr-H«al matter. (See Senate l»oe. 10. l-'ifty-lifth
('oiigrei's, rteeond seasioii, IS!)", ]». (>,">.)

'I'liia theory of ei|Uililirinm has ri'eeiveil an attention wliolly undeHOived. In hi.s report for
t8!l6 ProfoisHor 'I'liompson sujj;;;esled that the f'c|nililirinm was then learhed. lie was forced in the
inventigations of 1807 to admit that tlie lierd liiid sntVered a measuralde decline since 18!i(i. Not-
\vith8tauding this fa<'t we linil tlie following statement in the concluding paragraph of his leport
for ISit": "A remedy lias already lieen aiitoniatiially applied in the redaction of the pelagii' Meet to
less than one-half its niimliers of a year ago. The tendency is to eiinililirinni. The total pelagic
catch for this year is not likely to exceed L'O.OOO. against :Ui,(«)0 la.st year, and it may he that with a
catch so greatly diminishe<l the point ol e>|nilihrinm ha> at length lieen attained."

It is certainly reinarkalde that I'l'ofessor Thompson should s|)eak of coniniercial destrnctiun a.s a
'•remedy'' for zoological dostruition. This is another way of saying that ''death cures all ills;"
liut that mode of cure does iu>t satisfy the friends of the patient. It is, moreover, not true that the
point of equilihrinni is leacln^d, nor can it he reaihed until tin; catch at sea falls to loss than
one-twentieth of the actual number of breeding females. I'tdagic sealing must therefore decline to
one-third its present catch before the eiiuilibrium is reached.

The liritish (iovernmcut is not unaware of thesis farts, but to give t.heni due recognition in
action would interfere with the national policy in this nuitter. This is to peruut the Canadian
sealers to get out of the fur-seal herd everything they can before the failure of the herd fr)ri-es the
allegeil industry wholly luit of existence, lu other words, one chief function of Rritish luiperialisni
is to serve as a "fence" for greedy colonies over whose actions she has no control. We find no mori'
iittiug words to characterize the attitude of (ireat Britain toward this fur-seal (piestion than the
words of Professor Nicholson, of Kdinburgh: "There can be uo (xnestion. in the light of history,
that the political instinct of tlie Knglish people — or to adopt the popular language of the moment, the
original sin of the nation — is to covet everything of its neighbors worth coveting, and it is not
content until the sin is complete."

!l ■

hr^

n 1

IGO

THE KUB 8KAL8 OF THE PKIHILOP ISLANDS.

THE DESTRUCTION OK UNBORN PUPS.

Hitherto wo have coiisidtMed only tlie tlircct UmH to the hrvediii); herd rvHultiiiK
iVoiu the killiiit; of t'riiiiUes. Tlieru Ih, liowever, uii important Hucoiulary htMs resulting
troin tlie (leHtnietioii of the yoiin^. Not only is the adnlt lenialc, with tlie itoHsihility
of future in«'reaHe throii;;li her, htst to the herd, but the times ami seasons of her
shiUKhtei' are such that her unborn and lu>r dependent otlsprin|r nuist alike die
with her.

PREGNANT AND NURSING FEMALES.

T\w. investigations of the commission as to tlio condition of fcnnile seals taken in
liering Hea are given in detail in a special paper on the breeding luibitH of the seals,
by Mr. Lucas, in Part III of this report. We may hero quoto a brief summary of
the reaults :

A totiil ot'l'ti I'ttmiilim iiikoii (liiriii); tlio HuiiHoiiHot' lS!)r> iiiul ISJNi liotwreii AiiKHHt lOiinil Hi'|)t<'iiiliei'
:i wtM'o (^xaiiiiiK'il.iind may lio cDiiBidi'itMl an I'aiil.v icprDHnntiiiK thu a^o anil coiitlitioii nt'Houla takoii at
Hca. <M' tlicm* I7(i tlu'io witc II yeailiiijjH, Nixtet'ii L'-ycar-oldB, ami 146 ovrr 1' years old. All ovri 2
years tdd had ItrmiKlit forth yoiiiijr tho sraMtii In whirh tlii'y wcru takni, and 151 of thoHc 2 yiMirw old
and u|>\vard were pregnant. 'I'hu total nnnilmr of HoaU examined whone condition was at all uncortnin
was 11, and 7 of thcso were L'-yuar-oliU examined before .Vn^uot 22, which might have been
impregnated later in the soaNOii.

PELAGIC SEALING TAKES COMPOUND INTEREST.

Thus pelagi(! sealing eats into the life of the herd at compound interest. The
rookeries in I8!>7 showed a direct diminution from the loss of females killed during
August and September of 18!M> and the spring of I8!>7. This direct loss was supple
mented by the al'terotVects of the prenmture destruction if the young born in
1804, which nianifesteil itself in the diiiiinished quota ol liable seals and in the
i'orrespondingly diminished iiuirement of young breeder In like manner the
future will show the continued etfects of tho destructive industry. For the pups
starved to death in I8!)tt and those starved in 18!)7 the rookeries must sufter iu 1900
and 1901 whether pelagic .sealing continues or not.

DESTRUCTION OF NURSING PUPS.

As the starvation of pui»8 has been the source of a great deal of discussion, it will
be necessary to consider tlu' matter in some detail. It was strongly contended iu the
British case before the Paris Tribunal that lu) such result as tho starvation of the pup
followed from the killing of the mother at sea. The claim of the United States that
the i)ups wer*? left to die of hunger was (leuominated in the same connection as " a
contention wholly Jiovel."' It was further asserted that "it is not known that the
breeding females go to sea for food while their pups are dependent upon them."'

PUPS DEPENDENT ON MILK UNTIL DECEMBER.

Ill the investigations of the season of 1896 these subjects received special
attention. It was found that the pups continued to nurse their mothers as late as the
.'jth of December, being ui» to that time wholly dependent upon milk for nourishment.

■British Counter Case, Fur Seal Arb., Vol. U, pp. 179 and 183.

FKKDINO OF THE 8RAL8. 161

Of pups killtMl lor «' Mini iiiiitioii ilui'iii}r S«;ptutiil>fr iiiid Octolu'r soiiiu wcit lumMl
to foiitaiii Irutn oiiu to two qiiiu-tH of rirli milk, the it^siilt in fiu-li nisc of a siii^r|,> hmmI.
That tlit> iiiotliiT seal, an animal avfiagin); 70 ponntis in wt'ifrjit, h1iom!<1 tontinui' for
upward of four months to nourisii hrr yonnf; in this niann«'r without fcolinK is siiDi-
ciuntly absiinl on t\w facu of it. Hut tint results of Mr. Townstuul's and Mr. Lucas's
oxaniiiKition of adult fcmalos taken on tlie feeding' grounds in Kerin;; Sea, proven
absolutely that tiie nursing; fenniles ^in to sea to feed.

THE ABSENCE OF EXCREMENT.

Ill support of the theory that the females do not leave the rookeries to feed while
their jMips arc depenih^it upon them, the Kritish eominissioiiers of ls<)l-0-' eited tiio
"abseneo of all exciemeiit on the breediiif;' places."' What t he iiivestiKators of !H!t|-!tli
did or did not see we do not know, but during the (tast two seasons excrement was
Heeii ill quantities both on the breeding grounds and on the hauling grounds, as were
also spewings eoiitainiiig the lioiies and tiesli of lish. It is true that the aggregate
amount of exerement seen is small in proportion to the niimber of animals, but this is
due in all probability to tiie fa(;t that the fur seal digests its foo<i for the most part, if
not wholly, before^ eoiiiiug ashore, and as a natural result most of the exerement is
voided in the water.

THE SUPPOSED NOKFEEDING OF FEMALES.

A second jiroof adduced in support < f the nonfeeding of the females was that no
food had been found in the stomachs of the limited number of these animals examined
up to that time. It was known tliivt the stomachs of the ba(;lielors \v;'re found to be
em])ty at all times during the seasoi: It was further absolutely known that thea<Iult
bulls fasted during the breeding season. From analogy to the bulls and from the
absence of food in their stomachs it was assumed in a general way that the bachelors
also fasted, and by carrying the chain of analogy one step farther it was assumed that
the cows fasted also.

THE ABSENCE OF FOOD IN STOMACHS.

It Is true that the stomachs of adult animals of all classes are wholly devoid of food
when examined on land. Investigations on this .score were made in LS'.H! and 18!»7 on a
large number of bachelors and many cows. Some of the latter were killed immediately
on coming ashore expressly to throw light on the question. Hut no food was found,
not even in the stomach of a cow found choked to death on a tisli bone. These
facts, however, can not be expected to weigh against the conclusive evidence of the
stomachs of both females and bachelors taken on the feeding grounds in August.
That the fur-seal bull should fast is necessary. lie conies on land in the spring
loaded down with blubber in preparation for it, and grows tixcessively thin betbrc
the season is over. The cows and bachelors show no such provision. They maintain
an even and moderate condition throughout the season. They could not do so if
they fasted.

15184 11

f^;

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IG2

I'HE PUR SEALS OF THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.
THE SEAL DIGESTS ITS FOOD IN THE WATER.

For tlie absence of food in the stonia^ihs of the seals we r.'.ust find a simpler
explanation, and this seems to be that they remain in the water to digest their food.
If it is not fully digested when the animal reaches the islands on returning from the
feeding grounds, it loiters offshore swimming about, sleeping, or playing until digestion
is completed.

This assumption also explains other things. l<'or exaiiiitle, the band of idle seals
hovering oft' the rookery fronts; the fact that the cows are not seen to come directly
in from the sea; and the fact that pups killed in the water, sleeping and sporting in
the same way, were found full of milk, while those killed on land were, as a rule, emiity.

THE ABSURD THEORY OF INDISCRIMINATE NURSING.

But not content with establishing the fact that the mother seals did not leave the
rookeries while their pups were dependent upon them, the British commissioners went
on to show that if they did go away and were killed the pups did not necessarily starve,
because they could obtain nourishment from other cows. In short, it was contended
that the female fur seals in contrast to all other animals, nursed their young in common.
This theory was supported by a series of ostensibly minute but faulty observations,
which gave an air of plausibility to it.

FUR-SEAL MOTHER AND PUP.

The fur-seal mother displays little iiffection for her own young, but she displays
less for her neighbors'. When she wants her pup, she calls lustily for it, and, finding
it, liesdow.i and nurses it without furtiier ceremony. The pup when satisfied goes
off" and does not seek its mother until it is again hungry. As the majority of the
mothers are absent at sea, the majority of the pups are always hungry. They are
willing and ready to Hock about the calling cow, who has difliculty among so many in
attracting the attentiori of her own pup. The savage treatment she accords these
strjinge pups makes them keej* at a safe distance, and is clear enough proof of her
unwillingness to care for them.

MISTAKEN OBSERVATIONS.

The mistakes that have been made in this nuitter have resulted from a misunder-
standing or a misinterpretation of very simple actions. When the cow lands, she is
likely to be met at the shore by half a dozen hungry pups waiting for their mothers.
They Hock about her and she snaps and snarls sit them, calling her pup in the intervals.
In due time it resi)onds and joins tiie crowd of expectant pups. The mother reiiognizes
it for a brief instant by shaking her head and smelling over it. This is all the
attention it receives. She at once sets ont to find a suitable place in which to rest.
She may travel back the full length of the rookery, taking up her place in one of the
rear harems. The pups may all follow her for a short distance, but gradually give up
and return to the water front, all but her own pup, whic^h persists, and in the end is
allowed to nurse.

To omit from the observation the brief and simple recognition of the i)up by the
mother destroys its accuracy. This is exactly what the Canadian commissioner in
his observations of 1892 did. He then tried to prove that a cow would nurse any
pup if it was only persistent enough. His interpretation of an incident like the one
cited above was that tlu>. pup which ultinuitely succeeded in nursing was a strange
pup, whose persistency was finally rewarded.

THE FOOD OP THE PUPS

163

a simpler
heir foot!.
f from the
digestion

idle seals
le directly
porting in
le, empty.

I leave the
mers went
ily starve,
contended
a common,
lervatious,

le displays
id, finding
isHed goes
rityof the
They are
io many in
jrds these
oof of her

misunder-
ds, she is
mothers,
intervals.
e(;ognizes
is all the
I to rest,
one of the
y give up
the end is

up by the
ssiouer in
nurse any
ie the one
I strange

It is not necessary to go into greater detail. In the daily journal are recorded the
observations of the commission in this matter. It is not a matter of great moment,
but f"om the prominence which this absurd proposition was given it has been necessary
to discuss it.

THE SUPPOSED SELF-FEEDING OF PUPS.

But not content with proving that the mother did not leave tlie pup, and that if
she did, tiie pup could easily find a foster mother, the Hritish commissioners insisted
tliat the pup could shift for itself and gain sustenance independent of any mother.
This theory has been thus stated by Mr. Macouii :

From tht> time tUo pups first go into the water, they are to be seen with pieces of seaweed in their
mouths, anil there is no reason for Uoubting that from this time until they leave the islands a
• ousidera'jle portion of their food is composed of seaweed, picked up along the shore : r in the water
adjaceUii to it.

THE ABSURDITY OF THE THEORY.

What nourishment an animal, whose natural diet for the time being is milk, and
which is destined ultimately to feed on tish, could find in seaweed is not readily
apparent. But this objection seemingly oti'ered no ditBonlty. It may be observed
that this theory rests again on a misinterpretation of very simple facts. The pup fur
seal, like a young dog, loves to play with anything it finds at baud. It is a common
sight, therefore, to see a pup swimming about with a yard or more of kelp streaming
from its mouth. If observed closely, other pups will be found tossing dead shells,
jtiecesof sticks, or even pebbles. A pup was observed to play for an hour with a small
feather. It is as reasoiiableto suppose that the pup feeds on the feather or the shell
as on the seaweed They are all objects of play ; nothing more.

This theory n.iturally went a step fnrther, and assumed that crustacea and other
animal life in the waters about the rookeries was draw:i upon to supi>lenieut the
seaweed diet of the pups. The leathery tunicates which are found strewn in large
quantities upon the sand beaches of St. Paul after a storm have been looked upon as
palatable and nutritions food for pups. It is supposed that these are the "tender
algoid sprouts" of which Mr. Elliott makes mention as serving as food for pups.

DETERMINATION OF THE MATTER BY KILLING PUPS.

There being but one way to settle such a question as this, namely, to kill and
examine the stomachs of the pups themselves, this method was adopte<l and thor-
oughly carried out during the months of September, October, and November, in 189G.'

'Mr. Mncoun, of the Itritish commission, was present while these invcsligatiouK were made, an 1
oxamiued the stomachs of the pups killed. The stomachs in some rases contained milk, in others
none. One stoma<'h w*'!l supplied with milk containe<l two small amphipods ; one had u small lunicat ;
mixed with pebbles; another contained part of a soft-shelled crab; several had shreds of seaweed
mixed with milk. All the stomachs contained the characteristic pebbles. This was the sum total of
material aside from milk found in the stomachs of twenty pups killed from day to day and under cir-
cumstances most favorable for determining whether they wro feeding or not. .Mr. Macoun on the
spot agreed that the examinations were sufficient and that tLcro was nothing found to warrant the
supposition that the pups had begun to feed for themselves. Notwithstanding this, in discussing
the matter in his 18SM! report, he makes the following grossly misleading statement:

"In addition to milk, it will be seen that the stomachs examined contained (1) seaweed, (2)
ascidians, (3) small crustaceans, (4) soft-shell crab. That these were found with one exception only
in stomachs which contained no milk, goes to show that the young seal when liungry avail themselves
of the food that is to be found in abundance in the places most frequented by them." (Macoun, 189U
Heport, MSS.)

lfi4

THE FIR SEALS OF THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS.

A score or more of imps were killed niuler circuimHtuiices specially fitted to throw
light on the subject, and their stomachs, with those of others deiul from starvation
and otiier caiit^es, were found to be devoid of all food except milk.' Pups killed as
late as the .Ith of December were found full of milk, and at that time the cows were
nursing their pups as at earlier times in the season. Owing to the mild weather, this
was nearly a month later than the usual time for the departure of the cows and their
young, and the pu|)S had evidently not yet been weaned.

PUP ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT UPON ITS MOTHER'S MILK.

It would necessarily follow from these considerations that the fur-seal imp is-
dependent upon its mother's milk for nourishment throughout the entire season and
until its departure with her from the islands. This fact, taken in connection with the
killing of nursing females at sea, is enough to settle the question of whether pups
starve to death; but that there should be no mistake, the subject of starvation, as
shown in its direct ett'ect on the pups themselves, received special attention, and may
be here considered somewhat in detail.

' Si'e fuller (liscusttion in Mr. Lucas' paper ou the Feeding of the Seals. I'art III.

I !'

I . I i ;
I '1'
i 1 '

) tbrow
irvatiou
illed as
iv8 were
ler, tbis
ad their

ClIAPTKR XIII.

THE STARVATION OF PUPS.

imp IS.
son and
vitU the
er pups
ition, as
biid may

THE COUNT OK STARVED PUPS.

The fact of the death of i»ups by starvation has lonj>' been noted, and for several
seiisons prior to 181(6 partial enumerations of deaths supposed to be from tbis cause
have been made. In the light of the early mortality due to the ravages of Uncinaria,
which was found to have octnirred prior to August 1, and consequently prior to the
beginning of jtelagic sealing, the.se Hgures were unsatisfactory, as they plainly
confused tlie two causes of deatii. The earlier mortality has already been referred
to and is discussed in detail by .Mr, Lu<'a8 in his treatment of the general subject of
mortality among the seals.'

At the time of the count of early dead pups between August H and 14 a few were
found to have plainly starved. It is probable that .some of these in the later days of
the count were the first victims of pelagic sealing. A mother taken at sea on the 1st
day of August might have been ab.sent for some time, and her pup would naturally
succumb within a shorter period than would be reipiired for one more recently fed.
The majority of t!ie early deaths from starvation, however, were undoubtedly caused
by separation of mother and pup by the wandering t^way of the latter when very
young or by the death of the mother from accidental causes on the rookeries. A
(ionsiderable number of dead cows were found on the rookeries, whose pups would
naturally starve unless otherwise killed.

THE BEGINNINGS OF STARVATION.

The first direct evidence of the destructive work of pelagii; .sealing was seen in
1896, at the time of the count of live pups on Kitovi rookery, August 15. in counting
the live pups they were separated into pods and allowed to run oft' in narrow lines to
make counting possible. The weaklings naturally fell behind, and a group of from
three to six starving pups followed in the wake of each pod. The \k tims of starva-
tion could from this time on be seen in increasing inimbers as the rookeries weie daily
inspected. The following notes on the starvation of i)ups are extracted from the
daily Journal of the commis.sion.

NOTES ON STARVING PUPS.

In the (ii-Ht stages of starviitioii tlie doomed pup was to he recognized liy ii growing thiniiesB.
The ordinary ])tip Is plump nutl tat, and its sideH Mck out with mill{ wliilo its motliur is on land. A
tliiu pup might, of course, ineiin only a liungrv one, which would recover itself in a few days after
its mother's return. If the mother did not return the pup coutiuucd to grow thinner, A premature
grayncBB began to show aliout the eyes and mouth. Th<- eyes aHsuniod a wide ami staring look,
giving the animal a hunted itppearaiice.

III

I Paper on "Causes of Mortality," by Mr. Lucas. F'art III.

105

'■■-'•'^i

166

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PBIBILOP ISLANDS.

TlIK HUNGRY pur.

While the pup was merely hungry, it called frei|ii(Mitly for its mother. It hung about the water's
edge as if awaiting her there. It would even follow a wet cow back for a distance from the water,
but, on being repulsed, it would return to its positicMi. In one or two instances starving pups were
seen to attempt to nurse sleeping cows, but never with suceesa.

While their strength remained the starving pups played abont as nsual with their healthy
companions; always, however, with an effort. They went into the water, and that they swam
farther at times than their strength warranted was evident from the fact that occasionally they
laiuled to die on the rocks at considerable distances from the rookeries to which they belonged.
Thus two pups eiime ashore in the little cove across the neck from Zoltoi and died there in 1896.

THE ItKKAKINO DOWN.

After the first stage of sharp hunger was passed the little animals seemed to weaken physically.
They lay almut on the rocks, sometimes sleeping, but always easily startled. When aroused, some
would run away, crying iu terror; others would turn at bay and bite savagely at the boots of the
disturber, perhaps only to fall down helpless the next instant. In crossing the sand Hat of Tolstoi,
which waa deserted by the living seals in .September, a dozen or more of these gaunt little specters
would start up from among the dead and stumble away, crying piteously.

One day, on the, "death-trap"' gully of Za]iadui, a little sleeping starveling was aroused with
di)1iculty. When it caught sight of the intruder it fell in a tit of terror, then stumbled otf in a
frantic manner, (mly to fall in convulsions, which ended in nnconsciouBiicsa. This pup was about to
die. It was as thin as a shadow.

THE DEATH OF THE STAHVELINO.

When undisturbed, the starving pups iu the last stages showed little evidence of pain. They
looked utterly miserable, but indiH'erent and stolid. Their healthy companions occasioually attempted
to play with them, but they either resented the interference or else ignored it. For the most part
they were left to themselves. Toward the end they slept moat of the time. This sleep merged into
unconsciousness and torpor, from which they could not be awakened. Death Anally ca: ' after a brief
period of i'onvuisive shuddering and gasping, in which the animal bit the ground and voided quantities
of black, tarry fa-ces

DIFFICULTY IN DISTINGUISHING EARLY DEAD PUPS.

It was not possible at the time of the first count of dead pups in August to remove
the bodies from the roolieries, and it was believed then that when the time came for
counting the starved pups it would be possible to distingui.sh between the earlier and
later dead. As the season advanced, liowcver, it became evident that it would not
be possible to make the distinction. Tliose dying in September could easily be
separated from those which died in July, but no distinction could be <lrawn between
those which died between the Ist of August and the 10th and those which died
between the latter date and the 2()tli of August. Wljen the count of starved pups
was made about October 1 it was necessary, therefore, to count every carcass to be
fimnd at tliat date, l-'rom the total llius counted those dead before the middle of
August were deducted to determine tiie number of additions which had resulted from
starvation.

Of tlie details of this count a full record will be found in the daily journal and
need not be repeated here. A total of 20,331 dead bodies were found on St. Paul
island and 897 on St. (Jeorge. As against this total of 21,228 dead pups found in
Otttober, 11,04') were found in August, which, being deducted, left 10,183 paps shown
by the actual count to have died of starvation.

a —
Q -■

III

1 1

I
M 1 '

«i\

;
t

i, 1

• i

■

ill'!

ii:i

ii !

"■«^ ■■

DISAPPEARANCE OF DEAD PUPS.
MANY EARLY DEAD PUPS DISAPPEVVRED.

16T

In considering this count, however, several fiicts must be noted. It was found
that a. large number of tlie pups originally counted in August had wholly disappeared
or been reduced to loose bones. This was particularly true on the sandy areas and
where the dead lay in the route of the living seal-; as they paased back and forth to
the sea. An effort was made to establish a correction for this loss, and liO per cent'
of the original number counted in August was Hxed upon as likely to cover as nearly
as could thbu be determined bodies which had so disappeared. Making allowance
for this correction the total number of starved pups, as shown by the enumeration,
would be increased to 12,391i.

STARVING PUPS.

It was further evident from the outset that all the pups about to die of starvation
had not yet died. It was impossible, however, to delay the count longer, and so, to
overcome this new difficulty, an ef!ort was made to count the starving pups among
the healthy ones as they were driven from the rookery preparatory to the counting of
the dead. The best estimate, which was a very unsatisfactory one, gave IMG as the
number of pups whose appearance indicated that they were certain to starve. This
number was doubtless very inadequate, as later observations on the rookeries in the
same season showed that pups continued to starve until as late as the 20th of October,
twenty days after the count was completed on St. I'aul Island. Making, however, the
addition of the dying pups just mentioned, as shown by the actual count, we have the
number of deaths justly chargeable to starvation increased to 13,930.

THE WORK OF THE FOXES.

Another fact in connection with the actual count must be noted. On the Island
of St. (ieorge, as already indicated, the total number of dead pui>s found in October
was 897. In August the number found was 735. On some of the rookeries of this
island, however, a much smaller number of dead was found in October than was
found in August. The condition of the St. (Jeorge rookeries was so peculiar that we
may give here in detail both counts. They are as follows:

DEAB I'DI'.S, ST. CrEORaE ISLAND.

Itookery,

North

Starayii A itel

yCapiuIiii

Kn»t

Little Kttst ..

T<)t(il . .

Dead i)iip», Tcital (trail

AiiKiist, tmpH, Octo-

1890. i bur «, 1896.

259

las

199
112
31

730

145
194

897

' The inveBtigations of 18!t7 show clearly that this estimate of 20 per cent to cover the diaap-
pearanco of dead bodies betwein Anjj;nst and October is far below the facts. Oiir experiences with
Kitovi and Liikaniu in 1897 would indicate that 50 per cent would not have been an excessive
estimate. Many of the carcasses are washed away in the storms. Kvery one on which the skin is
broken is quickly reduced to bones by the gnlls and foxes. Furtherinore, many bodies are necessarily
overlooked an they lie bitlden auiou^ the rocks.

i «

I \

'M'^

168

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Tbo cxpluiintion of tlifs condition of thinf>8 is that on tlie rookeries of St. Oeorpfe
the blue foxes,' of which there are many, had eaten all the pa]> carcasses without
exception. Tiic final count had to he made simply by skulls, or spinal colums, or such
parts of tlie animals as could be positively identified.

RECONSTRUCTION OF ST. GEORGE ESTIMATES.

It is unnecessary to remark tliat these figures for St. (leorge can not be used as
they stand. Some sort of estimate must be made to take their place. No fairer basis
for such an estimate exists than to apply to the rookeries of St. (leoige the ratio of
dead pups found in October on St. Paul. On this island the ratio of dead pups found
in October to the total number estimated to have been born was 1 1.19 per cent.^ This
would necessitate the addition of 1,302 pups to make the conditions of St. George
comparable with those on St. I'aul. This amount, together with 150 pups which were
removed from the rookeries of both islands during the breeding sefson for purposes
of dissection, makes the total death rate subsetpient to the middle of August, and
directly chargeable to starvation, aggregate 1(»,01!).''

THE DETAILED ESTIMATE.

This total, as will be seen by the explanations already given, is not entirely
satisfactory, but it is a real one so far as it goes, and fully 12,000 of it is an actual count,

' In Mr. Maconu's report for 189(i this nniloiibted fact, which he saw with his own oyes, is
needlessly i|iiestioneil. If tiii< foxes, us was the fact, had completely destroyed tho 897 carcasses
which 111! counted, it is bo;;f{iuj; the (luestion to assume, as he does, that they, aided by the elements,
could not have destroyed the l,vt()2 additional pups necessary to make the conditions of St. (lenr^e
ngree with tlio.se of St. I'anl.

- Tliis )(oreentaKo is computed on the original census of 1896, not on the revised figures substituted
in 1897.

'A strong ertort has been made by I'rofessor Thompson and by Mr. Macoun in thoir reports nf
1890 to weaken the force of these dctinite results regarding the starvation of pups. Not tinding it
possible to deny the fact of starvation or its imprrtance, they have endeavored to minimize Its eftects
by insisting that the causes of early mortality continued into and were at work in the period of
starvation. Nothing could be more misleading than this. The early causes of death are Uncinaria,
trampling, starvation through early separation from the mother, drowning, accidents. All these
have to do with the weakness and helplessness of the very young pups, and mast necessarily cease
with till' close of the breeding season. The pups die from or outgrow the worm before September 1.
In fact, this cause is practically inoperative after August 20. Pups are only trampled in the first few
days after birtii, and they are only lost from their mothers, if at all, at this time. They certainly do
not drown after they have learned to swim, which they do by the middle of August. The period of
death from starvation lasts from August 15 to October 20. The causes of the early and later mortality
Were absolutely distinct, and that the latter was d.uo ]>ractically without CNception to starvation
needs no demonstration to those who made the count of the dead and dying pups on the rookeries of
St I'aul in October, 18911.

STATISTICS <JP STARVED PUI'8.

Ifi'J

tlie accuracy of which can not be (jiu'stioned. The t'oUowing tahle will give in detail
the statistics of the estimate:

Pup statUlics — numvtarii.

Kooker}'.

Total
iHirn. n

Dead. |

— — HtarveiiJ Htnrvtng.

AiigiiRt. October. i

HT. PAUL IHLAND.

Kltovi

Liikuiiin

Laicooii

Tolstoi

ZHpiiiIni

Little Zupniliii..
Zapailiii livvt'...

Gorbatcli

Ardijjiiuii

Reef

Siviitcli Itark...

Polovinn

Ultlc I>nloviiia.

Vostorliiil

Morjovi

I)4B
4.5U
4X1
4:19
048
2IH)
862
142
652
258
907
1)73
363
148

;73

mil

205

1,8115

3.oy5

134

104

712

9,50

5(1

635

1,808

483

«U0
57!)
3in

2,419

4. 395
6113
327

1,878
78

2,786
284

l,.5.'i5
110

3.313
950

500
374
238
5."4

,300
659
223

,160
76

, 836

234

920

. .■.25

101

1.54

1211

301)

320

100

Total

Addition of 20 ]ier iteiit for Iohh lie! ween

Aiiuugt and t Ictober t-onnta

Starving pii|iH to be added an starved

Addition fur botlicH taken for diHHeclion

123.048 . 10,301) 20.331

10.022

2, 061

1.527

150

1,.'p27

Total Htarved 13,700

ST. OEORdE ISLAND.

Xortli

0,809
2.269
5. ,501)
4,080
1,3,50

259
135
199
112
31

145

194

527

762
2.53
617
4l->7
151

Xa])adni

Ej48t

4
4

Little KaHt

Total

20. 123

736

897

h2. 240

Starvinu itnpa added as Htarved

Total

2 I'.-iU

■

143, 071

11.045

21,228

16,019

1,546

aTlieneare the fiKun-Hof the ori);inal ccniina of 1896 aa imbliHlicil in tlie pii'liminurv rt']iiirl of
tliat year.

bTheflgurcg herein given for Htarved iinpa on tlie rookerie» of St. Ueorgo are eMtimaleH based
I tbe eonditiona of St. Paul.

ii|H>n I

STARVED PUPS IN 1897.

The investigations of the season of 1897 have made the connt of dead pii])s in
1896 seem still less satislactory. It may be said that the dead i)Ui)s lie concealed
among the rocks, and as they quickly wear away under the action of the elements and
the trampling of the living animals they are not easily seen in the hasty iiispectitni,
whicli alone is possible in counting them. A good illustration of the probable
inadequacy of the counts of dead bodies is shown by the results on Kitovi rookery.
A count of thi.s breeding ground, made with a good deal of care on the ."{d of August,
tlisclosed 12(» dead botlies. When a week or ten days later the carcasses were actually
gathered up and removed from the beach, the closer inspection disclosed L'02 dead.
This inatlequacy of the counts of dead pups in 1896 is, however, of such a nature as
to make the case all the stronger, because it leaves an under, rather than an over,
estimate.

]]'

I'i

170

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIHILOP ISLANDS.

THE REMOVAL OP THE EARLY DEAD.

Ill the work of tbu present seaMoii a distinct step in advance was trade in the
enumeration of tlie starved pups. One element of confusion in last year's count
resulted from tlie diiticulty in distinguishing between tlie early and the later dead.
To obviate this the pup carcasses on Kitovi and Lukanin rookeries were carefully
removed on August 12, before the starvation from i)elagic sealing began. Frequent
counts of the dead, as they accumulated from and after the llith, were kept up until
the 10th of September, aiul the accessions, all plainly due to starvation, were found to
be fairly constant from day to day. These counts will be found in the daily journal,
under date of September 6 and 10.

Ou October 15 a count by Colonel Murray of the dead on these two breeding
grouiuls gave a total of 1,057. These had died after August lii, and may be taken as
a very exact measure of the contribution of these two rookeries to the geueral quota
of death caused by pelagic sealing.

THE ESTIMATE OF STARVED PUPS, 1897.

There were in round numbers about 9,500 i)ups born on Kitovi aiul Lukanin
rookeries in 18!>7. The number starved was therefore about 11 per cent of the
birth rate. Applying this percentage to the total birth rate of the islands, the total
death rate from starvation in 1897 must have Imen approximately 14,000. In 18!M»
the percentage of females taken in Bering Sea was 84. From the greater 8car<:ity of
males this year and the closer killing practiced ou the islands, we are justified in
assuming that the percentage for this year could not have been below 90 per cent.
This would give a total of about 15,000 females killed. The dilference of 1,000
will account for the small proportion of virgin two-year olds, and the adult cows in
the pelagic catch, which had already lost their pups through natural causes.

! fi

1, M ^1

*1 I ;

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIGURES.

These data regarding the results of starvation are very import<ant, and from them
we can review our tindings of last year. Applying a proportionate relation of starved
pups to the peiagic catch of 1896, we And that the estimate for last year should have
been about 24,0(M» instead of 10,000.

It is not desired, however, to press either of these calculations too closely. The
percentage of the two rookeries counted may be slightly too high for the other
rookeries. It certainly is too high for those rookeries on which the early mortality is
great.

THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF PELAGIC SEALING ESTABLISHED.

But the mere matter of the number of pups which starve is not important. The
essential thing is that a very large number of pups do starve. This is settled beyond
cavil. As we know the pups are wholly dependent upon their mothers' milk for
nourishment until fully a month after pelagic sealing ceases, it follows necessarily
that the pup dies as a result of the mother's death, if it has not already died from
other causes. That more than 16,000 pups, which had otherwise escaped accidents on
the rookeries in 1896, and about 14,(M)0 in 1897 died of starvation is sufficient proof of

EFFECTS OF PELAOIC 8EALIN0. 171

tbe destructive eflccta of peln^ific Bealiiig. This nrtificial and added houitc ot loss
ainuiiju; tlio young pup.n is all the more impressive when taken in connection with the
previous lusa which they sutler from natural causes.

THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF PELAGIC SEALINO.

We are now ready to consider linally the full otlects of pelagic sealing on the fur-
seal herd. It is apparent that a large proportion of the fur seals taken at sea are
females; that every female above the age of-' years is {tregnant, and that when taken
in Itering Sea she has a pup dependent upon her whose deaih results from her own.

Using an average of ail the data available, the proportion of females in the
pelagic catch is about 80 per cent, or, to be on the safe side, ai.'d for the sake of ease
in computation, we may consider it to be 75 per cent.

THE TOTAL EFFECT OF PELAGIC SEALING.

In the earlier discussion of the pelagic catch we found that a grand total of
988,047, or approximately 1,000,000 seals, had been taken at sea since 1808 from all
the herds of the North raciiic. With this data at hand we may make the following
tabulation of the losses thus suffered by the fur-seal herds of the I'ribilof and
Commander islands:

Lois in all wtiter$ throniih pelaijie Henlinti, 1S0S-J8I)7.

AnimalH actually HecnrtMl (in roiin<l uiiiiiberH) 1,000,000

Aiiiiiials shot, l>tit lost (nndeteiniiiied).

Unborn i)ui)8 dostroypil with fumiiles (75 per cent of above) 750, OOO

Nursing pups starved (proportion of females killed in Bering 8<'a) 180, U(H)

Total l,!t30,(XK)

Though the second item in the above enumeration is not and can not be
determined, it is nevertheless an important one and must be borne constantly in mind.
During this period it is significant to note, as bearing upon the proportion of the sexes
at sea, that approximately 3,000,000 males were killed on land during the equivalent
period.

THE EFFECT SINCE 1883.

But inasmuch as land killing was at its maximum during the first tifteen years of
this period, and pelagic sealing only nominal, the effect of the latter will be more
strikingly apparent if the comparison be based upon the results since 188.J, when the
pelagic catch in Bering Sea began. This computation for the Tribilof herd alone
would be as follows:

1,08a to the Pribilof herd through ^tdagic sealing sincr ISSS.

Animal:-; actually secured 5.%, 000

Auimuls shot, but loal (undetermined).

Unborn pups destroyed with females (75 per cent of above) 402, 000

Nursing pups otarved 180, 000

Total 1,118,000

Total land killing covering the same period 842, 000

■-^

1:1

172 TIIK I'l'B SEALS OF THE I'RIIULOI' ISI-ANDS.

THE EFFECT UNDER THE PARIS REGULATIONS.

From tlieHC Hpures wp l»egiii to appiociate tlio t'ttV'(it wliicjli peltijjic sealing Ima
bad on t\\v. fur seiil lieid. At the risk of iiipetitioii it is woitli while to t-arry thin
coniputatioii one Bte|) further and see what has been the eondition of thinus since the
regulations of the I'aiis Tribuiuil went into ett'ett. The following is the result:

Imsh Ut thr I'ribilof li«rtl Ihroufih iiflai/iv lealiiiii tinee IS'M.

AniiuaU uftiiiill.v ncciirotl 1S7, 000

Aiiiinalit Hlidt, l>iit loHt< (iin<let<'riiiiiii-(l).

I'lilioni imps (lostro.vctl witli I'eiiuileB (7r» per cent of above) 110. 000

Niir»iii>j; piipH starved (proportiou of leniftlcH killiMl in llerinx S(>n) 12L',000

Total I4i»,()00

Total land killing;, Maiiio period SO, (MM)

It is scarcely necessary to iidd anything to this arriiignnient of pelagic sealing.
In its known effects, coupled with the absence of any other known cause, we must
adjudge it the efticient cause of the detiline. The fur seal herd lias declined and is
declining solely because of the slaughter of its gravid and nursing females and the
premature destruction of their offspring. It naturally follows that these figures
constitute an equally striking and conclusive condemnation of the regulations of the
Paris award.

;'■ i

', 1

■'t: .;

1 1

U '

i 'v

a h

i I

'■<i

B :

c II A I* r r. u \ \v .

EFFECTS 01- PELAGIC SEALING ON THE SEAL-SKIN INDUSTRY.

Tims fiir we have coiisideivd soli'ly thfi oHV-ct of pela^it! scaling on llie tlll•-^'■.'al
herd. It is worth wliile, iiowevor, to Uiok iit tlie etlect also on tiie tjeneral sealskin
industry. In Tormer days the Hiipply ol' seal hU ins came in part from the southern
hemisphere; but these herds are pruetically extinct, except lor a lew thousand skins
taken ateerlain protected points. The fur seal skin industry is therefore practically
dependent for its existence on the preservation of the seal herds of the North Pacitlc.

INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN THE FUR-SEAL HERDS.

The Tnited States and Russia on theone han<l, and <!reat Britain on the other, are
vitally interested in this industry, the former nations because of their property rifthts
in the sealii and the revenue they should derive from the safe and legitinuite killing
of nuiles on laud; the hitter naticui throngh the interest of her citizens in the city of
London engaged in tiie dressing and dyeing of seal skins. Practically all the seal
skins of the world are prepared in London. Practically all the .seal skins of the
wovM are supplied by the herds frcciuenting the IMibilof Islands and (Jonimander
Islands and behtnging to the I'nited States and Russia.

UNITED STATES INTERESTS.

Speaking more directly for the interests of the United States, it may be said that
during the tirst twenty years of its possession of the islands onr (lovernment derived
an annual revenue of ^M',it{M in tax paid by the lessees of the rookeries. I Miring
this ]>eriod the annual ipiota averaged KKMKIO. With a like ipiota and the more
advantageous terms of the present lease with the new company, the United States
ought now to be receiving a revenue of $1,(I(IO,0(M) annually from its fur-seal herd;
but instead it receives an income siarcely sullicient to meet the cost of patnd in the
enforcement of the regulations Ibr the protection of the henl.

The United States has also other interests than its revenue under the lease. For
example, it derives a reventu; from the importation of prepared skins brought from
London t(» the American market. Seventy-live percent of the dressed seal skins find
their ultimate market in the United States, On the 7o,0(K) skins wliich American
dealers should now be importing were conditions normal, the LTnited States should be
deriving an annual income of $.'$7.'»,IM)0. In the manufactiire and sale of seal-skin
garments American citizens have an important interest.

Putting these varioiis elements together, it will be seen that under nornnil con-
ditions the United States should be enjoying to-day an income of about $l,37r>,000'
from its fur-seal herd, whereas it receives less than oue-tifth this amount.

I Case of Uiiiteil Stiitt-s Fur Soul .Vil>., Vtil, I, p. L'7L'

I7a

lij

174

THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

. \

1 1 -'.i

H . ii r:

H-''^:

RUSSIAN INTERESTS.

The interest of Russia lies solely in the revenue which she should derive from
the taking of seal skins on her islands. Her citizens are not to any extent engaged
in the sale and manufacture of the garments made from the skins.

THE INTEREST OF GREAT BRITAIN.

Great Britain's interest in the fur-seal-skin industry is next in importance to that
of the United States. There was invested in the city of Loudon, in 1892, a capita) of
$5,000,000 engaged in the work of dressing and dyeing seal skins.' Between 2,000
and 3,000 skilled workmen were employed in the business. This capital and labor,
on account of their highly specialized nature, can not be advantageously turned
into other channels. The extermination of the fur-seal herds means the ruin of the
seal-skin industry.

THE CANADIAN PELAGIC SEALING INTERESTS.

It is worth while here to contrast the value and importance of the so-called
industry which is opposed to these several interests. In tic rejwrt of the British
commissioners for 1892' we find this statement: "The estimated value of the British
Columbian vessels employed in sealing, with their equipments, as they sailed in 1892,
was !?359,000." This valuation may be looked upon as an extreme one, and the vessels
have deteriorated si'ice. Mr. T. T. Williams ' gives the value of the Canadian sealing
fleet of 24 vessels in 1889, including outfits, as $173,350. The average value per vessel
would according to this be approximately $7,200. For the 49 vessels in 1892 the
average valuation would be $7,300. A recent estimate by Capt. C. L. Hooper^ of the
value of 19 of these vessels engaged in sealing in 1890, but not in 1897, was in round
numbers $4r),000, which would give an average valuation of $2,400 per vessel, a figure
probably much nearer present conditions.

VALUATION OF THE FLEET.

Applying this later valuation to the entire sealing fleet of 1896 — 21 American
and 6G British vessels — we have as opposed to the important interests of the Ignited
States and (Ireat Britain a capital of not to exceed $208,000. This should be
contrasted with the capital of $5,000,000 invested in the preparation of the sea skins
in Loudon and with the revenue of $1,375,000 a year which the United i^tates
should by right be enjoying. Taking the average number of men employed per vessel
ii: 1S89 and 1891, we find that for the fleet of 87 vessels in 189(3 there was a total of
2,000 white men and Indians. With these should be contrasted the 2,000 or more
skilled workmen engaged in dyeing and dressing the seal skins in London.

The pelagic fleet in 1890 took, all told, altout 70,000 skins, worth $7 apiece, or a
gross income of about $490,000. It is not easy to estimate the expense of fitting out
such a fleet, but if we take out of this gross earning of a little less than half a million
the wages of 2,000 men for from three to six months, in addition to the provisions for

' Case of Tnited StutcH Fur Seal Arb., vol. I, p. 273.
- Pioc. Fit Seal Arb., vol. 6, p. 35.
^FiirSeal Alb., vol..?, p. 499.
••Sec AppeiKlix.

k ■^-

ive from
MJgaged

e to that
apita) ot"
len 2,000
id labor,
y turned
ill of the

so-called
e British
le British
a in 1892,
lie vessels
m sealing
per vessel
18!)2 the
ler^ of the
■1 in round
j1, a figure

American
le United
lould be
sea skins
imitates
jer vessel
total of

I) or more

piece, or a
fitting out
a million
isions for

EFFECTS OF PELAOIC SEALING.

175

the voyage, tlio profit of tlie pcLagic investment is small. In fact, it is not a matter of
profit at all, but one of loss, Tlu> true nature of the business was plain in 18J)7, when
only 38 vessels as against 87 in 18!M; engaged in sealing.

PELAGIC SEALING A SUICIDAL INDUSTRY.

This effect of pelagic sealin^ tipon itself is interesting and imimrtnnt. The true
character of the industry can be .seen from the following tabulation of its protluct
under the regulations of the Paris award :

I'daijic catches, ^S'J4-tS'J7.

North-
west Const.

24, 101
12,122
14,417

7, 8.^7

Bering
Sen.

SI,,'*"!

o 44, 169
29,, '5(10 !
16.464

ifin4 .

1895

IKWi

1 1897

(I In I8t,'> there neri' ,'iH thshoIs «n;;ag(Ml in sealin);. as iiKHinat ;<7 in 1894.

Not only is pelagic sealing a destructive and wasteful industry, but it is suicidal
in its nature. It is at best but an insignificant industry. It threatens the destruction
of vastly more important interests and with them its own interests. I'elagic sealing
preys upon its own capital. The more .successful it is the tiuicker will come its ruin.
Its bankrupt condition to day is clearly .shown in the declining catch and the
withdrawal of its vessels.

THE EFFECT OF THE DECLINING CATCH.

As the business of pelagic sealing is, so is tlie fur seal-skin trade. I'elagic sealing
has until this year in a measure supplied the deficiency occasio id by tlie decrease in
the land catch. The combined land and sea catches of 1897, ho ,ever, number all told
only about G0,00(> skins. The pelagic catch alone in 1894 furnished 140,000 skins.

The uncertainty and especially the iiiadeqiuicy of the sni»ply of skins has seriously
affected the .sealskin market, which as a result is badly demoralized. The effect of
the shortage of supply in seal skins makes it necessary to substitute other fur.s. This
tends to drive the seal skin out of fashion, as the substitute becomes itself fashionable.
Concerning this phase of the (juestion we may (piote the words of one of the best
informed dealers in fur-seal skins who said in a recent interview:

The s'ftl skii; will jirolialily luvcr ;;ip out of I'ii.sbioii so lony; iis tin- siipjjly is fully ndeijiiute to tho
(It'iiiuiid. Hut if the supply were to l»t' cut oil' or ri-dund too low, it woulil lie iiecisstiry to supply tlifl
(li'iuiiinnVoui other furs iiiul seal slfi-'s would fju out of I'ashiou. Whiit is worse, with tho change of
fashion tlirt lueu now eiui>lciytMl in euriii); the skins woultl havo to .seek other lines of work and would
lie lost to the husiuess. When it was ayain attempted to bring the s(>al skin into fashion, it would bo
iiocessnry to train up a new set of men. For many years aftiT tho resumption of the curing of
N(,al skins tho results w<hi1i1 he so poor and unsatisfaetory that they could not he sold to anyone
familial with th.< present grade of skins. It is not likely therefore that, if the seal skin was lost to
fashion now, it eould lie lirought liuek within the present generation,

THE LEGALITY OF PELAGIC SEALING,

Such is the nature of pelagic sealing, the sole cause of the threatened destruction
of the fur-seal herd, the sole obstacle which stands in the way of its restoration.

176

THE FUK SEALS OF THE I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

Much lias been said of tlie legality of pelagic sealiiu;, and to this wo take, no
exception. Pelagic sealing is perfectly legal, but this legality was fixed by a tribunal
which was so confused by false testimony and ignorant and worthless affidavits, that,
while attempting to formulate measures for the protection of the seals, it legalized
the very cause of their destruction. But the whitewash of respectability which was
thus i)ut upon pelagic sealing can not hide its true character. Judged by its methods
and results, it is merely a species of legalized barbarism. Pelagic sealing is simply
a public uuisance which can now only be disposed of by an international agreement.

THE PROHIBITION OF PELAGIC SEALING TO AMERICANS.

It is with a great sense of relief that we find ourselves able to record the recent
action of C;ongr«}8s in the i)rohibition of the pra<!tice of pehigic sealing by our own
citizens and the exclusion of skins of females from our markets. This step should
have been taken long ago. It must be remembered that until the passage of t;:.s
law' Americans as well as Canadians have been engaged in slaughtering the fur
seals. Of the 87 vessels which took seals during the season of 1896, 21 were American.
And not only have our citizens helped to destroy our own herd, but they have crossed
the Pacific and have been instrumental in dei>Ietiug the herd of frier.liy Russia.
American enterprise has also had the leading part in the practical extermination of
the fur-seal rookeries of the Kuril Islands, belonging to Japan.

PELAGIC SEALING DISTINCTLY A CANADIAN INDUSTKv'

Henceforth, however, our hands are clean and we can with dignity and as,.-<urance
urge that other nations take steps to put an end to the l>usine8s. Pelagic sealing —
with its slaughter of gravid femalcvS and the starvation of their dependent young,
with its wast© of a noble and valuable animal life, with its threatened destruction
of varied and important conunercial enterprises and of the sole source of supply of a
commodity of utility and value to mankind — is from this time on distinctly a Canadian
industry and under the fostering care of (rreat Britain. If she permits its continimnce,
the odium must rest with her.

' See text oC tliis law iu Apiieudi.v II to the report.

(; II APT Kit XV

THE RESULTS OF THE PARIS AWARD.

A. THF ARBITRATION.

Before tiikiiipr up the question of what benefits liave resulted to the fur-seul herd
from the regulations formulated by the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration, it will be wortli
our while to review briefly the liistory of the fur-seal (joiitroveray which led up to the
Tribunal.

THE ORIGIN OF THE FUR-SEAL QUESTION.

It was not until alter the exteusion of pelajfic; sealinj;' into Heriny 8ea, lirst by
unlawful raiding of the rookeries, begun about the year 1879, and afterwards, by
the invasion of the ainnmer feeding grounds of tlie herd in 1880, that there eanie to
be a fur seal (luestion. The first recorded pelagic catch in Bering Sea is that of the
schooner Citi/ of San JUcf/o in the year lS8.'i.'

THE SEIZURE OF VESSELS.

In 188() a large fleet of sealing vessels was engaged in Bering Sea, and of these a
mv.nDer were seized by the Uuited States vessels detailed to guard the islands,
among them tliree Oanadiau schooners, the Carolina, the (hiimnl, and the Tliorntun.
The fleet was still further increased in the following year and more seizures were
made. Against tiie seizure of Canadian vessels Great Britain protested, and from
the residtiug correspondence the fur-seal (piestion, as we now know it, arose.

EFFORTS TO SECURE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

Ikcalizing the danger which threatened its fur-seal herd in the rai)id expansion of
pelagic sealing, and especially in its extension to tlu' waters adjacent to the breeding-
grounds, the United States, in 1887, opened up a correspondence with the (iovern-
ments of Clerinany, Sweden and Norway, Ivussia, .lapan, and (Ireat IJritain with a
view to such international cooperation as should secure the protection of the herd.
Secretary Bayard, in his letter to these several (iovcrnments, called attention to the
fact that '• the uiuegulated and indiscriminate killing of the .seals in many parts of the
world has driven them from place to place, and by breaking n\> their habitual resorts
has greatly reduced their numbers." He predicted a similar result to tli.> seals of the
northern lieMiisphere, unless steps were taken for their protection. Nothing came of
this corresponlcnce.

PROPOSED MEASURES OF PROTECTION

In the year 1888 Secretary Bayard ])ropose(l to (lieat ISrilain that by mutual
arrangement among the nations interested there should bo established a close season

l.">184-

' See Coot note to pag<> i42.

177

-12

I, ...

IP I

if i .

178

THE FUR SEALS OF THE I'HIBILOF ISLANDS.

for the fnr seals bej^iiiiiiii;; with April L't and endiu^' witli November 1, mid also a
t'losi'd /one covering the waters of Hering Sea between the one hundred and sixtieth
degree of west longitude and the one hundred and seventieth degree of east longitude,
north of the liftietU degree of north latitude. This pionosition was assented to by
Lord Salisbury on behalf of Great Itritain, vitli the stipulation, in deference to the
wish of the Government of Russia, that the provisions of such an arrangement shouhl
be extended to the waters of Bering Sea in tvhich the ('ommauder Islands are situated
and also to the Sea of Okhotsk. This extiiision was agreed to by the United States.

OBJECTION BY CANADA.

When the negotiations looking to an agreement on this basis were on the point
of a 8ttcce8i5tul termination they were suddenly brought to a standstill by objections
on the part of Canada, (ireat Britain (leelined to further consider the matter
without the coutieut of Canada, whicli could not be obtained.

THE RENEWAL OF NEGOTIATIONS.

In viev> 'if this state of affairs United States vessels in 1889 renewed the seizure
of sealing ( This action had been waived tlie jtreeeding year in view of

the favorable ess of the negotiations. In the spring of 1890, Great Britain

suggested that Um tripartite arrangement wliicii was dropped in 1888 be resumed.
This suggestion was accompanied by a cliange on lier i)art of the original proposition.
It was now asked tiuit an inquiry be made by a mixed commission of experts, and
that pending the results of tlieir labors i)elagic sealing siiould be prohibited in the
waters of Bering Sea, the sea of Okhotsk, and adjoining waters, during the months
of May and June and during the mouths of October, November, and December, and
at all times within a radius of 10 miles of the l>r<^eding islands.

THE COUNTER PROPOSITION UNSATISFACTORY.

To appreciate the nature of this coutiter proposition it must be borne in 'nitid that
the summer months excej)ted from this close season are tlie only ones in which the
breeding sei»ls are regularly in Bering Sea. Secretary Blaine, who had succeeded
Secretary Bayard, in <leclining this i>roposition, called attention to its radically
different nature from the one originally accepted. The unreasonableness of the
proposition seemed, in Mi. Blaine's estimation, sullicient warrant for breaking off
the negotiations, but as he intimated they were continued by the United States in
the hope of reaching a better understanding.

PROPOSALS FOR ARBITRATION.

After much fruitless correspondence in an effort to secure the suspension of
pelagic sealing pending further negotiations, Mr. Blaine, on the part of the I'nited
States, submitted a series of propositions which, in his opinion, might furnish the
basis of an arbitration looking to the final settlement of the matters in disi>ute.
These propositions were six in number. The first five provided for a determination
of the tpiestions of jurisdictional rights in Bering Sea exercised by Russia and
transferred to the United States, and of the property rights and rights of protection
which the United States possessed over the seals when beyond the ordinary
territorial waters about the islands.

COMMISSKJN OF INQUIRY.

179

also ii
sixtieth
igituile,
d to by
B to tlie
t sliouUl
situated
1 States.

the point
bjections
e luattcr

le seizure
1 view of
t Britain
resumed,
•oposition.
perts, and
ited in the
lie months
mber, and

'iiind thill

which the

sacceed(Hl

radically

Us of the

leaking oft'

States in

l\)enaion of
The Tnited
furnish the
lin dispute,
germination
lussia and
protection
|e ordinary

In tlie event of an adverse decision for the Tnited States on these h ijal
questions, tiie Hiial proposition provided that the court of arbitration shoukl take ui)
u consideration of the rules and reguhitions necessary for the ])roper protection of
the lierd when at sea and beyond the Jurisdiction of the United States. These
l)ropositions, after ainendmetit and discussion, were finally accejtted as tiio basis of
an arbitrati<tn and were embodied in a treaty between the United States and Gieat
Britain, signed on •'"'ebruary 21), 1892, and duly ratified. This treaty is printed iu
Appendix II of this report.

THE MODUS VIVENDI.

While the discussion of the treaty was under way, and in view of its ])rol>able
consummation, a modus viveiidi was agreed to in June, 1891, which closed Bering Sea
to pelagic sealing and limited the land catch on tlie islands to a nominal figure for
the support of the natives dejjending upon the fur seals for food. The promulgation of
this measure was too late in tlie season to nnike it possible of enforcement, the jielagic
tieet having already gone to sea. After the signing of the treaty iu the following year
this niodu"' vivendi was renewed and coutinued iu force until the conclusion of the
labors of the arbitration convention. The text of the agreement will be found iu
Appendix II.

THE JOINT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

In the progress of the discussion leading up to the conventiou of February, 1892,
it was decided that a commission of experts representing each Government should
visit the seal islands and report on the habits and condition of tlie fur-seal herd with
a view to the inforniatioii of the arbitration convention. To expedite matters this
commission was tentatively designated and entered upon its work in the siimnier of
1891, being otlicially recognized after the treaty was tinaliy agreed to in the spring of
1892.

THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION.,

In ac(!ordance with the provisions of the treaty of 1892 the Tribunal of Arbitration
duly convened at Paris in February, 1893, and concluded its labors on the 15th of
August. Its decision of the legal questions involved being adverse to the United
States, the Tribunal proceeded to formulate regulations for the i)rotection and
preservation of the fur seals.

JOINT REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

Before taking up a detailed consideration of tiiesc regulations it will assist us in
our under.standing of them to consider brietly the results of the investigations on
which they were based. The Joint commission of investigation representing the
United States and threat Britain, after its visit to the islands in the summer of 1891,
met at Washington in the spring of 1892, and after much discussion found itself
unable to agree upon any facts of importance beyond the general jiroijosition that
the fur-seal herd had largely declined and that nnin was responsible for the decline.
Accordingly, each commission of investigation submitted a seiiarate n^port to its
(Tovernment. Tliese reports became the basis of each nation's contention before the
Tribunal regarding the condition and habits of the fur seals.

n:i

180

THE FUU SEALS OF THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

THE AMERICAN CONTENTION.

I I

ili

i *■ 1

The AinericiMi contention was in brief that the decline of the herd was duo to
pelajjic sealinj;'; that pelagic killing was indiscriminate, the female sex prcdonunating
in the catch; that these females when killed oil' the Northwest Coast in the spring
were gravid, and when killed on their feeding excursions in l?ering Sea were nursing,
and left dependent pups upon the rookeries whose death resulted from starvation.

THE BRITISH CONTENTION.

The British contention, on the other hand, held that the proportion of females in
the pelagic catch was comoaratively unimportant and composed chiefiy of barren
cows; that nursing females did not leave the islands while their pups were
dependent upon tlieni ; that in case they did so leave and were killed, their young
could be nursed by other <!Ows or could subsist on food procured from the sea.
Having thus disposed of the contention of the United States, a counter proposition
was set ui» that land killing as practiced on the islands rather than sea killing was
responsible lor the decline of the herd.

THEIR COMPARATIVE MERITS.

It is not the intention at this point to discuss the comparative merits of these
contentions. They have been fully treated in the preceding pages. It is suHicient
here to say that subsequent events have conclusively pioved the essential truth of
the American contention and the falsity of the British counter claims. From the
contlici'iig evidence brought before the Tribunal, it is not strange that the regulations
forniuliiied by it — which are a blind ert'ort at compromise — are an utter failure for the
purpose for which they were intended.

B. THE REGULATIONS OF THE AWARD.

The regulations are published in full in Appendi.v II to this report, together with
a more extended account of the Tribunal of Arbitration itself. We may here briefly
summarize the provisions of these regulations as follows: (I) the establishment of a
closed zone ab^ it the I'rlbilof Islands of a radius of CO miles; (2) a cU)sed season
from the 1st of May to the JJlst of .July; (3) the restriction of pelagic sealing to
sailing vessels and undecked boats and canoes; (4) the ret|uii'ement of a/special license
and tlag by sealing vessels; (5) a recoi'd of the place, number, and sex of seals taken;
{«») a proticiency reipiirement on the i)ait of those engaging in the business; (7) the
exeiii))tioii of Indians on the Northwest Coast from the provisions of the regulations;
(8) a provision for the reconsideration of the regulations at the end of live years if
found to be inadeijuate. These regulations were put into ojteration by a[)propriate
legislation both by the United States amUheat Britain in the spring of the year 1894.

THE MINOR PROVISIONS.

The minor provisions of the regulations we need n(»t dwell upon. Sailing vessels
are doubtless the only ones which can profitably be used in the business. The license
and flag are no doubt useful, but immaterial. The prohibition of firearms in Bering
Sea is a provision wholly in the interests of the sealers. The proticiency requirement
borders <m the ridiculous. Exemption of the Northwest Coast Indians is .just and

EFFKCTS OF THE RKGULATIONS.

181

as duo to
omiuatiiig
;he spring
e nursing,
vatiou.

females in
of barren
l^ups were
heir young
m the sea.
proposition
killiug was

■its of these
is sufiicient
tial trntli of
From the
1 regulations
lilure tor the

)gether with
here briefly
jnieut of a
sed season
sealing to
ecial license
seals taken ;
less; (7) the
egulations;
five years if
appropriate
le \ear 1894.

iliug vessels

The license

ns in Bering

requirement

is just and

proper, but the discrimination against the Aleuts on the shores of Bering Sea is
unjust. Tlie.se reciuirements, one and all, have absolutely no bearing upon the welfare
of the seals.

The requirement regarding the record by the sealing captains of the sex of
animals taken was a useful one, as providing a meaus for the securing of valu.ible
data bearing upon the effects of the regulations. The method was, however,
unfortunate, and for the very natural reason that it could not be expected that the
.sealers would take the trouble to make honest reports which must be injurious in the
highest degree to their business. The sequel shows, as we have already pointed out,
that they can not be depended upon for correct information.

THE SIXTY-MILE ZONE.

The remaining provisions are more vital. The OOmile zone about the islands lias
a positive value in keeping vessels at such distance from the rookeries as to make
successful raiding impossible. When we have said this regarding the protected zone,
we have stated its oidy importance. The feeding grounds of tlie seals lie Air outside
of its limits. 0\\ the journeys to and from tlie grounds the seals do nrc lo'ter much
in the protected area. A protected zone, to be of any value, should cover and
include the feeding grounds to which the nursing females resort.

THE CLOSE SEASON.

liie provision for a close season is of more importance, though even its value is
by no means great. It shuts off that catch which was formerly made in May along
the southern shore of the Alaskan Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. This catch
was unusually destructive, because the females were growing heavy with pup. Under
the regulations these animals, which have escaped from the hunters off the coast in
March and April, are allowed to continue their way in i)oaee to the it^lands. During
June and July they .are protected, but as they then sjjend a large part of the time on
shore the i)rotection is not so important as it seems.

REGULATIONS ADAPTED TO WORK OF SEALERS.

As if suited to the needs of the sealers and against tliose of the seals, the sea is
opened on the lat of August at the time when, under the necessity of furnishing
nourishment for their growing oflFspring, the mother seals are forced to spend the
greater part of the time on the feeding grounds. To understand fully the destructive
force of this month of August, it is only necessary to observe that in the spring the
herd is constantly moving on, and there is more or less difticulty in locating it. In
Bering Sea the seals frequent certain feeding banks regularly, coming and going at
intervals. If a seal is not taken at her first trip, other opportunities will occur on her
second and subsequent trips. The sealer has only to wait for her, and in the meantime
go on taking other seals.

Tlie close season, therefore, offers little protection to the female fur seal. It
permits her to escape at one place and time only to allow her to be taken sit another
and more favorable time and place. It saves her from death before the birth f»f her
oflf'spring only to leave her liable to be killed after it is born and to subject her
oft'spring t<» death by starvation.

182

THE KUR SEALS OF THE I'KIHILOF ISIiANDS.

; ■•

\ : I

To tliu iiulajiic scaler the close season ott'ers no impeilinient an'l entails no loss,
lie can rest assured that the seals he is prevented from takinf>" in the N(ntli PaciHc
will be more easily taken in Herin}? Sea in Anj^usl, when the storms of the early
summer are over and the conditions in every way more favorable. In the meantime
he is {jiven opportunity to reiit his vessel, «)r he may cross over to the Asiatic 8i<le at
the beginninft of the close season and prey npon the Commander hei d before returning
to iJering Sea in August.

On the whole, it is dillicnlt to see how a more comfortable and convenient set of
regulations could have been prepared had the pelagic sealers themselves drawn them
np. it is (litiicult to see how they could be made more destructive to the herd if that
had been their deliberate intent.

THE COST OF ENFORCING THE REGULATIONS.

It is not enough, however, that these regnlations legalize the destruction of the
herd. They are necessarily maintained at a tremendons cctst. Tiie (Jovernnient of
the United States paid for the maintenance of its patrol in the North Pacitic and in
Bering Sea daring the i)erio(l from April to 0(ttober, 1890, the snm of $17(»,3Ht>.l)J.
The cost to (ireat lUitain for her share in the patrol was smaller, but yet a
considerable sum.

THE FAILURE OF THE REGULATIONS.

It is scarcely necessary to state that the regulations of the Paris Award have
proved a signal failure. As has already been shown, the herd has continued to
decline steadily under them. The herd sutt'ered its greatest loss under the tir.st year
of their operation, when (}1,(HK> animals were taken at sea. In the year 189(5, of the
catch taken in Bering Sea, <S4 per cent were females, practically all of them pregnant
and having nursing pups dependent upon them. Between the seasons of 189ti and
1897 tlie breeding herd suffered a diminution of fnmi 12 to 15 per cent, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the i)elagic catch had largely declined through the exhaustion of the
herd. To this it is only necessary to add that under the rigid patrol which has been
maintained the regulations have been strictly enfon-ed and fully complied with. No
further condenniation of these measures for the "i)rotection and preservation of the
. seals" could be expected.

THE REDEEMING FEATURE OF THE REGULATIONS.

The one redeeming feature about the regulations is the final provision for their
reconsideration and revision. The only difficulty here is that the trial period fixed at
five years was too long. One season would have been sufficient to test them. They
were calculated to show their (piality at once. As a nnitter of fact it was clearly
demonstrated by the recorded catch of the first season of their operation that they
had stimulated rather than retarded [)elagic sealing and consequently had heightened
the decline of the herd. That a fleet of 87 vesselt: in the first yt^ar of the operation
of the regulations should have been able to take 61,000 seals, whereas 115 vessels,
in 1891, before pelagic sealing was interfered with, took but 59,000, was clear enough
evidence that the regulations had only altered matters for the worse.

OHt-I(»ATI(>N TO TROTKCT THE 8PULS.

188

THE PURPOSE OF THE ARBITRATORS.

The tliiul provision of the rugiilatioiiH has another feature of importance — it
(letlnes the purpose of their foriiuihition. Thia is ''the protection and preservation of
the fur seals." It is fortunate that tlie Tribunal of Arbitration i>laced this matter ou
record, as otiierwise its work in framing these measures would be witiioutjustitication
and its own sincerity could be called into ((iiestion. Truth enough to condemn eveiy
feature of the regulations was placed before the Tribuiuil, but tln' real issues were so
thoroughly confused by the statements n.ade in opposition that the outcome was a
matter of chance. This is the only explanation which can be ottered for the irrecon-
cilable ditterence between tlie evident purpose and the atrtual achievenuMit of the
regulations.

THE OBLIGATION TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE.

This statement of the purpose of the Tribunal has another important bearing. It
leaves no doubt that the obligation to protect and preserve the fur seals was laid upon
the two nations concerned by their acceptance of the decision. From all this it must
follow that at the close of the trial period of live years, if not before, the United States
and Great Britain must take up seriously the reconsideration of these regulations,
and by their emendation or by the substitution of more adequate measures provide
for what was plainly the object of the Tribunal of Arbitration, namely, the protection
and preservation of the fur-seal hei'd.

!ia

RHP

. »

r II A 1' I' V. R \^' I .

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS.

liefore passiiifj to ii <'oiisi(lerati()ii of the tiiial topic, the remedy for the cnnditioii
of tlie herd, we iiiiiy give the toliowiu}; brief statement of the chief faets coiicei iiiiig
the fur-seal herd wiiicli have a bearing on its Intiire protection and preservation.
Tliis statement, while in a sense a summary of the preceding discussions, was
originally prepared by Messrs. IJandin and Jordan, the American delegates to the
recent Fur-Seal Conference at Washington, for the use of the couferen«!e. A few of
the estimates here given may be open to difl'ereuce of opinion, bat in general the
accuracy of these statements has not been questioned and can not be:

STATEM'SNTS OF FACT.

The delegates of the Unit'id States present for the consideration of tlio meeting
of experts the followii;t; statements of fact regarding the condition of the fur-seal
herd resorting to the Pribiiof Islands:

1. Since the year 1885 the fur-seal herd, as measured by its breeding females, has
steadily declined in numbers at a rate varying from j'ear to year.

2. The best available measure of this decline is found in these facts:

(fl) During the period between 1871 and 1885 no difficulty was experienced in
obtaining eacli year 100,000 male seals of recognized killable age by the 20th of July.

(Ii) In 180(i «)idy 30,000 killable seals were taken after continuing the driving
until July 27, and in 1897 only 20,8!>0 were taken after continuing the driving until
August 1 1.

3. From this and other data it would appear that the herd of breeding females on
the Pribiiof Islands in the years 1871-1885 must have been about live times as great
as at present, or from 600,000 to 700,000 in number.

I. The natural life of the female fur seal is estimated at from ten to flfteen years.
Assuming thirteen years as an average, each female would have ten years of breeding
life. If this be true, 10 per cent of the breeding females die of old age each winter in
addition to the unknown losses from other causes. The stock of breeding females is
recruited solely by the accession each year of 3-year-old cows.

5. The natural death rate among the young fur seals, especially among the pups,
is very great. At present about two-thirds die from natural causes before they reach
the age of 3 years, or killable age for the males and breeding age for the females.

0. The chief natural causes of death among the pups are:

(«) Havages of the parasitic worm, Uncinaria, infesting sandy breeding areas.

(b) Trampling by lighting or moving bulls and cows.

(f) Starvation of pups strayed or separated from their mothers when very young.

(d) Ravages of the great killer ( Orca).

(e) Drowning in the storms of winter.

184

STATEMENTS OF IWrTR.

185

\ie pups,

^y reach
Lies.

ireas.

young.

The natural h)»He» from uther causes are relatively aniall.

7. Cuunts and estimates show tliat the number of breeUiuK t'emaleH bearint; pu|)8
on the rookeries (tf St. I'aul anil St. George in 181MJ was alM)ut la7,(M)(> and in 1.SU7
about 130,(NM).

8. On certain rookeries pups were coaate4l during both seasons. Where 1(5,241
were i'ound in 1890, 11,318 were found in 181>7, a decrease of about 12 per cent. The
liarems on all the rookeries were counted during both seasons. In 18!MJ tlu're were
4,9.'{2; in 1807, 4,418, a decrease of 10.41 per cent. The cows actually jtresent on
certain rookeries at the height of the season were counted both seasons. Where
10,108 were found in 1806, 7,307 were found in 1807, a decrease of 28.34 per cent.

0. It is not possible to state absolutely the decline in the actual number of
breeding cows from 1800 to 1807, but it is not far from 15 per cent.

10. The number of killable seals taken on the islands in 1807 shows a decrease of
about 3(» per cent from the number taken in 1800. This repnssents approximately the
decrease in the 3-year-old breeders which entered the rookeries in 1807, the number
of males and females born being practically equal.

11. Land killing is not now a factor in the decline of the herd, and has not been
since the islands came into the possession of the United States. It has not caused
injury to the breeding herd either by undue reduction in the number of males or by
impairing their virility, or in any other way.

12. Laud killing has tended to increase the si/.e of the breeding herd by the
reduction of the number of adult bulls and their conse(|uent lighting, which results
in the destruction of females and pups.

13. No apprechible partof the declineof the herd is due to illegal killing or killing
in detiauce of the regulations of the I'aris award.

14. The reduction in the breeding herd has been due to the killing'' of females at
sea, with the resulting starvation of nursing pups and the destruciticaj o/ unburn pups.

15. Pelagic sealing necessarily involves indiscriminate killing of males and
females. The greater proportion of the animals taken in the pelagic c.itch are females.
The statistics for the American catch, obtained by expert examination in tiu>, custom-
houses, show an average of 78 i)er cent for the years 1804, 189."), and 1800. The
examination of pelagic skius in London confirms this percentage.'

10. The natural increase of the breeding herd is about lOij i)er cent each year, being
one-half of the surviving 3-year-olds. The natural death rate from old age each year
is not far from 10 per cent. The death rate of adults from other causes can not be
accurately estimated. The killing of females by the hand of man therefore can not
I'each Off per ceut of the total number each year without involving the decline of the
herd. If the herd is to be restored, the killing of female seals should not be i)ermitted.

17. As neither land killing nor sea killing now yieh's a profit for the money
invested and for the money si)ent in protection, the fur-seal herd is therefore, from a
commercial point of view, virtually destroyed. But this has not involved tiie
biological destruction of the herd. Under wise protection it may regain its former
numbers.

■To this may bo added the testimony of Mr. Halkett, nbtainods ime the original preparatiun of
this statumeut, showing the 2>erccatage of Ibinales iu tho Uering ijua uiitch I'ur IH'M> U> lie 81 per cuut.

-I i

P"!

'?, !i!

18(1

THK FI;K 8EAI-8 OF TIIK I'UIHILOI" ISLANKS.

1 I

18. Ill onr ,ju(l<;iiuMit, nil facts in any way vital t« iiiteriiatiniial action rogardinf;
tiic i>roto(;tioii and preHcrvation ctt' tlie fiir-aeal iiercl mv. now in tiic posHUHHioii of hotli
(lovernin<'iitH.

ll>. riit'se tacts hIiow that tho lierd lias larjjoly doclined ii-oui its original condition
and tVom its condition in 18{)I and in 18i)4; that it is .itill decliniii},', and that tlie
cause of flic decline is the slanglitcr of females involved in pelagic sealing.

20. The regulations of the Piiris award have proved inetfective to protect and
l)re8erve the herd. They have not prevented its decline, which has continued and
must continue in spite of them. They can not bring about a restoration of the herd,
as tliey i»eiiuit the killing of females in numbers vastly in excess of their natural
increase.

omi^*

r both

dition
it the

CIIAPTKIl XVII,

;t and
(1 and
) herd,
aturul

THE REMEDY FOR THE DECLINE OF THE HERD.

We have thus covered tlio first three diviHions of our subject. Wo have found
the seal herd diiuiiiishi'd to between oiu'-tifth and out- aixtli of its original si/.e and
still declining. The muse of this decline is simply un<l .solely the slaughter of females
at sea. The imminence of the danger thus threatened to the herd nniy be judged by
the extent of the loss which has already been indicted and by the fact that at the
present time the herd is commercially ruined both ou lau'l and at sea. The regulations
provided for the i>rotection and preservation of the herd are utterly ineflective.

REVISION OF THE REGULATIONS NOT ADEQUATE.

The fourth tlivision of our intiuiry must therefore be short. It foUows, of course,
that some radical change is no(;essary. This (;an not bo brought about by alterations
in the present regulations or the substitution of new ones. It is not a (|ucstiini of the
regulation of pelagic seali g, but of its abolition and the cessation of all trattic in the
skins of females. The nature of the problem is such tinit the killing of seals at
sea in auy form and under any restrictions that can be made effective is wholly
incompatible with the preservati<»n and restoration of the herd.

PELAGIC SEALING CAN NOT EXIST WITHOUT THE KILLING OF FEMALES.

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of the animals at sea and so exenii)t the
females. It is immaterial whether the animal is shot or speared, so long as it is killed.
It makes no difference whether the female is killed when heavy with young on the
migrations or whether she is left to bring forth her young and is then killed, leaving
the youne to starve. The herd could be commercially ruined in the single month of
August on its feeding grounds in Bering Sea, even if all other sealing were prohii>ited.
If Bering Sea were fully closed, the concentration of the operations of the fleet off
the Northwest Coast would be sulticieut to maintain the continued, though iterliaps
slower, decline of the herd. So long as pelagic sealing exists in any form or at any
time or place, females will be killed, and their continued slaughter means the ultimate
destruction of the herd, bicdogically as well as commercially.

THE TOTAL PROHIBITION OF PELAGIC SEALING THE ONLY REMEDY.

In a word, there is no remedy for the present decline of the herd, nor lutpe for its
restoration and preservation, except in the absolute and permanent prohibition of
pelagic sealing.

187

1 >» ■ . « ' " ■

Tf ) ■

Itii

* «l

ClI Al» rFOU X \' I 1 I .

THE FUTURE OF THE FUR-SEAL HERD.

A RECONSIDERATION OF THE QUESTION.

With the seasdii of 1898 will rloso, tlie live your trial ])<irio(l of the ifignlutioiis
of tho I'aris Tribunal of Arbitration. These r»'<:;iiiations were, as we have seen,
forinuhitetl for lUv "i>rote('tion and preservation of tlie fur seals." In the treaty
of ISDw', under which the arbitration was eonvenee',. "the preservation of the fur
seal in, or habitually resortinji; to,'' Berinjjf Sea was expressly desifrnated as i»art of
the object of the 'onvention. Furthermore, in the declarations whieh the tribunal
luaile to the respective {jovernuients concerned we find that "in viow of the (^itical
condition to which it now api)ears certain that the race of fur seals is retiuced'' it
was reconunended that all Uillinjr of seals, whether on land or at sea, be i)roiiibited
for an a.yrced jteriod of years. Fioni these references, it imist be clear that the
avowed purpose and inteiiJion of the Tribunal of Arbitration was to nccouiplish
the protection of the fur-seal herd. It is e<puilly clear that tne responsibility for
carryiufj this jinrpose was placed upon the nations concerned in the arbitration and
which accepted its decisio'-

A BASIS FOR THE REOPENING OF THE SUBJECT.

In ap))roachinjj a recousi<leration of the regulations the two nations have now
a much clearer knowledge of the conditions surrounding the piobleiu. As a result
of the recent conference of American, ]>ritish, and Canadian fur-seal exix-rts at
Washington, an agreement as to facts was reached sufliciently broad and conclusive
to show the true condition of the herd, the cause of its decline, and the remedy.
This joint agreement will be found in full in Appendix II of this report. \Ne may
here briefly summarize its conclusions:

FINDINGS OF FACT.
THE DEri-INE,

First, it is found that the fur-seal herd has declined largelj' from its condition in
1884 down to tlie date of the insjtectiou of the I'ookeries in 18!>7. This meiiUS that
the herd has continued to decline under the regulations. The decrc e is stated as
e(pud to Irom two-thirds to fourtifths of its nuiximum size. 15etween the seasons of
18% and 18!>7 the rate of decline is found froui the most reliable data to be between
9 and 12 per cent. For this same period the pelagic catch has itself declined fully
one-half.

SLOW llAXE OK IN(n{EASE IN THE HERD.

Second, it is found that the natural death rate among the seals, especially the
young, is high, so that but one-half to one-third of those born attain the age of three
years. This means that the rate of increase in the fur-seal herd under the best of
conditions is slow.

i. :

I'lli: HUIN Ol' THE IIUUD.

181)

MALES C/iJJ UK KILLKI) AVITII T:MI>TtNITV.

Tliinl, it is lagived tliat owing to the polyfiiiiiunis lial>it of tlie fur seal, coupled
with an equal birth rate ol" the Hexes, it is jM^fsible r<» remove a large number of inah-s
with ini|iiinity, and that the operations of hund killing as now conuucted do not alleit
the virility of tiie males or fail to leave au adecpiate snp]»ly of muh- life for breeding
purposes. As Ian 1 killing has idways been confined to the males, and as its operations
are today what they have been since the herd came into American (control, excejit in
so far as they hav(^ been improved, this means that hiihj killing is not and has n<»t
been a fuctui' iti the tlecline of the herd.

iiy

dly

EXOESSIVK DESTIllTCTION Ol' Kini Al.KS.

Fourth, it is agreed that jielagic sealing involves the killing of males and females
alike without dis<riniination, as the sexes coexist in the sea; that the proportion of
females taken in the pelagic catches of re<rent years has been from <lli to .St per cent;
that the females so taken are in large part pregnant and ii'irsing, their deatii involving
the death of tiieir <»lfsi»ring. It is a;;reed that this abstraction of breeding females,
which in recent years has been largely in excess of the natural inclement of th«i herd,
has goiH^ too far, and has cans(Ml the diminntion found in the herd. In other words,
jmt in jdain terms, this means that pelagic; sealing has been the cause of the decline
ill the fur-seal herd.

COMPROMISE FINDINGS.

It is al.so agreed tli a. limited number of females, within the natural increment
of the herd, ma^\ be killed without causing actual dimiaution. It is Ibund that in
the rapid decline of the pelagic catch there is a tendent-y toward e(piilibrium at this
jMiint of safety. It is farther found that as a sjiecies the fur seal is (ar liom being
exterminated, and that under tiie jiresent conditions of i»rotection such extermination
is not probable. These statements are .self-evident truths, though wholly irrelevant
to the ([uestion. We have already discussed this .supposed eciuilibrinm. The supposed
safety of the herd as a species is made to depend upon the maintenance of a costly
Iiatrol, which wouM naturally be abandoned by the United States if it saw u> hope
of iihe retitoration of its industry.

THK HEUl) COMMEUCIALI.Y Ul INKI).

Finally, it is agreed that the herd in its present condition yields but an inconsiderable
return either to the lessees of the islands or to the owners of the pelagic lleet. In a
word, it is agreed that the fur-seal herd has declined until it is coininercially ruined
both on land and at sea; that land killing is not responsible for this decline, and that
pelagic sealing is responsible.

PELAGIC SEALING INCOMPATIBLE WITH PRESERVATION OF HERD.

Wo have shown clearly '-Tiough in our discu.ssion of the methods and conditions
of ])elagi(- sealing th.it the i intinuance of tli'' industry in any form is inccmipatible
with the preservation and restoration of the fur-seal herd. In taking up a
reconsideration of the matter there is but one thing to do, namely, abolish pelagic
sealing; in other words, remove the cause of the decline. This is the tiusk which must
confi'out the Inited States and (ireat IJritain as well at the do.so of the season of 181)8.

■irl

•I .1.

IIJO

,fl

TIIK FCU SEALS OF THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.
THE SKIN OF A FEMALE TO BE CONTRABAND.

As h) ways and iiieaus for accoinplishiiifjr the desired end we have iiothinj; to
oHer. We are j^hid to be able to call attention to tlie action ot'our (Jovernnieut in tiie
passage of the bill forbidding the citizens of the I'nited States to engage in pelagic
sealing. NVe may suggest that should (Jreat Britain enact and enforce a similar law
this would end the matter. If the fur-seal herd is to be preserved its breeding females
must be i»rotected from slaughter. '1 o make tlie skin of a female fur Lseal a contraband
article, subjectt to seizure and conliscation when brought into a port of a civilized
nation, will protect her from slaugiiter.

THE PROPOSiED EXTERMINATION BY SLAUGHTER ON THE ROOKERIES.

We have iiad (»ccasion, in the preliminary reports of the coniniission, to denounce
a method of settling the fur-seal i|uestion, which has already rtMteived nioie attention
than it merits, namely, the extinction of the herd by the slaughter of the aninuils on
their breeding grounds. We trust that the day is passed when such a i)roi>osition
wouhl be tolerated. The measure is siw alioniinable one, without a single redeeming
feature. It would condense into one wholesale act all the objectionable features in
pelagic sealing, against which we. as a nation, have been Ironi the lirst conteiuling;
and it would lodge upon us alone and for all time the odium for the extermination by
a barbarous method of a noble race of animals. The riiite<l States can not atVord to
shirk her responsibility for the protection and preservation of the fur seals by any
.snch makeshift. It remains for the two great nations interested in the welfare of the
fur-.seal herd, and under obligation to l<»ok after that welfare, to liud a way of settling
the problem that shall be effective and houonible.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FUR-SEAL HERD.

We have already had occasi(Ui to refer to the importance of the fur seal herd as
a property investment, adding to the wealth and comfort of mankind. Oreat Ihitain
aiul the Tnited States both share in the profits to be derived from the legitimate
l»roduct of the herd, the former through the interests of her citizens in the preparation
of the seal skins for the market, the latter through the revenue she derives under her
lease.

In its i)reHent condition the fur-seal herd is sadly reduced. I'nder the expensive
(ionditions of protection necessitated by the existence of jtelagic sealing the profits of
its produ«'t on land are eaten up. But even now, if the present expensive patrol could
be waived, the return from the herd wouhl be by no means insi;.;nilicant. Under the
ijuota of 1897 the revenue to the <iovernmcnt can not be tar from $250,000, 5 per cent
on an investment of !{!r»,ooo,(K;o.

A STRONG NUCLEUS REMAINS.

The nucleus of the herd which remains is strong and vigorous. Under proper
con('iti«His it will increase, and in tifteen or twenty yeais should e(|ual its maximum
condition. This woidd nu-an, under the present lease of the islands, a revenue in lax
uloue of !!!l,OtH>,000 annually. Hut with proper protection the product of the herd
from the start would increase and grow as the herd grows, becoming greater each
year, until normal coiulitions were again reached.

CM A I' r i; I! XIX.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

Assuiniiifj that t\\o ftii-seiil herd will ultimately reci'ivc that iJiotectioii which it
deserves, it is in order tor us to make certain recommendations and sngt;'ef^tioi»« which
naturally grow out of our investifjations of the past two seasons.

INADEQUACY OF PAST KNOWLEDGE.

We have iiad occasion in our present discussi(»n to point out the faulty and
misleadiuff character of uuicii oftlie information whicii has been pnblislu'd concerniuf^-;
tlie fur-seal herd. It is not necessary to recur to it here. We must, however, note
the fact that between tiie first two investigations instituted by the (iovernnu'iit a
period of fifteen years eUipsed, during which there was absolutely no provision made
for obtaining information concerning the real condition of its breeding herd.

THE AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT NOT INVESTIGATOilS.

After the investigations of Mr. Klliott, covering the period from 187L' to 187(5,
the herd was given over to untrained meu, who were not prepared to conduct the
investigations necessary to understand the nature of the trust they were set to guard.
To make matters worse, these men were speedily replaced by others equally inex-
perienced as soon as, by reason of practical c(mtact with the affairs of the islands,
they began to acquire some knowledge of their duties. The result is tliat the herd
l)assed unnoticed from its state of maximum ])rospeiity into one t»f rapid decline, and
was reduced to one-half its si/.e before tlie (iovernmeut or its agents were ma<'ivj aware
of the fact.

ler

THE FAILURE TO

KSTAND THE CONDITION OK THE HERD.

iWt

How little the situation was uuderstc'd in l,S8i> by the ottiicrs of the (iovernmeut
may be seen from the fact that in thai year the agent in charge of the islands
reeouunended that tlie (piota of killable seal> le reduced nom KMt.ddO to<>(»,(IO(), wIumi.
as a matter of fact, the hauling grounds we,re only caiiaMe .a tnrnishing i'U,(HiO, as
the year 18".l(> disclosed.

Through lack of exjterience in dealing witli aniniais. or because inlliieuced by tin'
crude notions of the natives, the agents of tiie Ciovei- ment. early in tiie history of the
herd, estabiislu'd the tradition that tiie seals were virtually wihl animals, which must
be left severely ah»ne if they were not t« be driven away. Accordingly, they instituted
stringent rules against the visitation and molestation of ' ceding grounds. These
rules were ii.;t only enforced against the natives ami i visitors, but for the most

part they were so rigidly adhered to by the agents themselves that they too renmined
in practical ignorance of the real condition of the herd.

••T

mmmm

l»

|if

f U

192

THE FUIt SEALS OF THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

THE WILD-ANIMAL POLICY.

This policy, which systematically treated the fur seals as wild animals, bore fruit
later on, when the theory of exclusive ownership in the seals became vital to the
interests of the Government. This theory, being wholly incompatible with its
management of the herd, was legally untenable. It is safe to say that had the
United States looked after its herd with the care and attention that a cattleman on
the plains would bestow on his stocl;, the theory that ownership in the fur-seal herd
must be shared with the pelagic sealer would not have been established. Had the
United States in 188G, instead of seizing sealing vessels under a shadowy right of
jurisdiction over the waters of Tiering Sea, branded a mark of ownership upon each
female, cleansed the rookeries from worm-breeding sands, and then seized the vessels
that destroyed its property, it is probable tlnit to-day there would be no fur-seal
question.

LACK OF FAITH IN OUR OWN METHODS.

IJut SO little attention had the Government paid to the condition of its herd and
the results of its own methods of handling the animals, that it was possible in IHUl,
for those interested in maintaining pelagic sealing, to set up the counterclaim that
our own methods were responsible for the depleted condition of the herd, and the
Government found itself unable to successfully combat the charge. Indeed, it would
seem that it was not itself assured of its own innocence, otherwise the useless
repression of driving in 1894 and 1895, after the modus vivendi, is without explanation.
In tiiese years, after three years of rest, the full product of the hauling grounds should
1 ave been raken. Instead of this we lind that the taking of seals was limited to two
drives I'lom each hauling' gntund in the season, this change being made with the
avowed purjiose of avoiding injury and disturbance to the rookeries.

WASTEFUL MANAGEMENT.

We must again, at tiie risk of repetition, call attention to the financial loss which
the management of the fur-seal herd in the tirst twenty years of our control involved.
From the i)nblished records of the islands we find that no less than 154,000 animals,
either too young to furnish skins or whose condition was such that the skins were
not availabk>, were killed and tlieir i)elts wasted. Had these animals been killed in
the i>roper season or been allowed to grow to the proper age, the revenue in tax alone
from tliese skins would have been $4(10,000.

Why this waste was permitted we can not understand uuless it be that the
matter was never properly urged upon tlic attention of the Government. It scenes
certain to us tliat had the agents in charge of tlie islands ascertained the uselessness
and wastefulness of this proceeding it would never have been allowed to continue.
This money would have paid five times over for competent and systematic
investigation of the herd from the day it came into con*^^rol of the United States to
the present time. It wiuild in all likelihood have averted itii depletion and all the
expensive litigation aiul friction which the fur-seal question has involved.

THE TWO VITAL MATTERS YET UNKNOWN.

There are two important nnitters which the Government ought to understand in
order to haiulle its fur-seal interests intelligently, and these two vital facts it has not

I/IESTIONS RELATING TO THE t^UOTA.

193

■

yet ascertained. They Hhoiikl have received lirst attention, aud they should have been
detenniued twenty years ago. These are: First, the proportion of males necessary to
attend to the needs of the breeding female herd; 8econ<I, the proportion of youug
seals which survive to the aye of 3 years.

Without knowing the real facts in regard to either of these matters, the Govern-
ment assumed io fix a definite quota and to maintain it through twenty years. As a
matter of fact, we know from the history of the herd that for the greater i)art of this
time ibis (juota was too small and that a large additional product of male life was
wasted. For another part of the time this quota was too groat, and this led to waste
of another sort by involving the premature killing of the yearling and L'-yearold
bachelors. Since 1894 the (Jovernment, acting on the advice of its agents, who
clearly did not understand the situation, has each year assumed to tix in advance
what ({uota should be taken.

THE FIXING OF THE QUOTA.

Let us take as a concrete example the quota of 18!>7, As a matter of fact, the
number was left indefinite and at the discretion of the commission, so that the full
product of the hauling grounds was taken in so far as that was possible. Hut suppose
the quota had been fixed at 1.j,(»00, In that case the loss to the G(»vernment in tax
under its lease would have been $(55,000; or had it been fixed at l.'0,000, the loss
would still have been A9,000. Dne or the other of these figures would certainly have
been chosen had the advice of anyone relying on such data as were availabli in 1896
been taken. The quota actually taken in 1897 was 20,890.

SSo long as mere personal judgment is trusted in these matters any quota that
may be fixed in advance nmst be a very conservative one. The (rovernmcnt must
avoid, on the tnie hand, the too close killing of the male life. On the other hand,
it must see to it, at least in the present depleted condition of the fur seal catch,
whether on land or at sea, that the full product of its bachelor herd is gathered and
utilized. It must therefore face this problem: If in fixing the «iuota tiie figure be
placed too low, say 1,000 below the number of skins which could be taken with
impunity, the (xoverninent loses $10,000 in tax, and the lessees an eciual, if not greater,
amount. If the margin of uncertainty is greater or less, tiie loss is proi»ortionate!y
increased or diminished. It would niauiiestly be disastrous were tlie limit of safety
systematically exceeded by a like number.

QUESTIONS WHICH REQUIRE CONTINUOUS AND EXPERT STUDY.

The questions involved in the safe and intelligent gathering of the annual quota
are of such a nature that they can not be determined in a single season, nor in two,
possibly not definitely in tive; nor can the matter rest when tiiey are once determined.
The investigations of the past two seasons have, however, laid tin; foundation for
this w(«'k. If the census of the breeding herd, begun in 1896 and improved upon in
1897, is continued for two or three seasons it can l»e made practically exact. The
birth rate of the present season is a'.-curately enough established. If, as can safely be
done, the full product of the hauling grounds is taken from now until the season of
19(M), it can then be determined with reasonable accuracy, from the (piota of .{-year old
mfties of that year, what percentage of the young su -vive to killable and breeding age.
15184 1;{

'^ff^mmmmmmmmBom

194

THK FUlt SEAI^S OF THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

FIXED QUOTA NOT DESIRABLE.

Witli tliis tiict «)iu'e doteriniiied, the rate of the herd's increase is known, and also
the si/.e of the (inota that can safely be taken. From any {<;iven birtli rate, then, tiie
quota of the third year following can be very detiiiitely d<'termined. It will probably
never be wise to again fix a hard and fast quota, but a niaxiniitni and minimum limit
within close range can be fixed, and this should serve the purposes of the lessees as
well as of the Government.

1^ i; ;

I f

THE PROPORTION OF MALES NEEDJCD.

The second i)roblem of importance, namely, the propDrtion of males needed on
the rookeries, is perhaps inoie easily determined. It will, 1; )wever, be well to verify
it by continued observations and experiments. Tiie invest) Rations of the jiast two
seasons show clearly that with the present breeding herd of 13(>,U(M> cows 4,.">(K> adult
bulls is a number entirely adequate, even though twice thai number are ready and
willing to do service. Hut the mere fact that the rookeries arc so evidently
overstocked with bulls makes it desirable that this subje(!t shouh. be further studied
before final judgment is taken.

The importance of the second problem, however, docs not lie in its solution, but in
its practical application. Knowing the proportion of males neces.saiy for breeding
purposes and the proportion of nialci which survive fo killable age, the practical
question is, how to see that the nec'.!ssary reserve is set aside ciich year to replenish
the breeding stock as it deteriorates through old age and other causes.

MINOR PROBLEMS.

We have mentioned these two important i>roblems which din^ctly concern the
taking of the product of the herd. They ar<^ absolutely essential. There are other
questions of a minor nature, such as the more definite detcrniiuation of the movements
of the seals, aiul their ages. There is also an important work to be done in the
improvement of the breeding grounds, their extension, their drainage, and the purging
of places infested with the parasitic worm.

TKE HERD SHOULD BE PLACED IN CHARGE OF A NATURALIST.

Jt is not necessary to go into greater detail. We have probably said enough to
nndve clear the wisdom of the one important recommendation which the present
commission strongly urges upon the (iovernment at this time. This is the placing of
its fur-seal herd permanently in charge of a competent naturalist and practical man
of affairs, whose business it shall be to visit the islands each year in the breeding
season and to study the condition of the herd and ways for its improvement; to
determine the si/e of the quota which shall be taken, and su])ervise its taking; in
short, to make the needs, possibilities, and limitations of the fur-seal herd his life
study. Ity such a course the Government can hope to have at hand at all times that
expert advice and assistance that have been so signally lacking in the past and
which are so essential to the proper administration of its future interests.

This superintendent of the herd should not take the ]ilac«^ of the present agents,
but should be an additional officer, and his duties should lie wholly with the herd.
The agents, as at present appointed, should continue to deal with the natives and

A SUPKIUNTKNDKNT OF THE HKKD.

l!)r)

.,1

t.^r*'

nmjuiMiiH

. ? I

APPENDIX T.

STATISTICS PERTINENT TO THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION.

TAHLK OF UAILY KILLISaS OF FIR SEALS FOIt ALL Vntl'OSKS nS THE VHllilLitF
ISLANDS FOR THE VKAltS 187r,, ISSO, tSSH, AND tSSf) TO lSri7, LWLIsnF.

INTRODUC'IORY NOTE.

The complete table of daily killings for the period 1870 to 1889, prepared by Col.
Joseph Murray, having been published in Senate Doc. No. 137, Seal Life, Part 1,1891),
and recently republished in " Seal and Salmon Fisheries and General llesourcos of
Alaska," House Doc. No. 9U, 1898, it has not seemed necessary to repeat it in full here.
From this table we have taken the record for the years 187 "», 1880, 188<», and 1889.
The first of these years is intended to illustrate the normal driving in the period of
equilibrium during the years 1871 to 1880. The record of the year 1880 is given to
show that no radical change had yet occurred. With it is contrasted the record of
1886, when, the killable seals became scarce through the decline of the breeding herd,
and it was necessary to multiply the drives and hauling grounds driven from to
secure the necessary quota of skins. The record of 1889 is introduced to form a
contrast to that of 1890. The driving in neither year shows normal conditions. The
record for 1890 and following is a continuation of Colonel Murray's set of tables,
taken from the otScial records of the islauds. In the names of the rookeries wc have
used the spelling adopted in the present reix>rt.

MT. PAITI. IMIiAND, IN7.1.

T>Hta.

l{iM>ker)'.

1878

Jan.

I'i

Fell.

Miiy

18 1

31 1

Nortlioast Point .

...do

.....lo

....<lo

SoiilliWfKt Bay ..
Northeast Point .

....do

Kwf

....do

...do

Total

malcH

Djile.

killnd.

1875.

.rmiu 1»

49K

143

657

492

KiHikery.

Total
iiialeH
killed.

Knclinh Hay niid Soiithwoat j

Kay I 1,201

Tidstoi ' 203

ZolKii iind Tulatoi 692

Zultoiaiid liwf 711

SoHtliWHHt Hay 1.560

MortlieaHt Point 27

Kngliih Hay, .SoiilliweHt <

ttty, Tolstoi 1,456

Reef and /oltoi 631

' SoaU tnkf^n in tliix nn<l Hnl>n«<|iicnt yeara prior to .Iiine 1, when tlin r«Kiilar totaling aeaaon began, with fur niitlTPs'
food. Snitli ot'tlin akiim iig vri\re of Hiiilabl'v Krailo wore accttptea nnil iHMunie a part of tliii reiciilar i|Uotii.

■Wlii'ro, as ill this initial drive of the season, two or mom naini'S are joined, it means that adjacent or eonvniiient
hauling gronnds wern united in a siugli' drivr. Thus Zidtoi is always driven with Heel', Iwi^aiise the route of the longer
drive crosses /oltoi hauling ground. In like manner Tulatoi, Middle Hill, and Englisli Hay are so situated an ttt liu
convonioiitly driven together.

197

lMT

198

■rilE FUR SEALS OF THE PKIBILUF ISLANDS.

MT. PAVL. lAI^AND, lNya-Ci>ntiuiii-<l,

Uatv.

1875.
.Ill nil 13
14
IB

1^
IH

ly
It) ,

22
22
24 I
2.'> 1
2(1 i
211 .
28

:iii

ItuoklT)'.

.Iiilv

8
U
111
10
13

l>nte.

Nnriheniit Point 4,0«5

ToJNtoi uiiil KiiKlisli Bay.... 7311

lliilt'wiiv Point i 2, IIS

TolMtoi and Kwf 707

Liikimiu I 452

SoiilliwcMt Bay, KukUkIi Kav 3, 303

/oltol 1,36:1

Nortlii-ast Point 5, 2!>2

ToIhIoI 1.830

Zoltoi l.l.'.O

KneliBli Bay ! 3,0U0

I.ukaniii i 262

Nort licaat Point 7, 349

Siiiitlini'Ht Hay 4,047

Uecl 1,527

/olloi anti KiikUhIi lluv 3, U27

Liikanin, Kitovi, /.oltol 2,5.14

NortlicaHt Point... 5,024

/iiltolaud Liikauin 1,248

Unaliiili Hay 3,370

ToIhIiiI anil' Engliali llav 2, 003

LiikaniD anil Kitovi . . . .' 1 , 125

Nortlieiwt Point 5, 937

/.ollol 1,505

Auk-

Si'pt.

(k't.
Nov.

Dec.

21
30
12
5
17
29

1875.
Jul.v U

15 I

16 I

16 !

17 1
22'

Kookery.

Total
iiialM
killed,

1.H10
748
2,700
1,205
7,439
557

Tolstoi anil Knglliili liny. . . .

Liikanin anil Kllovl

KiigliHli Bav

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

/.ultol

15U

... do

235

Kitovi

192

Zoltoi

159

...do

210 .

143

146

1,53

lit

172
MHMI

24 1
3, 745
15

604

...do

.. do

(III

Ttilstol

Southwest Hay

Pii))H killeil lor fiiiMl"

Nortlii'ast Point

TolHtoi

Total

94, 960

MT. 44BOROB IMI^AND, tStS.

1875.
■Iiliin

StnravnArtcl 302

do 256

KsBt 177

Staraya Artel and North 307

Kast 358

Staraya Arti'l and North.... 334

.S>iitliw«st Hav 1, 294

East 666

Staraya Arti'l and North .... 54U

East 692

1875
<T iini<
.Inly

30 ! Staravn Artel and North.... 1,412

5 East 717

7 Staraya Artel luid North 1,019

12 East 1,073

14 North 676

17 I do 177

Killed lor food I,5ii0

I Total m,50(i

I I

I The killlnKB HiihsKniient to July 17, at which tiiiin thi< i|iii>ta of th« Muaxon was tilled, wen> for natives' food, and, as
in the rase of the KiUingx liefnro the regular Heason lii^pin, the skins so taken when xiiitable were invliided In the ijiiota of
the follow iug year.

' Prior to the year 1891 it was customary each tall lo allow the killing of n certain niiiiiher of young male |iii|»i hv
the natives for food. Hefore leaving the islands in the fall the pups become very fat, and as their diet is excliiNivel.v milk
up to that time, the meat was dearly prized by the natives. The methiMl employed in takinii tlieni' pups wiih to drive (hem
up from II given rookery, sorl out the males and drive them to the killing grounds fur Hhiughter. Their nkins were of no
value. The wasteful iiiai'tice was discontinued aft4>r 1800. Kor details regarding tills matter, refereuue maybe made to
extracts from the bic of .St. Paul, Part II, under date of November in any season.

'St. George bad fiirnisbed 27.0110 male seals up to the close of 1873. when the iiiiota was arbitrarily reiluced to 10,000.
The driving of this year w as adapted to the reduced iiuota. lu 1887 the i^uuta uf St. Ueorge was raised to 15,000, and tlie
driving increaaed uouordiugly.

* 'I

DAILY KILLINGS.

MT. F.tl'l. IMI.AND, INtiO.

DhId.

liiHikery.

Hill, anil, BR
(|iiotn iif

fli- imiinbv

|»i\l'l,V IIIIIK

iliivii ilu'in
wero of uo
|lie iiiiule ti>

to 10,(100.
0, ami tim

18K0

Uav

141

O-l

liiiii'

.liih

1(1
17
IH

'II

Hi
191
21

2ii
24

2(1

2(iJ

:iii
1

1880.

Miiv 18

' 211

tl II nil 3

July

SoiilliwcHi nny

ItlM.I

Nitrllii'iiiit rttliit

Ki'dl

Siiiitliwi'Ht llav

Ki'i.)

Kiiullxli llu\. Tolxtoi

SuntliwrHt anil KiiuHmIi
HiiVM

i!ii)i''\\ii\ roiiit

Ki'i'l'iinil /iillui

/a|Miilnhinil Kiiullxii llav ..

Kitiivi. /ollni. liicl'

TiilHlni iinil KiikIUIi Hiiv. . .
KimllHli liny anil MIiIiIIk
llill

Ni>itlira«t I'lilnt

Ilallwiiv I'liiiil

Kiti.vi.'Zi.lliii, Ui'.r

Tiil.'<l«liinil Miilillii Hill

Uci'l'. /iihiii. Kiln\i

KnuliHli Hay and .Mlilillu

llill

Kiiiixi, y.oltiil, Keol'

I'lilal
inali'H
killi'il.

2(19
225
lU
21(1
1,497
92(1
880

Date.

1880.
.Inly 5
ff

NiirtticiiMl riiliil

Ilall'wiiv I'liint

Kilovi.'l.iikaiihi. /oltiii ...
TiiIhIiiI anil Mlilillr llill ...

...ill.

KiiuMhIi liav anil .Miililli'

llill

Kil.ivl. Z.iliiii, lici'f

NnrtliiMiHl. I Nil III.

Iliillwav roiiil

7(i:i

>-IO

1,204

7fi.'«

III

UtHI

l.dlH

15
111

HirJ

.-I. 279

:io

1.459

III

1,035

.ViiK.

1,7112

I.i:i7

,S«|.t.

2. .■.H2

1,0(12 1

:io

«, 2112

()■'(

1.516

Niiv.

i.74;i

.".,fil

2. 2117

Her.

1.022

9
21

2, 1174

Ni.v.

1. ;w«

7, 1(17

789

KlKll.l'

Lnknnln anil Kitovl

TiilHlni

rul^tiiiianil l.iikaiiln

/.iiltiii, Ui'i'l', I.nkaniii, Ki

tiivi

Tolnliii, l.iikanin. .Miilillu

Mill

/(iltol, Klliivi. I.iikiuiiii

Niirllii'iKt I'liinl

/oltiii. Kilnvi, liiikaniii ...
TiiIhIiiI anil Knulinli lliiv .
lii'i'l', /iilldi. l.iikauin.KI.

(n\ i

KnuliHli llav

Mnlillii llill anil I.ukanlii.

/.oltoi

Niirtlii'iiNt rniul

Hallway I'ninl

Zollol

ilo

ill.

... ilo

ilo

I.iikanid

Kii^iMmIi Hay

l.iikanin, lli'i'T, Kituvi

lU'ff

Siintliwi'iit Hay

N'mlliisiMt roiiit

Middle Hill

Knt;li.-'li Hay

'I'lilal .

Tl1«4ll

maba
killwl.

(Ml
1. 77
1.054

2,'.'21

1. I'JH
1,221
T. 07:1

817
l,7fl:t

2, (UO
1,8:14
2. 401

,'1:14
4'l
228
218
25:1
KiO
180
10.-I
2:10
•227
200
103

4.410

I, 1711

|:>
82
270
270

84, 779

MV. taKOKfJK IRIjAIVU. IN«H>.

Norlli I 14

Starnya A rtel I ZS

Niirtli 82

East 3:18

Niirt li mill Ktarava A rtel — 564

KasI „ 382

Soiilliwe.st Ilay '' 738

do '2.')4

Norlli and Staiava A rti'l. . .. 5,*i9

Ea»t :>W

SontliweHt Hay '2'23

North and Sta'rava Artel 1. 183

SontliweHt Hav ■ 518

Kant ; 814

SoiitliW(!.t Hay 839

North ami Staravu Artel 1, 322

Kast 1,770

Southwest ISiiy 840

Staraya Art el'. 808

North ,192

Kaat 9.16

Simthweiit Hay 961

Ninth and Staravu Artel 515

1880.
I .liilv

Aiif.
So|it.

Oit.
Nci\ .

Hit.

i!)n

Kast

1,483

1,814

049

':"

7
8

220

411

47
(12
M\
705
30
III
115
111

DiirliiK Hcasuu
North

!»

■riHhiM

1 I

1 Ndrtli

<l(i

North..

...

••

' North

<lii

/upiiihii

Kant

1 Zapniliii

■ ■ t

nie

lai

j Tntal....

20, 930

in latiT
isHlali am

Itav. iM iiliMitii'ul

with

IU> III

viarn. In

4. In <':ii-h t-Hsv i

III, other

like manner llalluav I'oinI and the later name Tolovina an- h\ niinymoiiH
tlie Kn);llHli ei|nivah'iit.

■'.SontliweHt Hay and /anailni are the sanie rookery.

'I A leoord was Kept of tlie animalH whieh were overrimie b> exIiaiiHlion, or aceiileiil, and had to he killeil and Hkitineil
on thu drivu. Fur thin geasoii, involviuu tku liaudUu); uf 20,000 sealH kiHpd, to nay uothiUK of thone driven and rejeeted,
the number lost Heema to have been 28,

,1^

I I

lit

■I r

TT'

200

THE PUR 8BAI-S OK THK PRIBILOK ISLANDS.

MT. PAI'l. IMI.ANU, INN«.

KiMiki>ry.

Sni I.lnii (SIviiti'li) UiM'k < .

Smith" cMt llav

Nurthi'UBt I'ul'iit

... ilo

SiiiitlincHt lliiv unil Kci'l'. . .

Nnrtlll'HHi I'oiiit

Ki'bC

...lid

TcilHtcii, Kiiuliali IIh.v.SuiiiIi.

«ii«t ll»v

lIllllWUV I'lllllt

Ui'if mill /oltiii

Kiitilisli Iliiy

I.iikiiiiiii, Uicl'

NllltllfllHt I'lllllt

Siinlli\vi>Ht Hiiy

NiM-tlirant Point

KiiuHhIi lliiY, Miilillo Hill,
•iNilHloi ..'.

Noltlu'HHt I'llillt

IliillHiiy I'liiul

Niii'tlii'iint I'lllllt

lifi't' mill /iiltol

Niirtlirast I'lllllt

KiikIIhIi lliiv, Miilillii mil,

Tolntol . ■

NortliiMiHt I'oiiit

Soiitliuent Hay

Norllirimt I'lllllt

KiikIihIi lIllVllllll 'I'ulHtol

NorlhciiHt ('iiint

Hallway I'liiiit

NiirllioiiHt I'liint

Zoll.il

Xortlii'iiHt roint

Ui'ef, /iiltol, EiiuMhIi Hay,

MilllllDlIill. TlllHtol

NortheaHt Point

.... do

Sunt li wi'Mt Hay

Niirtliriist Point

EuuIIhIi Hhv. ToUtnl, /iiltni.

XortluiaMt I'oint

llallVay Point

Nnrtlii'i'iHt Point

KngllHli Hnv and TolHtnl

NurtlicnHt I'oiut

Soiithwi'Ht Hay

NortlidiHt Point

Itwf nnil Zoltiil

KokIIhIi IIiiv anil Tolntoi

NortheaHt i'oint

Halfway Point

Norl lici'iHt Point

/<ilt<ii, I!«er. Liikanlu

Nnrtheaxt I'oint

Soiithwi'Bt Hay

Northunat Point

I'otitl
malra
klllwl.

K4 I

4l[ I

5 'i

900 I

41)

I, VI

5A'J .

1,32.1

21MI

IM4

214

427
1,343
1,166
1,116

ato

5«,'i
(<33
7fll
O.'il
376

1,064

371
l.HOI
l.lfll
1,007

A&t
1,770

95.^

1.55S
408

■J. 158

581

441
1,070

»2H
1.S03

704

49U
l.O.'.O
1,310
1.202

850

1,263
1.163 '
1.180
042
866
1,969
1,187
1,466

Data.

.riilx n

III

12
13

14
16

I.'.
Ill
16
17

17
19
10
20

'JO
21
21
22

Iti^t.
Nov.

Deo.

Aii«. 3
9

30
Sept. 6

ItlMlklM'V.

Kiiullali ItoT. Mlilill* HIM,

liilatol

Niiitlirant Point

Ui'i't', /iiltol, KItovi, Liika- I

Hill '

Halfway Point

.N'liit liiHiil Point

Noiithwi.»t Hay anil Hoiitli- |

wi'Ht Point

KntfllHli Hav unil Miitillo I

Hill '

NiirthnaHt Point

/.Iiltol, Ki'ol, KItovl, Liika- I

iiin

NortlidiiHt Point

Hultway Point

.Nortlii'iinl Point

SoiithwPHt Hay anil Hoiith- |

wi-at Point . .'

Noitlieawt Point

Href anil /oltoi

Nortliciwt Point

Kiitfllah Jlav, Miiltllu Hill, I

TolHtoi

Northi'HHt Point i

Halfway I'oint |

NortlieiMt Point

SoiithwcHt Hay anil 8outh-

wi'Ht Point..

Nortlii'iiNt Point

Kci-f, /oltol, l.ukanin, KI-
tovl

Norl hiMiHt Point

KiieIUIi Hay and Miildlu

Hill

NnrtheiiHt I'oint

Halfway Point, SoiitliwiMt

Hav. Liikanln,and Ziiltol .

Zoltdi

do ■

lifif

di)

Kerf and Liikaniii

Keef

....do

Tolatol

Itoot

Tolstoi

Total
iimlm
klllml.

inn

1,133
1.044

L.'iOl

1,442

1,074
tHI2

1,0,17
1*09
93V

1,013

2, 057
407

2, 312
753

3, 140
801

1,476
312

2.015
923

3.147

1. fl2.-.
058

1,993
76
l,'i2
134
96
148
148
148
144
152
768
445
900
711
379
289
380
191

Total 88,085

'The killings on SIviiti'li Ria'k m^ciirnnlv at Intervals In thn winter or oarly aprini^ when no aeals are Icf t on St. Paul.
The nntlvKH go to the Island In lioiitn. killing the seala and lirlnging the I'arrasseH homo tor l'oo<l. Noxeals nrb killid on the
I'oi'k in thit lireeding Hi-aHoii.

'The rehitivo niiinbi'v of driven liotweon ,Tiine 4 and •Tiilv 20 in thia year aliould lie niit«'d in contraHt to tlio niinilii'r
rei|iilrcd in 18H0 between -fune 1 and July 17. The exteuaion ol' tlin aenson'of driving ton days Ih aUo slgultli'iuil.

t It

■ «

411

DAILY KILMN08.

201

ItalK.

Mh.v I"
2H
•liiliv 8
14
III
14
17
'J I
22
211
24
'.'H
20
1
S
(I
7
III
12

NT. «4KOR<4K IMI.AIMU, INM4t.

Umikory. niHlea Date. | lt<iol(er\.

.Iiilv

KlIHt

Norlh

('ii|iliiri'(l nkliiH

/a|>iiiliil I'lHiil HkiiiH

SturaMi Ariel, Nortli. Kail..

/H|iuilni

SI rnNtt Ariel, Niirtli, KhmI ..

/.U|lll<llli

Sliira.vu Arli'Iniiil Nortli

KhhI

/iipuiliii

... .(Id

Hliiruvii Vrti'liiiKl Nurtli

Kant .'

/ii|iailiii

Stiinivii Ariel anil North....

Kaxl ;

Stara.vii Artel and Nnrtli....
/a|>acliii

St. raiil.
Illeil on the

he miiulier

May 22
25
2M
:il

June S'
III
12
14
15
17
17
IH

18
IB

211
21
22

24
24

.Inlv

Total

niHlea

Date.

kllliil.

iMxe.

:iii

.Inly 14

1112

11)

l,«M

77U

2:1

i,4:m

A 111:. 2

8411

•2

742

IMU

■.':i

2HH

Se|it II

«;i2

(let. 211

482

•JM

021)

Nov, 8

."■lu;!

1:1

dSU

887

745

KhhI

Staruyn Artel and Niirlli

/apaclnl

Staravu Artel anil North

KaNt ■

Kant uiiil North.
Near(North).
<l<i.

KlIHl .

Nortli
Kant .
North

<lo.
Kast

North

Kaat

Periaheil on drive.

Total
loalex
killeil.

712
IHIU
H.'i^
.'i27
295
14
II

42
70
70

7511
24

527

MT. PAVIi laiiAWn, IMN9.

Sea I.ion'Slviiteh) Itock

Ueef

... ilo

Northeant I'olnt

Kwf

... (1

ToImIoI

Zoltoi and Ueef

South went hay

Halfway I'olnt

NortheaHl I'oint

EnKllHh Hay, Tolatol, Mid-
dle Hill

NortheHHt I'olnt

...do

Keef, /oltoi, I.ukanin

Si.ntliweMt Hay

\orthea«t Point

Knulinh Hav, ToIhIoI, MM-
dle Hill..'

Northeast Point

Keet'and Zoltoi

Hallway I'ointandLiikanin

NortheaHt Point

KnKliRhHayandMhIdlnHill

NortheaHt I'oint

Sonthwent Hay

NortheaHt Point

Keef, Zoltoi, Klt«yi

Norl hi'ant I'oint

Knglinh Hay and ToIhIoI...

NortheaHt f'oint

Keef. /iilloi, Lukanin

Halfway I'olnt

NortheaHt Point

Enulinh Hav, ToIhIoI. Mid-
dle Hill..".

Keef. Zolt<ii, Lnknnin

Nort heast Point

SoiilhweHt Hay

NortheaHt I'olnt

KngllHh Hav, Toli-toi. Mhl-
die Hill..".

NortheaHt Point

lieif. /ollni, Lukanin

NortheaHt Point

Kngliah Hay and Tolatol...

NortheaHt Point

Halfway Point

NortheaHt Point

Keef and Zoltoi

124
41
2:14
1:1.1
2U1
12U
!I47
782
340
MIS
1.0,-.4

1889.
July

1.181 ,
1,270 I

404
1,.'>«I

25:1
1,205

I,:i55

754 i

2,57H

1178

1,407

1,314

441

311

844

l.:i40

470

335

1,038

1,200

1,023

8.14

088

1,841
1,706
1. -isa
I 2,')5
l..')24

1,3112
376
814
914

1,314
641
654
80O

2,004

Aug.

Seiit. 9

(let.

Nov.

Iter.

18
21
27
27
30
II

Soulhweat Hay

NortheaHt Point

KiiullHhilayundMidilielh.l

Nortlieaat Point

Ueef, Zoltoi, Lukanin

NortheaHt Point

Hallway I'oint and I, nkaiiiii

Nort hei'iHt Point

Lauoou. Knulish iiav, .Mid-

iiieiiiii ;

Nort heant I'oint

SoiithweHt Hay

NortheaHt Point

Keef and Zoltoi

NortheaHt Point

KngllHh Hay, Mhlille Hill,

I.ukanin

NortheaHt Point

Keef Zoltoi, Kitovi

Northeaat Point

Halfway Point

NortheaHt Point

KngllHh UavainlMiddlellill.

NortheaHt Point

frioutliw ent Hay

Nort heaat Point

/oltoi and Lukanin

KngllHh Hnyaud MiddleHill.

NortheaHt Point

Halfway Point

SSoutliwcHt Bay

NortheaHt Point

Zoltoi

Lukanin

Zcdtoi

..do

ToIhIoI

Zoltoi

....do

...do

Lukanin

Zoltoi

TolHloi

Keef

Zapadni

Keef

/apadni

Total 16,436

1,0ll6
793
3, 1186
1,838
1,011
I. \M
1,031
048

2,046
1.282
2,017

H34
1,013

243

1.043

3.''>0

1,122

740

1.384

610

1.756

680

1,483

1,105

1,643

1.624

97:1

015

.•i:)8

IliU
163
131
141
179
141
Mil
I117
I2U
103
132
1,160
1,460
347
192
111
24U
24:1

I'otal 87,304

' The driving lu thin Heaaon wiih not eHHentially dilferent from that in 1886, except that it wan eontiniied until the 3lHt
of July. That what was dittienlt in 1886 had not lieeonie an impoHHlliility in 1880 waH owing to I he fait that in the latter
year tlie Hi/.e of nklnn to ho taken wan lowered, ho that the y<Minger bachehifH down to the yearlinga were taken, Kveu thU
resoui'i'v failed In 189U.

202

THE VVU SEALS OF THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

>il

fl ! II

«*t I

MT. 44BOKOK

■ MI.A.'VII

. INMtt.

Unti

4
10
17

l.-(
■-'1

•ft

24
25

27
2!l

tt
H
111
12

i:i
1.^
Hi

18
Ml

28
11
11
i;i
111
17
17
18
18
20

23
23
24
24
2',
2.-.
211
27
27
28
28

:iu

:iii

2
3
3
4

7
H

Uooknry.

Tolal
niali-H
killi'il.

1
60

i.'.n

207
244
773
176
284
."lOO
4116
223
42!l
187
27.-.
418
22!l
27U
1U2
667
.171

1,021'
4',ll

l.l40

nil

110
116

374
182
317

16
1117
274

78
3311
438
202

(HI
521
170
426

2iir. 1

288 1

186

117
3116
2311
2IMI
70

2U«
08
246
131
242
!I6
183
180

404

321

!(38

411
336
281
379

llato.

Rookery.

/.apailni

N'nrib. KaMl.Staraya Arti'l

Total
inali'H
kilM.

18HI
Miiv

1880.
.Inlv 22

2:1
24
2,'.
27
28
2!l

Auk. 10
hi
M

Si.pl. 7
21
30

till. 11
21

N- . . 6
12
25

500

ilin'ii

i:a.sl

628
279

... llo

Sliii-uva Ariel, North. Kant.
KaHl.

North. KaMl,Staniya Arti'l.

1,430
042

568

,>5

,16

606

477

Nni'tli ami Staravn Artvl

.North. Kaal.Starayn Artfl..

llo ...

IJlKt

.Inlv

.Siuniva .\rli'l iiiiil Kiwi

Niirlli, K'-'. ^iiiiraya ArU'l. .
/'.pail III

Niirlh

ill)

s»";,iva Arlvl . .

,*.i 1 ' h. Ka.st, Stura.va .iVrtel. .
/apailni

North

, .,lo

Niirlli. Ka^i. Staraja i^.rtwl..
/.apailni

llo

starava Arttot

Viirlli. KaHl.Staniyu .\ri«l

Total

mm*.

|- .„,r,

.Ni.rlli. i-Jisl.Stui-aya Artel..

.Sta Lion (.Sivntrh) Hock

llo

I8WI
.Inn.
•Miiy

I8W
.Inly

A lilt.
Stpt.
Oct.
Nov.

Dpi-

.
U
9
lU
10
12

13
13
14
15

15
16

17
17
18
18
10
10
'20

21)
28

S.i

:io
11

13
22
29

4
14
22
20

8
10
12
14

MMitliwi'm Hay

NorlhfaKt Point

i{«i.r

li>:i
271

«l mil

Uvet 1

llo

Nitrthi^aHt Point

11"

.liilv

Kuulish liay. Mlilillr Hill.

I'lilHloi. I.ukaniii. ivitovi.

lluttwiiv Point

Tulsloi

Iij3

|[(.,.f

•'11

Niirthi'i'mM'oint

Itn-I

6.18

III4

Tolstolaiiil Miilillollill ....
Ni>rtlu')ist. Point

Kutflinli Hay. Mhldli< nni,
lolnliii. I.okunin. KItin 1

Northi'llHt Point

■ .1

Poiovina, l.ukiiulu, Kltovi .

315

215

312

372

485

KnuliHli lliiv ami Liiknnin..

llo

405

2:111

]{i*rt'mMl Ziilidi

ItRPtanil /.oltaii

5,16

44*1

IlHlt'wav iNiiiil

KuIImIi ISav. MiilillK Hill
'LlllHtol. tvi> ivi, KiH^kv
1 . lint "

Nnrthram, Point -- .

I.ukaniu

Itwl

South w»'Mt. Ha \

7811

Kimlixhltav ami MMillr Hill.

5.1(1
1211

Kt't>l'

123
124

ToUloi. .Miilillo Hill. Kiiu.
Ii.<li 13i)\ Kilovi.

H«t

ih) .

1.15
III!

Noiihi.aiil. I'liiiit

Kirf

Nortlii'aMi Point * .

IIalfwa> I'liiiit

I.Mhahiii

ih>

Miihiioiiiu!rrr! .'"'."!. ""'.'.

!I3
lUI
|0<l

l.nkanin

MiiliU.. Ilill._.

11)9

SiHltliweiil Itay

114

llo

O.'i

'l'i>l..<loi. Kniilinli Hay, MM.

ill.'IIill ..

Norllii'iiMti I'oiiil

llo

134
515

Kwt _

llo

Mhlilli'HIll

1180

lii.( 1 ..

.136

Norllii'iiHl Point

324

KiiuIhIi llav. MiilillP illll.
TolHioi, l.iikaniii, Kitovi..
NnrlliiMiHt Point

255

Keel

ToUl

283
21.92U

NiirtlieaMi Poiiil

n
I*

>Tho rnntniHt litTr vi^ililc Ut^t uttrii Ikhm umiI IHtht is hy no ini'iiii.i ti tnt^aHiiro of rorrcHiHtiKlin^ ilci rcaHt- in tin' Itrt'cilini;
ht*rt\. Tlx' t'lo I irt (hat tho tlrtiiioiiH i|iiota oi IMHU whm until*' itp larudv ol viMirlJiii;^- u iiji'li hi*liMiut>il |ir(i|ierly to tlin i junta
nf IHIH. In \\k^ nni liner I)m« i|niitii of iHHtt mttl tlii> |>rti-i-ihnu veHr hail laru*-iy ahMorhi'il rhi' Ic'^itlinati^ quota of ]HW) It if*
(irohnhli* (hat had (hi' ((nntjt l»pi<n n'lliit'i'd in |im|iort<toii to iho (iBcrtuuiinK hiitli rati*, and Ihmmi ooiiHui'il to the regiilur mi,*»»
<d aiiJMiaU, till' normal <)iio(a ol IHHO and IKim would tmvo Ihtii htitwm-n 5(>.<HKI ar'd fiil.titHi,

"In thU \i*ar driviii); lor tJm ^ftaHon wan rlotuirioii .Inly t!ti l>y nnlrr of Ihi- linvi'rninont atccnt, It l>fling i-vhliMit Ihnt
the lull (|tiotn 'if (lO.uuo riUiua loiihl nut bu Hcciu'ud, urou luct jiuv uouttidt'rahlL' immhir m ailiUtioii to thoai' tukuti pnor to
that date.

DAILY KII.LIN»i8.

203

MT. <.)KOH«>li IMI.A^VU, I0>1M».

iliiti»

!!9le.

1890.
Mftv Vl
23

•",

lli
18
19
'.MP
^3
■J5
28
;io

I
:i
5
7
H
M
II
12

.Inly

li<K>k»T\.

Totnl
iiialert
killi'd.

Xortli '

(Ill

/upiiiiiii

Noilli

KlIHl '

North ]

KiiHt ami I jtllo KaHl '

/i>|iuilnl '

8tuni\;i Arti'liiihl Xnrtli ...'

KiiBtiiiril l.ittlu KiiNt I

Sluriiyii Artel mill Xnrtli ...'

/a)»i(liii

Kuxt mill l.itllii KiiMl i

Stnrn,\'ii Ar-tol tiiiil North ...I

KiiHt iiiiil LittliiKiHt I

/apailni j

KaHtiinil l.iltlH KhmI

Sturiiva Artel anil North ...\

KlIHl '

Starava Arli*l aiitl North ...
/ttpuiliii

Date.

18(10.

.Iiilv

ir.

Ill

IIW

■-'11

•J18

'-0

Ant'.

IHI

l:i

:iii4

■-'1

1H4

:!0

IX'.I

Si-I.l.

(III.

•SM

.'i7

311

Nov.

.",

lii:i

Kit.

1U3

r>3

Uooki-rv.

ilo...

do ...

.III...

ilii ...

ilo...

ill. ..

ilo...

ilo ...

ilo ..

/.apailni .
ilo . .

Totnl

nialr.s
kllleil.

Kaat

.stHrayii Ariel anil North .

Kaal '.

Staraya Arlil an I North .

/aiiailni

.North

ilo

ilii

132
\\:>
71
041
-.27
«7
.'i2
42
.Vi
03
18
38
32
42
TiU
.■i7U

7U
147

Xotitl .

0, 139

MT. PAI'l. IMI^A.'VU, IM«I.<

1891.
Mav l.-|
211
•I iin

.Inlv

1W1.
Mhv

Jiilv

K.'il

.... ih>

/apailni

/apailni ami IIih'I'.

NorlhiMiHt I'oinc ..

/apailni

Northeast Point ..

Miihllo Hill

NorthcaHt I'oint ..

HiM-r

Sonthwi'Ht Hhv .. .

liii-r

.Miihllo Hill

Iteel

.... ihi

.Ill

233
114
41)3
718

1,112
428
4311
232
800
842
I8H

1,027
119
21.1
40(1
IMI
121

1801.
July 1

Aiii;.

I
Nov.

Ii.i

i.iikanjn

21 .Miililh' Hill

27 . ilo

3 li.ef

.'> Northeant I'oint

III l.iikanin

2 .Miilillr Hill

ii /olloi

U .Miihlln Hill

I'.l ilo

I NnrtliiaNl I'oint

24 Miihl

J.'i Heel'

211 il

Ml'. tJKOHtJK ■MI.A.\I», IMWI.

North

F.HHt

Norlh

North, Kant. SlnravH Artel..

/apailni .

Siarava .\rtil

/apa<)nl

Ka«t

North

Kant

.Starava Artel....

North

ICaitt

North

KaHi

17
23
H.l
442
274
lUI
23,'i
48
2,'i

uri

.'.4
.-■4

122
ITH
248
118
407
Hill
31

:i7

142
188

le Hill

133

102

1112

heaat I'oint

Total

0, .-Nil

1891.

.Iiilv 24 North

2.'i HaHt.anil Lillh* Kimt .

.ViiK. I Norlh, anil /apailni ..

11 . ill)

13 KlIHl

17 <li>

Si'pt. 24 N irlli

(let. 23 ih)

28 Staraya Ariel

Nov, IK KiiHl (hv iiiaraiiil(*rfi). .

23 North .'

Kor watriinien H looil .

Tolal

181
20
».1
83

30
104

.401

' The veai'H 18111-03 rover the periiHl ol I he iiiihIiih x'i\eiiili iliiriiii; wliieh laiiil killing wan liioiteil lo the noiniiiiil liunre
of 7,t'>4NI MetiU a \ear to 8ii]iniy tiHiit lor the .VIeiils. The exeeMH over this tiuni-o in 1801 in iliie to the t'ael thai t'le Hkin^
taken prior to the iliite ol the ii>:n-einent, •lone 1,*>, were not inelnile<l in the liiiiiteil i|notn allowed, this Iteiiii: helil hy the
affeitlH lo (le^iii on the ilate nt the ajfreeiueiit. .\s a resnit of tins iin.iuee.ssMr\ reiilrit'tion of lauil klllinu; the riHikeriea are
uow jsruxiily o' enluvkuU with bulla.

viilent that
ken prntr t,o

204

THE Kl'K SEALS OF THE I'RIBILOK ISLANDS.
MT. PAVI. INI.AND, 1894.

l>ut«.

liiiokorv.

Tiital
inalen
killed.

I >»!<'.

Kuokery.

Total
iiialt'H
killi'd.

1892.
Mnv 10

Koel'

1892.
K3 Aug B
155 Nov. 11
128 12
132 10
119 22
497 22
489 26
450 28
534 Dec, 5
274 16
403

354 ' 16
293 I
320

24
.10

<lo

l{e.f

Tolstoi aud Middle Hill

Middle Hill

111
151

Jiiiii* 10

/oltni

143

Reef

Ueef

Zauadni

Hall'wHy Point

25
JlllV 1

Middle) Hill and l.iikaiiin...

lieit

MiddluHill

Zidtoi

158

113

/apadDi

Jteiif

Zapadiii and Northeast
Point

Aui;. 1

Liikaiiin and /olloi

Middle Hill

Halfwav Point

Total

Middlt'Iilll

5,009

MT. OKORfSK IMI.AND, ISOil.

1802.
Mav 14

20
ililliu 2

H
15
22
.■III

7
14
21

•I iily

(»(it. 20

Xapadni

North

. .. do

KilHt

Staraya Artel

ICaatiind Little Kant

Starava .\rtel

Eaat.'

Staraya Artel and North . .

East. .North, near, and Sta-
rava Artel

Norrh

North anil Kant

North, KaHt, and .Stnrava
Artel ...

1892.
^U■t. 25 ' Zapadni

26 I North, Kaat, and Staraya

Art.l

North

Staraya Artel

Kast .'

/apadni

North

Ejiat

Kao<l fo7 wat4'lunen for aea-
Hon

Total .

30
.50
15
.53
.54
II
54

2,502

■■i 1 ■•■

Mi!

MT. PAVI. IHIiA.KD, lMf».'t.

1893.
May 10
.1 lllie 1

July 6

6
10

10
14
17

Koef

192
147
14
305
471
738

489

171

3
215
IIH

1893
.iQly

AuK-
Nov.

1
1

21
27
2
5
7
2
7

14
22
27
30

T'lkanin and ZoUoi

1,044

252

25.5

173

208

188

l!v watehnien

Heel'

liorbaieliai'id l.uknnin

T(dKloi

/oltoi

Zolt«i.-'

Northtuiat Poitit

Midi'lnHill

Keei

Keef .

Ijdkanin ....

Tolntoi

Nnrtlii'URt iNiintund Snath-

For watchmen to date

Total

Midillelliil

,5,500

Hallway Point

NT. 4i)BOR(JB IMI.ANU, INW.I.

'J!!

k
(
I

1803.
Mav 20
29
June 12

21 j
26
8 I
15
22
2!l

.Tuly

starava Artel

North

.... do

Kant

North and Staraya Artel. . .

Kant

North

Staraya Ariel and North. . .
Kant.'

49
132
107
278
555

92]
171

1893.

Oet. 20
23
27

Nov. 6
17

North 30

Zapadni 77

EaHtaiid North 47

North and .starava Artel.... 38

do 31

K 1 for watehinen 44

ToUl 1,880

..J

DAILY KILLlMiS.

205

MT. PAi;i< inL.AND, 1894.

ItaU).

1TO4.'
Mm »
23
:il
14
ll»

a:i

•-'5
4

JlllH'

J Illy

A
l:i
17

UtHikiTy.

Tilt II I
iiiiili>«
killed.

Sea I.ion (Siviitnh) Itock 87

Tiilxtoi anil Koi'l lut

(iorliatcli 141

Ki'ef 1,21.1

ToUloi ttiiil :ili(lill« Hill .... 541

Zaiiailiii I i.'i»

LiiKanin ! 55H

Zoltiii 1 987

Nurtheant I'uint ; 869

ilii I 917

Ilalt'wRy I'liiiit 1 r>2'.>

I.ukaDi'ii I 2.11

/apadni 014

Uwf 1 1.177

Uate.

1894

Jiilv

2:1

2.1

:iii

Ali;^.

X.iv.

2>l

D.M.

ItiMikvry.

ToUl
nialea
killed.

Norllirast IViliit :I70

ilo 1,02.1

<lo 909

Mi.lill.< Hill 1.14

llall'wuy I'liint 287

Ui'of...' 272

Miilillc Hill i:t2

U.'i'f ! 147

Tiil»tiii and Itfcl' i 87

.... ill) I 218

TdlHtiii. I.iikaiiiii.aiiil Iti'i't'. ' 474

For wati'liiiii'ii tii ilutu 80

'i'lilal 13,298

MT. (JBORCiK IMI.AND. IN«I.

1894.
May 2:1

JlllM' 8

July 2

lg9S.<

May 27

June 1

II!

2fi

Julv

3
»
10
13
17
19
22

North

llo

KttHt

.Slarava Arti'l.

/.apailni

Ka.sl

Stanivtt Artul.
.North.

1894.

411

July 26

126

Aug. fl

I'M

(let. 20

468

2«

303

Nov. li

181

249

Zaiiailni I'lt

Kittle KuHt anil North IS2

Nnrlh SS

Kaal 19

North 38

Wati'hiiiou'it food for .si.'anun . 62

Total 2,972

(tT. PAVI. IHIiA.'VU. IMW.V

Watchmen, Kortheaat I'oint

Rwf

Watclinii-n. NortliniiHt Toiot

Reef

VVatchiuen. Northrant J'oiiit

Tolntiil

Wuti'linien, NortheaHt I'Diiit

NorthitaHt I'oint

Ueef

Ilairwuy I'oint

Knglinh Hay

JCaiiHiIni ...'

LiiKanin

Northeaiit I'oint

<lo

Korf

HallVay I'oint

/a|iHiliiT

NurthcaHt I'oint

181t.'i.

li July

184

1,061

I.U"

S75

751

861

364

!t60

431

1,138

321

8.14

827

Auk.

Cit.
Noy.

10
31

9
12 1

I>.i

26
1

II
12

I.ukaniii

Keef

Walrhnifn to dati'

Watcliiiii'ii

Miildlf Hill j

WHti'liineii i

Tolstoi I

WiilrhhiHii !

Kwf ,

Middle Hill |

Wati'hnieii

Keef

Wuti'hiiK^n

Hei'f

Tolstoi

Iteef

Watcliiueii

Total 1

286

185

3
106

6
l.'iM

ii6
4

7H
III
127
81
1611
9

2. 324

HT. «i)KOK44K IMIiAIVU, IMW.l.

18IIS.

May 25

Jiiiio 3

8
II
21)
22
30

Jnlv

Aiiu.

lirtMit Kant

North

.Slaruya Artfl

/ii|iauni (by liuardl

(treat and Little Kaat

i'.apadiii (liy Kiiard) ... .

North .

/.apiidiii

Xnpadni iliy Koarili

lireatand LitlleKaHt

ZH)iiidul (liy ijiiard)

.Starava ArleTand North.

Zapadni (liy guard)

do '.

Hi
2»

139

4S3

471
2

1.16

232

538

270

1895.

Oct. 1.1 North ;

19 /apaili.'i (liy Kuardi 1

21 North 2ii

23 Zapadni 18

26 Zapadni (liy Riiaril) 3

29 North , 16

Nov 2 Zapadni (li\ giiardl 3

2 Kant '. 27

n Zapadni (liy guard) 2

12 North 8

17 Zapadni (hy Kuard) 4

26 North ....'. 30

Total 2.522

I The reduri'd niiniborof drive.H to Ih' noted in Ihixand the followiim yrar «a» due to the ail inn of the Tn'iwiiry aKentu
Inllinitint; the niiniluT of driven from eiudi rookery to two for the aniHon. Thin niialakeii poliey wan followed to avoid
the Hiip|ioni>d iiuuriouH I'tl'eitH of ilrlvinK. a ooneeHiihin nliieh '<hoiild never have Iiim'II made. Ihe ntmilt wan a diuid
VHUtaKe rather tlian nil adviiutaife to the herd.

» See note to 1894 Hern aKAlu the driving ^va» limited to two drives at lonj; iiitei vaU in the le^iilai ni'ar"iii.

206

TilE Flit SKAL8 OF THE I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

NT. PAll. IMKAIVD, INIM.

Dull

IHMl
Miiv

i:i

28
H
lU

2;i

24
27
21t

:i
n

7
H
11)

i:i

IlooKt'ry.

Sen l.ion (Siviili'li) liiH
'loUloi

•k....

Total
male*
killi'il.

121

102

141)

28a

1,414

l.4(IK

2.(i7t)

i,;it»M

1.100
I,5:i5

7H4

1)111

1.271

1,04.1

Dal...

.Inlv 14
15
Itt

■iii

Oil. 15
Der. Ill

NnriliiMidt
\Wi'i anil >
TolHtol. M
ISav

iioki ry.

'I'lilal
iiiali'H
killiMl.

Igflfl.
1, 161)

Iidtni

ildlellill. Kn

KliHll

H4B

>liini>

Hftf

/oltoi

1 i:iH

NorOirasl
.... ilii . .

I'oiiit

80H

ilo

1,047

Kcil

KduIUIi llav, MMillit

Tolttloi

Nllrtllllll^'t. I'niiit

liilV

rolnvinu..
Uiikniiiii.
liipl'....

M'l

Kilovi, /olioi,

l.llllil

•I Illy

Miililli' Hill. TiilHtiii, I

.iikii-

ill)

1121

For wiit4;liniHii to dale.

Ziilloi

Killed lor looil toilatx.

Tolul

/aiMicliii

INilox'iiia

lici'l'aiiil /Ciilliit

.•ill

i,54r.

MortlmiHt I'liiui

24. 617

MT. «>KOK<SI<: IMI,.4,\U, IM9«.

IMMI.
May

Jiiiii-

Jiilv

Nirth

.. do

.. .do

Eait

/»! 'idiii ,

Niiri:i and Staniva Artid .

KUHl

/iipailiK

Norlli ui. I StJiraya ArUd .

Kant and IJltlu KilhI

/.a|>iiili:i

Norlli and Ktura^.: Vrtcl .

1 898.
.Inly 21 Kaal...

24 North and Staniya Artel .

Oit. 20 do

21 /apudni

31 WaliliiiMn

Nov. 2 Norlh and Staravu Artel .

14 WiililiiMiii

28 do

:iu Nsrilip.id M.iraya Arli'l .

15
40

100

.-;«

5118

ug»

804

:i:i;i

700
614
221

487

Total .

221
:i08

i8
6

8
17

0, lil7

Ml'. I>.%l'l. IMI.A.'Vn, IMW7.

1807. »
Mar ?
17
11

May

.1 iini'

July

Siviiii li n.i. !:

Tolntoi

UlKf

/aiiadiii

/oltoi. lint'. I.iikaiiiii

Tolxloi. Miildlo Hill, Kng
HhIi Hay

Nortlie».s't I'oiiil

.... do

I.nkaniii

Ki'vl. /.oltoi

TolHtoi. Mldillo Hill, Kng
lixli Hay

Norlhi'aHt I'oint

I'olovina

I{('«t'. Liikuniu

1!)
211
90

:i6

402

708

1, 1108
71H)
7011
208
703

1,230

1,713

456

804

1807.
July

Aug,

NortlienBt I'oinl

/Caiiadni

Middlo Hill, KnuliHli liny..

Ki'i't'. /oltoi. I.iikanin

Nortlii'iint I'oint

I'olovina

Keof, I.iikanin

/uiiadni

TolHtni, Middle Hill

Norllu'iiBt roiiit

I'oiovina

Kei't', I.iikanin

Miiidlu Hill, Kiii!li.Hli Hay .
Keef

Total todati) —

1.241)
SHtt
21)7
!I88

1,H22
274
.V.'e
,M4
199
268
270
108
418
101
172

>16,bb:i

•SI

.'I

' InthiH vtMir iiMiit' nurtiial ttriviiiu wh.-i |)uriiiittr<l, hut <lio inrrciMed i|iinta is mtl \v)in)l\ ilnn (o tliiii I'urt. lu the
HOiiMoii ol' IHlMt till' haiiliiiu uniunil^ t't'lt tlio beiielicifit ottVrtn u!' tin' »ior/uA- rivfmli at' tHtflt. Nii piiprt HturviMl toilfatli in
that Mi'annn anil iIm> n^siiM wiim u lur^ui' pntportioiior MiirvivoM. A pnrt, uIao of t1ii< mimiIh which tlii« liiniteil oponittolis
nl' I'^iri I'liiU-*! to Mr4-iiro wrri' iloiihtlcMH tiiki>n into thi' i^iiotii of I89A.

''ThiM|uotii of IHU7 wiiM h'ft 'aih'Hiiiln iiiiiliMihriliri't'tiniini' thr tniinniHHion, ami tht' ilriviim wan nlaiiiii'd with u vh«w
lo making lhtM|iiota rrpn^Hciit thr hiU priMliitt of the liauliim Kroniitls. For tht« naiuu roaHon thr killiug was (ontinneil
into AiiKiiHt.

^ I'hiH total, UH writ a: ""it t'ur St. Uuurgt' Uluiid folluwiug, duua nut luolmlu ^iich avmla ai may have Iwrii kilk'tl lor
tood iu thi) full uf Ibu your 18b.-.

SUM.MAUY OK KIM.INOS.
ST. UKUHfJK IMLATJU, IMW7.

207

l)at».

lKtf7.

XI uy '.':i
June t
i:i
1«
lu
'.'4

lloiikt>ry,

July

Ni.rlh

EHHt

Wiitcliiiien

Kiist

WntcliiiiiMi —

/iipiiilni

Wjitfliiiipii. . . .
SlaniVH Artel.

WiitcMiiien

Kaat

Total
iiialfH
kilM.

45
4

I'lii
4
2

1411

70
4

•J27

Ilalr.

Kuuk(>r\ .

IKU7
.Iiil\

A UK.

1(1 I Walclmii'ii

Ill Stara\n Ar'trl anil North .. .

Ill Kiist .'

Ill /apaUiii

-'J KaHt. North anil Slarava

Artrl :..

:il \Vat< hinrii

J i;n»t

4 North Hoil Stariiva Aril I.. ..

10 Watiliioi'ii .'

lu V,»h\. North anil Staravu
Arti'l

I Total loilatv

Total
iiinlo*
kllliMl.

JXt
■.'1)11
lOH

.i'M

III

170

ifl;!

L'II7

,:!07

SiimiiKini of Mill killinf/Hjor all itiiriioaes on I'ribilof UlaiKla, J,SUi-l,S!)7.'

I)Hta.

,>t. I'aill.

1870
1(71

1872
1873
1874
1875
187«
1877
1878
1870
18811
1881
1S82
1883

15,314
8I.HU3
81.81'.!
81.1187
08, i:i!t
84, 'Hid

83, ITiV
07,810
88, ,'iMI
88, L'21

84, 77P
8:i, 774
70, 834
113, •.'II.')

St.
licoriii'.

8. 4.W
•Jl. ir.7
27. (KM!
27. 1110
12,44«
1 1 . MM)
11 .'•idO
lA, 5(10
'/(), 804
'.'2. IIH)
L'0. 113!)
21.281)
U. 1178
10.214

I'otal.

'23. 773
102. INK)
1(18,810
100, 177
1 10 .'i8.'i
KM!. 4ii()
04. fi57
84.311)
100, 3'.'3
110.411
10,'>, 718
10.\ 0«3
911, 812
79, .'iOO

Date.

1884,
1885
18Hfl
1887
1888
1880,
181)0
IHUI
1802
18113
1801
1805
181HI
18'J7'

SI. I'aill.

M.
88.
88,
811,
81).
87,
21.
0,

r>,

5,
13,

I'A

24,

Hi.

8ni

880
(IH.%
111)2
27(1
304
1)20
.-170
1101)
5IHI

•208
324
.117
003

St.
( ieoi-;:i.,

1(1. .'i73
1(1,144
lfl,43(i
1(1, lillH
17,1.34

«'. ?31)
2, 4(11
2, 502
l,KOil
2. 072
•' ."(•*•'
fli 137

olal.

111.1,434
10.-1,(124
104. ,V.>1
10,1, 7IKI
103. .104
102. «I0
•28, 0,10

r2, 010

7. .111
7. 308
l(i, ^.'70
14,846

311, 1)54
10,200

I This talili' Imluilrs all loali's liiUiHl lor any iiiir|ios« mi Ihi' tslaiiils, jiiipi ^,

totalH hiTi' ({ivrn ain taki'ii fin llir ywir lipginiiliii; January 1 am; fniliiiK

. . . . , Htajjy ..(eaU killiMl liif I'oiiil :iiiil ufalH wliimo

akiimwuro not acci'pleil hylhr Ir.sjici's. Th« totalH hiTi' ({ivi'O aro taken lor the year
Ui'i'enilier 31, anil iherelore ilo not loirnaponil to llie totalB an repteaeiiteil liy theiiiiota.
'I'll ilatc of .ViiKiirtI 7 on St. I'aul; of Autjost 10 on St. (leorcu.

Jlevord of killiiiiiH on \orllie(iKl I'oiiit (.si, I'niil) and /.•ipadi'i (St, Uton/i) lookerim, IS: l-l.^:!)7.

XoTK — These tliiiires are in part taken from tlio roreKiiiui; talilv of killinun. Where IIiIm lioes not ilialiimiiiHli the
riKikerieH eoneerneil. the informntiou iit taken froni the loi; of St. I'aul Islanil. T!ifi resiilu fnini this t ivii isnlateil iiHikerieH
are intereatiiiK anil important iu that they ahow the Hume rulativu eontlitions aa are ahown liy the her.! aa a » liiil...

I'aet. lu the

III ileal h in

III operatloiia

with u vh'w
lis lontiniieil

en kiUeil lor

Date.

Total

! /apailni.

Total

Northeast

I'nint.i

1871 4.840 •20,113

1872 5,104 •28,082

1(173 7,,107 •26,3711

1874 ' 1,436 31, ,1(10

1875 I, '204 3,1.181

1876 1 580 '20,014

1877 1 1,380 '20,'2(1B

1878 1 B,4'28 '22.1MI1,

1878 1 4,860 -.'0,212 1

1880 6,037 •2.1.86.1

1881 3.861 18.'J84

1882 21.482

1883 .1.'226 >13.423

188* 5,403 '23,068

Date

•Total
/.apailni.

188.1,
1880
1887
1888
\M^
1880
1801
181)2
180t
1804
1801
1806
1807

3. 873

4, 321
4,017
4, 003
4,01,1
1.330

50!)
1)2

481

■:87

1,122

21)3

Tnlal

Norlheasl

I'oiiit.

Ill, 132

26 111 1

•J!) 1102

31,834

28, 340

I (1, .182

2, 820

4,118(1

4, 103

1). 306

6, 321

^'11

'The average i|iii>ta fri.ni NorllmasI Point for twelve yeara (1871 to 1882) was '24,500, With very li i loser killinK

il only viehleii this year iihoiil one fourth th's amount.

'In this year iia well aa the your preeeding the iiuota was eontraeleil to ahiuit 8.''..ii(mi for i oiniin nial reason.'.

■ 1) ^1

'51

208 THE VVR SKA'.S OK TUK I'RIlilLOK ISLANDS.

/■'ill- »«((/» killed on Ihv inlaiiil of St. l'aul,for all pHrpoaei, from l,S7(l hi /.s'SH, liolli hirliiHin'.
|('iiiii|iil<'(l friiiii liiblcH iin Hie in the 'rruaniirv I>i'|iarliii<-iil.|

Vi'iii.

Si'jiU killrtl fur niitivcH' fwMl.

'•"P" TirrT

ScrIh kille<I for iikliis fur

TiiIiiIh III' bill lii'liirH killt'il,
fio('i>)ii(Ml, ami n',ii>rtt'il.

187(1 .
1871 .
I87a.
187;i .
1H74
1875 .
187(1
1877 .
IK7H .
18711
1880.

1881 .

1882 .
188 1 .
1884.
18H.'i .
1880.
1887.
1888.
188U.

2,800
2,877
r., 121
.'>, 480
4, 81(7
3, 745
:i,»58
■i, (K)7
.•■., 200
.'■|,071
4,413

2, 982
2,741
2.788
2, 824
2,177
2, 178
2. 280

0, 440

2, :)4i

0, »I0

2, (KKl
4,874
6, 282

4.041
4.718
,•■.. »70
4,400
", 5118
,1. 17.'>
:<, 108
11,907
3.184
3, 081
4, 207

3, 702
3,4110

SkiiiH

SkiiiN

ai-

rf-

ri'|)|pll.

.jcctail.

0.449

2,29(1

.'il

.-•., 30.1

l,.Wl

1, i:i8

892

4,22.^

649

6,784

498

3, 004

1,997

2, 853

1,188

3, 032

1,080

3, 898

2, 072

3, 408
0,008
3, 302
2. 194
2, r,82
2, .108

2, 480

3, 97.".
3, 700
2, 570

1,41K

1,470
1,813
974
l,32.'i
676
001
232
'(12
830

Itaclie.

liirs.

0,065

7.'i, .">85
09, 782
74. 408
88,308
84. 933

74, 138
.'>8,702 !
78,595 ;
77, 280 '

75, 900 1
76,2)6 I
74, aiB I
57, 145 '
82,213 '
82, 908
82, 180
82.708
80,330
81,712

Skiim

ar-
riipted.

6,017
74, 028
69,576
73, 884
88, 2.58
84, 800
71, 137
58,733
78, 570
77, 280
75. 872
70, 169 ,
74,581 ,
57, 070
82,080 I
82,868 i
82, 150 i
82,679 '
80, 314
81,098

KkiiiM

r«.
Jectul.

48
'.1.^7
200
.524
110

73
1

28
07
78
75
127
42
30
29
10
14

Tohil.. 67,,554 90,030 64,796 'J.''i.834 1,46:1,907 1,461,427 2,480

llai^lii'
liirH.

12. 514
77, 926
70, 098
70, 498
93. 242
91,215
79, 199
62, 803
83, 313
83, 2,50
HO. 366
83, 774
79, 834
00, 313
86, 120
86, 092
85, 201
80.015
84, 092
Ki, 112

.SkiiiH

ai'.
ccptiMl.

0,017
70,91K
74,941
75, 082
92, 483
90, (U4
77, 201
ei..-i8.'i
82. 202

81. 178
78, 020

82, 226
77,943
.19, 204
84,068
85, 374
84, KIO
H6, 0.54
81,014
84, 208

tSkiiiH
.Iwli'tl,

0, 497

1,(M)8

1,7.57

1.416

7.59

571

l,99n

1.218

1,111

2, 072

1.446

1, 537

1,891

1,049

1,452

718

031

201

S44

(iraiiil

(iiIhIh of

HealxkilU'il

I'iiihII piir.

|IIIHI'H.

1,-1,314
81.803
81,819
81,987
08. 139
91, 9tK)
83, 1.57
07,8111
88,519
88,321
84,770
83, 774
79, KU
63, 295
88.801

88, 880
88, 085

89, 092
80, 270
87, 392

1,5,54,537 1,526,212 28.314

1,022,001

Note — Thii abnvtt Htatenieiit iiii'liiilna all ai'ala killed frnni ftU caiiHeH, eltlicr intentiiiniil i>r acvidviital, inriilent to
tri' taking ol' »«al nkliis on tlir iiland o! St. I'niil.

/'(((■ main killed on the isUind of SI. (leori/e, for nil piirpoiirt, from 1S7(I lo tSS9, both inclusive.

[Conipiltxl from tablea on file in the Tr('uiur,v Urpartniuut.

S<-ala killed for natives' I'oihI.

Spain killed for Hkin» for
lewBepH.

Totala iif barlielorn killed,
aeoepted, and re.jertrd.

I V«ur.

I'UPH.

Hauh-
eliirs.

SkinH

Skina
re-

eeptetl, Jevteil.

1870

... 1,200

1871

1872

1873

1874

. . . 2, 090
. . . 2. 000
... 2,190
. . . 2. 446

1875

1870

1877 . .

. .. I,,5(MI

. . . 1, .500

1,500

187H

1879 .

... 1,.5(K)
1 . 500

1880

1881

1H82

. . 1.330
... 1.031

1883

1881

1885

1880

1887

... 1.(810
... I., 500
... 1,080
... 1.286
... 1,3.5(1

1888

1H89

978
... 1,071

237

2.56

, .532
.X43
702
812
483
475
345
319
544
.585

, 4119
512

Total.. 28,064 9,054

250 .
1.216

504

,505

509 I

371 I

408 '

223

304

413

471
1,321

280

316
279
137
303
112
7
122

15
131
114

88
232

llaclie
lora.

7, 2.59
18. 830
2.5. 000
25, 000
10,000
10,000
10, IHHI
14, 744
17, 772
19 .4!
18,907
19. 446
19,495
14. 739
14, 728
14. 745
14,000
14. 727
1 4, 047
13,642

SkinH

ae-
veptetl.

7,259
18, 830
25, OIHI
25,000
10, (KNI
10,000
10,000
14,744
17,772
19. 758
18,830
19, ,360
19,440
U, 075
14, 620
14,086
14, ,578
14,725
'14,582
13,641

Skins

Ilaclif.

.jected.

lurs.

7, 2.59

19, 007

25, (KM)

25,0(8)

10, (HM)

10, 000

10, (KK)

1,5,(8)0

19, 304

8.-1

2(l,6r<4

19,609

20,2.58

111,978

15,214

108

15, 073

15, 064

15, 1.50

1,5, 312

10, 0.50

14, 1,54

Skina

III'-
eepted,

7, 259
19,007
25, (H)0
2.5, (HKI
10. OOO
10,000

10, mio

15, (HK)
18,988
20, 322
19, 395
19, 869
19,811
15, 143
14, 843
14,990
14, Wl
1,5, 190
1,5,903
13,921

SkiiiH

re
ierled.

7, I98i 1,8.50 318.128 317, ,5,50 628 327.182 324,698

310
3(i2
214
389
107

71
23(1

74
159

153
233

(irand
tolalH of

seals
killed for
all pur-
poses.

8. J 59
21,1.57 -
27, OIHI
27, IW)
12. 440
11, 5(8)
11,500
10, ,500
20, 804 '
22, 19(1
2(1. 939
21.289
19. 978
16.214
16, ,573
10, 144
10, 430
10,608
17,034
15, 225

2,484 3,55,246

Note. -Tlie above statement IneludnH nil Ruala killnl fruiu all cauaua, either iuteutioual or awideutal, iucidout to tbu
taking of seal skins on tliH island of St. ()eort;e.

STATISTICS OK KlLLIN(i8 FOK ISiM).

2(»!)

Fitr Hinh killed on thf ishtnils of .S7. I'lnil and St. (ii'or<ie,J'or (til itiir^niKiH, I'min IK^o to
itSN.V, both inrliiHtrv, hciiuf a xummury of the two forciioitifi tnhhs.

Sl.l'aiil St.(icort;i

St-alH killca for niitlviV fowl :

Uiicht'loi'H

SrHU killnl Inr HkiiiN tor Ii'hhix'H:
IIiicIh'Iiith

Skiiirt luTcpti')
SkiiiH rrJiTtnl (I .

Totiil cil' liHOlii'liirH kill)')). iiu<-K|it<Ml, iiDil

lll.il'lllll:

llarlinlors.

Skillrt UC('*>plt>ll

SkiiiM ri'it'ctt'll II

I'lijiiiil tiiliil III' KcalK klllcil lor nil

NIanil.

(17, r.r.4
(III. fl.iii

114. Tlili

•J'l. k;i4

1,4A3,1M)7
1. 401.427

•i. 4811

1,554,5:17

l..VJ6,'J12

2H,:il4

piiri

lOsi-M 1, 022. 001

I.HJanil.

II, 054
7, I9H

:ilH. r.'H

:tl7,.MMI

«'J8

•Ml, 182

:i24, 1'lOH

2,484

;i,5S,34«

Tula I.

tW. «8I
7l,l«tt
•-•7, 7W1

1,778.112"
:i. KM

1,881,71'.)
I,8.'i(l.»lii

au, ;u8

1,«77,M7

a Wii liu\ I' hail orraaiiiii lii I'lill attcntliiii In llir wa»to nliirli tlienn li|{iirt'ii hIiiiw. iIiii- In llir killiii); nl' |iii|i<« anil hiiiIh
wliimoHkiiiH wi'n> niLuiiilalilp Inr iiHe.

Sfatiittirn of rvyiihtr killinijx for the iiiiota, IH'.XS.

NoTi:. -Tlii'.Hi' lablcH ri'l'cr oiilv In tlin iliivi'H of lli«'i'i'i.'iiliir killing HPamiii. Tlit^ totaN ilu mil im liiili' Ilir airiiiiiiilntiil
fiMHl Hkinx III' tliK iiiitiiiiiii ami Hpriiii: wliirli liiraiiii' a |iarl nl' llio iiiiiita rriiiii tliran lluiircH an iili'a nl' the rclallvK ili'^nw
of i'XbauHlliiii of the hauling uroiimls I'im' IIii- Ixmi HcasniiH can lir oblainril.

Sr. PAII, I.SI,.\NI>.

Date.

1896.

Knnkiry.

June 10 /iilto

20 Walrlinii'i

23 NiirtliHiist I'nint

24 ilo

27 Ki'bf

2i) . Kntiligh Oav. Miilillr Hill. 'I'uUtui .

July 2' Nnrtlieuit f'oint

3 ; <lo

i{oltiii, Liikanin

7 I Xniiailni

% ■■ INilovina

10 I Kii'f. Zolliil

13 I Niii'theaHl INiiiit

14 ilo

1!> Ki*f, Ziilliii

16 Tolaloi, Mhlilli' Hill, KhkHhIi Hay .

21 NorllicBSt roiiit

22 (In

21 roloviiia

25 (.iikanin, Kilovl, /.oltoi, Ifci'f

27 Miililli! lIllLToUtoi, I.nkiiniii

Toial.

AniniHlB
killed.

283

Kkjim'Ii'iI.

LiirKd.

Small.

I'rrri'iil-

iiK''
killi'il.

1,414

1,408

2. 078

1 . 308

1,3IMI

1, lll!> .

1,535

784

Hfll

1,271

["A 1 m™

849 548
1, 138 279

803 811
1.047

5'J2 44 '
I,0,'I8 40
037 35

,585 313

I,fi30 , 1.008

021 457

344 47

1,177 42

137 53

2,529

ST. (iKDKliK ISL.ANK.

189)1.

■lime 19 Kast

24 /apailni

20 North anil Starava Artel
'J» Ka»l

July 2 /.apailni

: North nnilStarava Arti'l

7 ' Kant ami l.itllo EaHl ...

9 : Xapiulni

13 Nortli ami Ktara\a .Vrti'l

21 ; Ea«t

24 North ami Mtarava .\rti'l

570

5IW

omi

8(14
333
700

r>i4

2'Jl
487
221

308

32
7li
72
112
68
5«
57
40
4li

15181

210

I'HK FUK SEALS (IF TlIK I'UIHILOF ISLANDS.

attUiiitiiH of m/ttl(ir killiiiffx fitr tlir quoin, IH'JT,

ST. I'AI I,.

Dull'

lHil7.

>llllll1 Ifl
18

2;i

;iii
I

.liilv

All-.

»
1:!
U
10
17
l»

•n

Zi
24
2A
27
29
111 I
III

ItiHikei'N .

Itc.f

/iiiiRiliii

/.iilliii, liri'l, mill l.iikuiiiii. .

Tolxtiii. Miililli' Mill, mill KiiiiIIkIi llnv

Norllii'iiMt I'liiiil .

... ilo

liiikaiiiii

lii'i'f mill /"lliii

I'lilstni. Miilille Hill. mill I'.iii-lixli liny

Niirtlii'swl I'liiiil

ri)lii\ iiiii I

lii-rl' mill Liikmiiii

Nortlii'iist I'liiiit

/ii|iiiiliii

Miilillit Hill mill lliiulUli liny

Liikniiiii. /nlliii. miiriti't'f

NiirlliKiiHt I'liiiil

I'lllllvillU

I.iikmiiii mill lii'il'

/nniiiliii

TiilHliiimiil Miililli> IIIII

Niinlicimt Piiiiil

ilii

Viiliivirn

Kri-r mill l.iikiitiiii

Miililli' llilliiiiil KiiKlixli Diiv

Kl'Bl

Total

ST. (ilCdRili;.

AliiiiiiilM

lii'.jfi

UmI. I

IVlreill-

ti)>i>
killi'il.

WflBliI

kilM.

liiirKK.

Siniill.

hKiiih,*

rninitljt.

4»2

144

(1,-.

;iin

1:10

211

"OH

,'..',(!

184

7.7

I.IKW

4112

211

114

7.4

Tito

:i7ii

214

7»3

28H

224

2IIN

1(17

tci

.■i3

1. 1

703

2211

I7S

7.8

1,2:10

.'(III

3II«

1.713

3,Vi
97

11,-.

(15
(IH

4R«

7.5

HI14

140
21(1

1138 '

noi

50
5H

1,240

SMIi

301

.ise

.53

7.H

297

IH(I

412

(HI

'.\M

'■Vi'

1.174

1 . 322

a(HI

2. 047

274

nil

(108

8.5

."■211

3,'-)2

l.:i8ii

7.4

.M4

4UI

HUD

8.3

lOli

221

54.-.

2AA

208
3K3

1,114

70H

III
20

27«

45(1

IIH

II.MI

1,410

nil

ISO

;i7(l

7.7

172

200

48A

2(1

1(1. 8! »

1807.

.riiiiH 16

10-24

.liilv 1

8-10

24 31

Auj;. 2

III

KDHt

Kiioil MkiiiR

/tipailiii

KoimI skiiiH

•Staraya v\ rtcl

l''oinl ilk ins

Kast

FoimI skills

Nnrlli Hiid Slnriiyii Arli'l

Kast

FihhI skint*

/apailiii

Kast. Ninth, anil Staraya Artel .

Fooil skins

Kast

North mill .Stai'a\ a Artrl

FihmI skills

Kast. Niirlli. anil Staraya .Vrli'l .
FiMiil skins

I, Ml

III

140

(i
253
209

4
104
.301
III
1711
l,'i3

Totul .

2, 142

HKCArrni.ATioN.

!I3

1.50

1
1

IB2

330

741

(115

0:hi

20
22

7.5
7

71 '

r.fl3

1,(120

7.3

002

]..

725

10 ...

1,343

St. Paul la'.aiiil

St. (ii'oryr iHlaiiil .

16.819
2. 142

':i

,•1

Total / MH, 9(11

I The total nnniber of nninialn rejiMtoil iliirin)! tho scaaon ran nut In' tnki'n as iiiiliintinK tlio nunilit'r of liai'liilorii rot
of killnlile aeeli'fl.as many of thrsr wrre driven several tiiiies anil many of the yonnuer Heals iloiihtli'SH ilii not I'onie tn the
islanils nt alldnringtliR killiii): season. The niiinll seals will he taken into the 'iiiiitasof 1808 anil 1800: the large Heals go to
swell the already overHtiuked reserve of lir)H'diii|; male life. I'litil this exeess of male life is reduced to nonnal i'oudiliuu8
au etfort Hlnmld he made each year, as was done in 18117. to evhaiist the supply of killalile heals.

'Theweijtht here (jiveii is that of 100 skins weijihed in lots of lOenrli.

^Tliia iuciniles all auiiuaU killed. The nkiiiH ot 131 aniuialH were rejected by the lesseeg.

liii!

LAM) Ahl) !SKA KlLLIN(i.

211

Statistics niintuliiifi land >in>i sen killinif, tS71-JS!)^,

Niit<". A Ntiiil.v <•(' MiJH tiililr rliMi'ly iiiilii'iittM the iliM'Iiii<> of tlio linrtl Hinre IH8I, dm innnHiirtMl on
itH liiiiiliiiK );roiiiiilH, iiiiil hIiows in the <'\|iiiiiNiiiii oC pelaKi*' Hoiiliii); the <'niiNo of thiM ihM'liiic.

Year.

1 I)tlt4« j Hauling NiiiiiIht
j iiiiotn ' tiriMiiiiln lit'

' tlllt'il.n ilrivi'ii.i ilriri'H.n

liclii'loi'n iMit
comr to til"

I BIMtlH S" t"

ll ciinilitiiiiis

1871 .Inly '.M

IMTa July :•:.

IH7:i .lulv 24

1874 .iiilv 17

1875 In!\ 111

1 S7« I' A 11 )! . 1

1877 I .liilv 14

1878 I .lul'v 18

18711 ' .Iiilv IB

1880 Iiilv 17

1881 July 20

188'J <l(> . ..

188a Iiilv IB

1884 July 21

1885 luly 27

1880 lulv 2«

1887 July 24

1888 July 27

188U ' July 111

1890 Miilv 20

1801 '. . . . .

1892

1 8911

1804 Aii({. 4

1805 July 27

I8fl« ilo . .

1807 Aug. 7

46
4:1
51
til
55
■M
44
54

78
UO
80
81
lUl
1(10
117
III!
1112

4a
au
37

a 7
ao
a2
a5
ail
a8
a4
ail
au

oa
74

Oil

111)

«•)

«■)

(<■(

I')

ai'

21'

Killi'il
III laiiil.'i

102, IMIO
108.810

109. 177

110, .585
100, 4O11

94. Iir.7

84, aio
iiio. a2a
110.411
105.718
105. INia
IK), 812
79.509
105, 4.T4
105. 024
104. 521
10,5, 7110

103. aoi
102,017

28.0.59
12. 0411
7,511

7, auo

10.270
14,840 !

/ao,it.54

/19, 2IHI

Kill.'il
at f*i'a.

10,911

5. aao
5. 220
5. 87a
5. oaa

5.515
5. 210
5, .544
8, 557
8,418
111,382
15. 551
10, ■•..57
10,971

2a, mil

28, 494

an. 028
20. 180
2». 858
40,814
59. ,508
4«, 042
ao. 812
01.838
.50. 291
43.917
24,321

a Tlii>s« licnri's riMi'r to tlii> liaiilini; (jroiiiiil.i nl .st raiil.

h 'riu>Ai« tntaU hicludti all nialcM killi'il for any tinrpoNr on tlii> hUiiiU.

r III 1870 tlio klllini: wan Ih>^uii al an iinii'^iiiil natr. .'«ajil In lio 011 arcitiiiil of an i*Ki'Hptlniial1y lali*

iMJliiHi'il liy oi'iliM* of till' a::('iit in charui-.
r Vt^nrrt of tlio inndiM vixi'iitli.

HliUll
IM'tM'lMlillg

./"'I'liPNO tlguri'i* an oriuiiially jiiiIiHsImmI (28.',MU anil 2li.89ii) in an a|i)M<ii(lJ\ to Ilit* r**iMirt of tlit- fur ?*oiil ronftTPiici' hit
tlv ill error Iniaiixu of coiifusioii iiHiilliiii; Iroiii an rlVorl lo rliininati' crrtjiin foml »kiiiH lakiii in tin' fall of tlir vi Mr

NOIKS ON I llRKIilllMi lAIII.K,

1. The fiutiips ri'lVr to the I'ribiUil" litTil,

2. The ilntrw fjivon tor the tilliiij; of thi- i|iiota rrl'er only to St. I'aiil Isliiiiil. 'rim huiiii' ih tr f

thi> iliitit ro<;!iriliiiK thf iiiiiiibrr of ilrivcH niiil hanlino ^ioiiiiiIk,

It. 'I'lio totiil.s for hind killiii); leprcHriit all iiiiiU's Uilleil for ;iiiy piiriioso — the tilling' of tin- i|iiot!i
iinil the supplying of fooil for the niitivrs. Thry thrrcfore inrliiih' pnpH iiiiil smils wIioko .skins were
rcjcrtnl liociiiiso .ttii;;y or othcrvviHo iinsiiitiilil.'. The tijjiircs urr tiiken from tlie list of il.-iily killiii;;s '
pri'|>itn>il liy (Colonel Miirniy, niiil. in in ronhinci! with the niotlioil uilopti'il liy him, tlicy hegin iiiiil riiil
\vith .liinnary instoail of with AiikhsI, the date nt whirli the quota is ht'gnn iinil emli-d.

4. Tlie totals for thr pchi^ic rutrli urr taken from the stiitistirul tallies - puhliHlieit liy thi>
Trt'iiHury lirpartinciit for IMIKi,

.">. 'I'ho latri' date iit \vliiih tlio (|ii(itii wiis lillrd in 1X7I-1S7;1 is di'c to the fact that in tliesc years
part of thr quota was taken tlie pin nlinn fall. After lH!t;t the re;;ular driving for the quota was all
done in .lime and .Inly,

ll. rroni the 1(1^ of the isliiiuls it would appear that the sea.son of IMTii was a ]ieciiliar one, the
movements of the animals lieinj; some two or three weeks hehiiid that of prei-edinj; years.

7. The rontraitioii in the killinj; mi land in 1M76-77 and 1S82-S;! was voluntary on the part of
the lessees.

t<. Ill lS!ll-lWtH liiiul killinj? was limited under the modus viveiidi. lleriiiK Sea \vas eloseil for
the same reason in 18!12-!1|{. hut peluoie Healin;; went on olf the Northwi'st Coast,

i). The tlriving for the year \X'M wiis closed on .July 20 by order of the Department.

' I'lilillslied to IS!(0 ill .Senate Do.-, i;t7, IW.""..

•• I'lir-seal iiiteli, season of IX'Mt. Treas. Dept. Doe. I!t32, 1«97.

rjr

♦II

*w ?

212

THK VVK HKAL8 nv THE rRIIULOF ISLANDS.

Ihiihf couniH of loirs.

Xote: ThoMf (•(iiiiitjt sliow cli'iiiiy tlic kcihIiiiiI ilnveli>iiiiii<nl oC iixiker.v |Mi]tiil!itii>ii iliiriiiK tbo
lirettiliiiK HiMiMiiii. riit> I'DWH lie-in ti> iirrivr nlioiit the ll^tli of .liiiio. Tlit' iiiitxiiiiniii of |iii|iiilutioii Ih
reii('h<-<l iilioiil .Inly l.'i, rroiii which *tiinf on thcro In i\ ki'"*'''"' ilt'iriMHO of popiiliition <liio to thu
longthuiiiiiK tilmunco nf the vown uii tbt'ii' food cxcnrBJoUM.

' ""• iiiTneiit. 'I

A mtthithfatfr of Kilovi.

.lime I'J

i;t

\i ! ij

I.I 1 J I

IB i :i

17 ! 4 I

18 «

19 1 7

•.•0 ! 8

21 9

n "j;!

2a :i7

24 , 45

2.'>... M

•» 711

27 105

28 l;i7 .

2I» Itig

ao 210

Julv 1 240

2 -.MX)

a ao2

4 414

5 499

n .'■■18

7 .V.O

8 5K.'.

9 '5X7

10 (1(111

U 7oa

Ill (ru

14 .1.1(1

15 To:i

18 mx

17 HltH

18 .>•.««

w .we

2IP 420

21 .'i28

22 4in

2a 481)

24 4(i5

25 42(1

28 4(ia

27 4(K)

28 304

29 414

80 427

31 :i75

liecnril i>f harrmit,

JlUH' 14 1

20 a

ao 10

.liilv H :i.-.

liffnrd
■Inly 13

>fhi

l>nf<-.

t'rf/itf— (^'tllltilllllMl.

Ciiwn
lirimmit.

25...

;

Jiin« 12 ..

.iikaiiin I'vukfrft.

103

131

176

2117

257

11)

•11

'JO

nas

.IlllV 1

880

939

1,197
1,264
1,371
1,531
'I..54I
l,«8il
1,75.'>

H ...

Ill

lit \.:.

1,841
306

14'

327
325

228

Ill

214

215

219

212

I8H

Jfl

157

2S ..

177

29...

149

ao...

127

ai...

124

< WentliiT clfliir: no Htnniin or mirl'. nxiept one ila.v nlieii rain fell. canHhiK ii larger iiiiMilH<r of iiiwn to take tii the
water luiil making it ditfinilt tuilixtiii^iniHli tliime iireaent I'rniii tlie lockit.

'Kain.

'After .Iill.v 14 it liei'iiiiic iniiKmsilili'. mi aci'oiint nl' the Hiatterinu nl' tlie iiiws, tn iniiliiiiii' tlii' riiiint t'lir tli Hire

riMiker.v withoiit too ^reut loss of time, anil »" a Heitinn iif 18 iiareniH «■«.•< HiiiKleil mit anil tlii' iniiiit rnntiniu'il on it.

BIWW^' ■

KKBI'.DINO 8KAI.S AND 1>KA1) I'l'I'H.

213

iiK tbo

itioii iH

to tbu

Cinuimrutin ceiiHiiM, ISIttl-'t; .

Note: 'I'lieHK l))(iir<tH r<>|)i'Hn«iit in ilutiiil tlit- liniil vNtiiiiiitiii ol'tlio CiiiiiiiiiiiHioii iin to tlic iiiiiiilirr of
brrmliuK srals mi tlic roiikuricH of tln' rriliilul' InIiiiiiIh for tbi; hcuhoiim in (|iii>Htioii.

Untlkd ^

KiUivi

IiHgdon

riiiiiviiiu I'liirH..

Ziiiiailiii lice I' ...

I.iikiiiiiii

TnUtuI

/.Bpiiiliii

UttlK/upiDllll..
(iOI'llUtcIl

AnligiiKii

Keef

Slviitili

I'uliiviim

I.lltin Puliivtiui .

\'tlHtlH'lllli

Miirluii

'I'liliil

Xorlli

UttleKaitt ..

K««t

Zapadiii

Htai'itya Artel.

Total

St. Paul...
St. tifiir(;t*

ST. CIKIIHIIK.

Ki';! Aiini.Min.v.

IMHi ID'llnlxli.

18117

llaroiiiH.

('<>»«.

lliirviiin.

I'llWd.

tl.04»

1711

r.. 2MII

I'.ti

-.'. 484

115

'.'. .'418

Mil

•2. 4IMI

■J, L'llO

i;ti

:i. twi

114

.1 Mil

4, MK(I

i:ili

4, l(Kl

4«7

I.'..5<I4

;iiu

ii..'ii»:i

:<w

IH. Il'.'7

458

\:i.:>]]

'Id

l,.'iH4

170

.V HI'.'

,»«

III.II2A

:i(m

1), U8)!

HIHI

:i;t

7:i<i

.-.01

111. 7;fJ

4.-.4

i:i.:i»;i

10.')

:i. 4HII

lO'J

il.lMJ!!

I.'i.'!

.'). II7U

u:i

4,'JI8

-IS

I.4U4 1

41)

1, INII

»78

:12, :i70

UKl

I'll 84,1

SKI

B, 7'.'7

•j;i:i

(1. 87.1

4. :i;is

1U7,6WI

:i. 858

liranil totitl

R»7

4.3:15

4,»;i-'

19,7litl

!», "(HI

1.-.7 405

BttU

n,gS8

.'itMl

112.804

•.'(10

ti.fUII

llHi

:.. 782

I.:i5ii

411

1 IVii

i:i5

4, 48Z

Via

;i. 77ii

143

4,747

i:i;i

;i, 92 1

2. 418)

1,(181

Iti, :i52

n2,8IV4

III. :i.''.2

4.41s

I'.'tl LMO

i'ltp xtatiHticK, 1S9() — Snmmnrn.

N'oti!: Tlio il)-u(l liuilieK of |iii|is woi'o oriuiimlly (.'oiiiili'il in August, Tlii-si< together \Nitli llie
acc('8Niou8 tbroiiKh Htnrv;itii>n uorr rfcuiiiitti' in Octolior, tliu t-arlier coiintM bi-ing (b-dnrtcil to
iletorniine the number Htarvoil. .\h thtt pi-rioii ..i Htiirvatiiui wuh not yot I'onipietetl, a fonnt of tlio8i'
plainly dyiiiK was inaitu, luul thuso are ileHitfiiutcil u.s " slMrving."

CA to tho

III' t'litiro
it.

liwiker.v.

ST. I'.MI. ISLAND.

I>MWl.

KItnvi...
Liikuniii .
Laeiwn . .

•rlJ-tni

I..I

l.ii.'le /apiuliil
/.iipailiii liirl'..

tHirtiBt(;li

.\riliKii«ii

Utif .

SIviitch JJiM-k...

I'oloviua

I.ittli' roloviiia .

Vl'HllM^hul

.Miii'.iovi

UllHl.

lli'lolM.r.

IIHI

lUHl

'Jii5

.-.711

:tlli

1.895

•J. 44lt

;i. Ii»5

4, 3».-.

i:i4

Il!):i

1114

IfJ"

712

LSTi*

'►

il.-.0

•J, 780

•111

281

ii:|j

1,.Vm

III!

I.81IS

:i.:ii3

48.'>

'.l.-.()

Starvt'il, Klarvlnu. '

Total

< .Aililitioii of 211 per nil I Im loss lit-twri'ii .\ii|;iiHt aiiiHIctn- 1

iMTt'OUtltS

Starving pupa to li» aiMi'tl n-< htiirvi-tl

Aililitiiiu tor IkmUi'.* laki'ii tnr ilisMevtiou

211. ».'ll

.'lOO

a74

2:18

-.54

191

1 :u»i

154

.'.Ml

■.".':i

1 , liai

126

7li

1 s:iii

HlHI

■su

III

(I'.'U

1..VJ5

:i2!i

445

1011

10. U22

1. .527

■J, 0(11

I .527
I. 'ill

'I'liiiil Htarvi'il

n,7i)(t

'Till' cHthiiatHof 21) iier ci'iit lii'io iiiiiilit lor tli« ilisapp(>ai'aiii;ii ol'i'iirraHaiM lii'tui'Mii .\iii;iisl and (IrlolHT i^ shown lij
tliiM'^pi rii'iirdsol' 1897 to bean uiiili'i'i'r<liinal«. l-'ill.v pi r ccmI wonlil liuvi- lii-t'ii iiianr tin' l:ii!l.

214

THK Kl'R SKAL8 OK TIIK I'KIIIIl.OK ISLANDS.
I'lijt nlotixtirM, /.\'/^ — iSidiiimtry — Coiitiiiiie<l.

llOJIll.

HiMiki'ry.

AllUIIHl. Oi IlllllT.

SlRrviil. SliirvliiK,

HT. IIKOKHK INI.ANII.

Norlli

Hliiliivii Ariel.

/upiHliil

KlIMl

I.ittll' I'llNl ....

i:iri
l!ltl

ill

i.'i
It)

T..1111

Sliii'\ iii^ |Mi|»H uiIiIimI IIH HtHrVIHi.

HII7

•J.'..l

1117

i.'ll

'•J/J4II

1 1)

7 !

:i ;

4 '
4

I
1»

T.llHl

tininil totiil InrlHitli InIiiihIn

ii.oiri

a.'.'Wi

21, '.'•.'« 1(1, dill

i.r>4ii

' The II^MrfH herein uiM'ii Inr Ntiirveil )tM|iH 011 the rtMikerieN uf SI. (ieer^e an- eMtliinileH IniMeil iipoii tin* etiiHlilhiiiM
III' SI. I'liiil. The rii\e.>« hail tialeii nnl iiiil\' Ihe eai'inHNes iil' I he earUet' ih'Uii imijih on SI, lieoi-^e, hiii alno iIiiiho hI' lliu
Hiarveil |iM|in,

JJeail piipH hejhtr A ay nut ]ii, JHHII-1S9T,

Hiinkerx .

IMM. 1887.

KItovl

l.auiHin

I.iikiiiilli

Tulstoi

/.a|ia<liii

Littlii /aiiHilnl .
/apailiii Kver . .

Gorhateh

Arilicueii

Keel

HIviileli KiK'k . .

rohiviiia

Litiht I'ulovina.

VontiH'hill

Mui'Jiivi

100

••(12

•l<

7(1

'ja-i

'J.V.'

l.8U.'i

1 .-lOJ

:i, ow

»(Wil

1:14

{'1

1114

71 J

.'WJ

I)5U

042

(»l

ICl-i

(')

l»)

I.HIIR

(»)

4K.'>

{')

Tiitiil.

ST. iiKiiliiii-:.

Xnrth

Ultle KaHt.
KhsI

/apMiliii

Slarava Artel .

10, SOU

•.',19
III
III'
lOil

, IMU

344 I

34 j

Oil 1

112 I

75 I

Total

tirniiil tiital .

-im

11.045

'(liilv Ihe Hand Hal wax onniiteil, on wliieli were 1.4U,'i |iiii>n in IDUQ,
'Dnlv the uiillv known as the "iluath trap" wita louuteii.
•NutcuuntniliulttUi.

=^--~.--!!t-at-7

I'KLA<ilC HKAl.IMI

215

I'KLAiJlC HI'.AMNd rAT(MIKS. |x!t|-lWt7,

Note: 'I'lio ilotuilril iiitnhi'H iil' tin- Aiiittri(Miii iiiiil raiiiiiliiiii HouliiiK iIitIh I'ur tlio )ii'i'iiMl is'M Ix^iV
iirt' liiTv giviMi to illimlrikUt t\w aliiti-iice ul' liriiitlii'lul ull'itrt from tlix ri>k(iiliitioiiH nl' tlit* I'liriM Awanl
iindi'i' which tho (icUiuio Mfaliii^ iiiiliistry hiiH hiM'ii coiKliirtoil niiu'r IKIM, itinl liiiiditiitallv to xhow Ihn
thii'liiii' ul thr hi-rti UN iiiitiiil'imt in thi> iIitIIiiIii); ciiti'h. Thi' httter fai't taken in I'uiinectioii with tli«
(liliiiiilNhiliK lleet Hhows the ui'o\viii)( iin|irolltahli<tii'HM of th« iiula^'lr iniliiMtry.

I'm -Ul III riilih ol' .tmrrhiin ri'inehfur IS!ti,>

I I'ri'liuri'il liy A II. Alixuiiilirl

niUlioim
« nf tim

V.»r"l.

Allon

Ali'luiiili'i'

Auui'oiiilti

Aniiii Mutilihi .
AlliK I. Alitiir..

Uimun/.u

itowbxiul

(■.(i. Willi.. ....

Kmiuaniiil I.imiIi
Kiiiiiiii .

KnpiiiKi'i'

KilHuril K. Wi'lmliT.

EllllilollllMDIt.

Ktliiil

Iie<>. I'oaliiHlv

(ieo. It. Willi.''

II.C. WulillMirg

Ileiiry UviinlH

Ilcniliiii

I.lu Ktta

■Inn.' limy

Kul.i amrAiiim

I^rflUlH 1)

L.MiiiiOlaen

tmicL

i1i>i*ii|>liliie

Mary 1(. TlioiiiaM ■ . . .

Maa.Mit*

MattloT. Dyer

Miilliew 'riirUHr" —

l'eiiel.ip»

I'r.'H.'ott

Itetriivcr

Italtl.T

Uimie SparkH

St. I'niil

So|ililoSiillii-rliinil ..

San DieKo*

Stella Krlan.l

Teri'gn

Voliinl.'er

WIllnrdAliiHWortli .

\Vinrli«gl»r

Amat.'iir'

t'oluiiilila*

C.C. I'lTkniM''

Ueealikii'

Dart"

F.!llt7.«

Jsni.'S CSwan"

Puritan"

'lulal

iSi'iiiit.< l).ii'. i:i7. IgB.'i.

'''riii.i \.mHfl lia.l not \et rfliinic.l.

>l..mt: niiiiilifr III' Hktii!< ucil kiinwn.

: N»»rlli«."«(
.■.lanl.

.laiuiii

milNl.

l,IH.'i
Kid

.■IU7
7H5
1,305
l.71!4
1,407
(Kill
1,111(1

Ciiiini T
Nliin.l

lli'ilnu

I.UHIl
I, lt.'ill

•j:il

l-JI

:i2)l

H.Vi
OIM

t. 1&5
672

i.mio

1, 107

r>04
ir>o

5:ir.

H57
«M
32,'.
8:i7
1,04)1
fill

1,7SH

IIIHI

1011

rti:i

l.liOti

22,''.
S84

45
4U0

20
100
0(111
IMO

324

102
IIHl

201

2, 052

31. 376

1,771

327

t,2l4

7:ifl

107

7111

:)IK

403

1,023

..till.

,11*5

810 I

307

7K5
,722 !
. 724
,4(17

030
, IflO
00
, OMI
. tUMI I
,214
5 I

231 i
110

320 I

mil I
, 202 I

HI12 I
, 20:i i

0K7

lil.'i
,2M1

07M

i:>u I

• I.IWI ; .'>3,') Hkiii.'. Ijik.'n. 1111111' HaVBil.
^ LiiMt : skiiH ii.it Niivett.
'Iii'lhinH Iniin N'i'iili llav.

535
l.VJ
H,'i7
O.'iO
42T
40K
155
fiI7
30
78«
OIKI
701
(KM
1. y

094
60A
225
!I67

45
42:i

29
100
0(NI
ISO

5.201 41,000

2h;

THI'. FIR HEALS Ol' THK I'lMKIhOK ISLANDS.

I' i

•SI

VfSMI'lH.

KiilcrprUr

KiMir <M8«'ii

I'liiliriiia

Oscai' mill llHdiu . .

Iliaiiii

Iti-i'iitlii

A rid in

CnMi ti

Itiiru Siowrril

Wiiller A. Kaili' ..

Fawn

AuiM'H Miiodoiiald .

W, I'. Ilnll

Mi'riiiaii)

('it\ III' San Ok'irii..

Marv Tayliir

I.ilil'iiH

Mav llilli'

Mary Kll.Mi

Viva

W. I'. Savwanl —

I'l'IH'lopi*

Vera

Ciriiilta (!. I'lix

'friiinipli

(Itio

K. 11. Maivlii

Sa|ipliiri'

Annii> IC. I'aint

tixDKVn

Tnrean

Sailii'Tiiipi'l

iLunn Ill-lie

Muiiil S

jViirorii

ITiiirpnie M.Smith
Itnnlrirc

.MMHI-Ot

;ttiviiriti-

.tatnid I'. MiMii'p

imdiir

I'ui-ntal nmlrli it/' ( aiiaidaii ' ntw/n /'or !Sli-l.'

I Fritlii <itlirlal Miiliri'*-'*
' ' (jniw«. I 'atrli.

TOIIH

:iii
wi

i:.ii

tlHI

M
tl:i
24
HH
ISII
107

7:1
-lli
4:1

»:i

.'iH
11:1
111!
I^il
711

7(i
US
Mil
till
IIIU
MJ
!»'J

ii:i
.".(I
k:i
11"
41
llll
lili
411
IMI
1:1

WlMu.

luli-
mw.

llrilisli
4'uliiiii

Ilia
rlHtHi .

It)

•X

•2S

•20

li
•.Ml

211

•J4

in
22

211

■ 1

:iii

l.TJO

2:1

H
2ti

;i2

fillS

2.'i

;i5«

■'^" ( >■

*'*' 1 Miami.

1 . 2W

1 . U4;i

2. .'idH
i,7;i:i
i.tiii
2 :w:;

1, lit:
i.iniB

2. .'>»>4
1.471

1)11

1,707

710

l,6o:i

i.:i04

«74
1.010

tt25
I.INII)
1. 4:17

606
1.306
1.075
1,047

llpi in^ .SiMi.
Malr. I'l'iiiali-

1114 .

■

l.-i;l
176

42.-.
:io

4:11

■M

4:1:1 .

;i4:i .

' ;i«'

r.2

Itlll

471

250
250

2lHI

D07
HO

111.'.

a.'.

2I«H

I. (114
2.118

623

1.4B7

1.01)2

1 102

.7H3

KlU
1,34:)

09.1

.'..•.«

12(1

171

274

i.iki

1 , 220

.'.17
:i9ll

I If.

:.o7"

«7i)

>,StiiHt*» liM!. i;i7. IHU,'..

Ti.lal

1 . .''iliM
1.8V0

2. 801
I. DOS

2. ;t»4

2, 726
1.288
l,U2U
2, IW4
2. 143
1.5^7
2, 178
710
2, 108
1,554
1.124
1.210

1. 122

2, 4.V.>
1.4:17

041
1 0"2

1 . 270
1,047
4 .■.fl.i
I 0:17
2.118
040
028

I . O-'iO

l'Ri,A(iU' .SEALING

217

t'lilrli of .liiiericau resuc/n eiiijaiiitl in iirltujii Htalimi (liiriiiij the miiHon of ISIi.'t

•lu|iiin liiiaaiiiii Aiiii'riiaii llcrint: ...

Ull.

.1. K|i|)iii)ji'r...

Iloniiuii

K. 10. WibHicr.
.Mton.

.MaltiuT. IKiT

Kii-.iiia and Louisa

llimniizii

lliiwliciiil

WinrlieHti'r

Sopliiii .Siitliirliiiiil

C'oliiiii1)ia

.Iaiii«»(i. Swim

SD'llitKrIiiiiil

riii'iiaii

'IVazer

AiiKHHt ■
Matilda.

('.('. IVrl{iim.
Kluie

Ht^Dii;; S*'i

Ui'vidikH .
Kiiinii't. I''«lilz.

Idl.T.

»i<'

i;. En-Ht

Ivatoand Aiinu

Qeni'uo \V. I'reHcoll.

.\lliiil. AlRar

ItHltler

•I ami (i ray
'IVr

6117
TliO

02fl

iK>

I.IKU

5711

1.112

i'r«»a .

W. AiiiHwnrtli ,
M.M. Mori ill..
LoiiiH Olaeu .
M« Kita

I.IHI)
Stfl
6tlli
574

Total

111. HI7

149

1(12

185

l.'J.'iO

■.'. 2011

' lli'imrt "f SiM-ri'tiirv <il Tri'iixniv. ISd.'i pi.. ci.x.M II

142

.107
2X9

2:i2

224
165
1(1 ..

5(4

1.IIK4

(1711

Ci .

:i."i

2(IH

IHO
H2
49 ..

OKI
592

Oil

:im

:i2«

1U',I
172

4211
4411

■.W.i

;i4U

Fiir'Wal riitrli ul' Caiiadiiiii leaneli for ls9.'>

Tons.

(Iicw.

(JatiOi.

Uitl'iliK Svii.

.\siioa Mi'Donnld —

Alii.ikci

Amateur

A unit. ('. M(M»n'

Aiiiiir V. I'aiiit

AriMtis

.Viircira

Hnatriri' c^liaiigliai).
lii'atrii'H (Vaiiioiivrr)

UorvaliH

Ili'OiicIa

(' 1). KuimI

O.iriiilt'i (i.t.'iix

( 'awa

City San l>ici{ii

Uliina

lliii'iliir

Ilnra8i««unl

K. It. Marvin

lOuttTiniMa

Kavuriti'

Kuwii .

'u'~

11)7

711

5ii;i

OIUI

1.97:1

i:i

;i25 .

4711

515

l.:il!i

05 .

ii:i

8 ■

:iu

.»

1,-.

1115 .

7aii

812

1,047

211

1. 121

i:in

nil

575

2. 022

811

5
Vl

r
•J

H8II

42(1

18I;

I'll 18

'.1:1
96

"".VJ7
8:iK
IWI
(Ml

1. I116

1118 .
2:10 .

8il

6(t

i 0711

411

21)2

:i7

8111

1.048

881

182 '
170

"459
149

881

7
2(1

14:1 1.

784

920

1.507

(Kl

I.IIIHI

:v,\

1 . 0.'i»

4(1

ajo

243

01 ;i

2j
7

':ifl

«2

:'li7
7BC.

1)1111
8IU

1, 164

C88

iia

.■ 082

940

i2."i

2.-il

I..I32

nil

m ■

947

7j<2

1 . 9.50

hll

:iii

ts« .

927

72"

1.797

5lt

241

4011

:il«

1.024

' AnuuttI lleiHU't l)e|iai'lini'iil Mariiii' ami Kihlivrim. Caiiadiaii •liivirnuiDnl. 1895.

218

THK Fl'R SEALS OP THE I'UIHILOK ISLANDS

Fiir-Hi III fall h i>l' l nnntlian rogih tor ts'.i:, — ('itiitiuili'il.

V»'rtM'l.

KiMlii'C Muid

FlorciM-f M. Siiiilli . .

Korlmiti

< ifiii'N a

llrMlii'ltU

Kuli-

Kiitlx'riiio

Kiliiii'iiy

Kil)nMtll>l'

Lililiif

M.ir.v Klliii

Mjir> l'ii> \\-f

MllHI'tlt

MiiimI S

M.iv liilli'

Mcniiuid

Miiinii-

MtMMihiin ('li)i-t'

OcM-aii liellK

OMai' mill lliiltii^ ..

(Mill

I'lirhwi'liis

rrllrln|ir ,

l>iiilll'i-i-

liimiii IMhuII

Sailiii 'liiri'i'l

Sappliin'

SiMi ilimr

Saiii'v Liiss

Slirlii\

SiMith' lliiiiil

Ti'ti'sji

'l'l'IUIII|l)l

1 I'lirjiiii

\"i'ni

Vii toriii

\\\:\

Waltiv I,. Ilii'li ....

WaiiiliTor

Indiuii raiiutrH ratrli

Tulnl

'rmiH.

•J I

!l!t
117
III!

;ii

M
HI

a:.
If.'

4:1
411

!I7

w
7:1

4«

Ki
Ml
III
lilt
(Ul

:i9

Titl

< '11' vv.

.t: *

u
•.1>

:i
4

III
IH

'J I

•a
II

i!t

'.'I

K
II
•21

111

:i2

•JH

in
l«

•J4

:i2
u
:!4

lOH

;)7

:il

r»

211

:iH

It)

•Jl

III

118

4:1

»ll

■i:>

III

2r>

211

7«

■a

l-.„

I'alrli.

III
II
4

n
ill

III
1:1

III
111

III

II
III

12
12

imi

285

181
1 50

2:14
:iiiu

287
234

147

2H5

1'.I2
147

124

1112
3.'i:i

187

:i,787'

^ Itrriiltr Sl'U.

219
1,137

8ri4

787

l.ilili

1,187
85:1

601

470

,^62
311

84.'i 7!«l

(127

798 4711

,''■(13

Il.'i2
132

827
318
'.'Mil

177

(im

(I7H
2riU

."iH4

4.'i \m

2711 .•194

288 4113

7fl 183

451 1 IIIU

HID Mfill

434

1118 rjll 223

7.'iO (142

437 (176

1.113 7.->3

;!li(l 393 I

■|

515
304

.'•32 I

IIS«
2.'il
432

37 111

33.'i 532

8112 9!I5

272
.'■(HI

.'>34
97

KM)
1,443
219
I,«i)7
2(11
854
850

ir.

310
1,701
I.Jlli

803

1 , 304
l,(17!l
1.347

1, 8im

(159

3»

1,618

1.314

1,111

IM)

770

1,035

(127

1,218

1.975

710

958

124

148

9(iU

2, 210
1.749
1.317
1,3.54

1,,1.57

35';

:i. 787

3.892 705 8M 210 421 9,863 18.687 0.281 15.949 19. !NI9 70,739

PELA(JFC SEALING.

/•'hi- teal lali'h for /,V,'*«.'
AMKKIC'AX VKSSKLS.

21!>

Cull lien.

\'«HMfl.

Alton

Ilri'iiij; Suii

<'iiliiriiliiii ...'.

('. ('. I'mkiiiH

Ooi'iililiM (lii(Iliiii)..

KUic

I^'jilicill

.1. Klili.iiBci-. ..iiii

.llllic (iiny

.lilM. (;. Siviiii '

tlt^HHlr [

Kut« anil A mill ...
LiMliNA II. .

M. M..\iMriii ..;;.;

I'lirituii

l'enclo|H'

Uiiitiir ■;

•St. L;iwii-iii,.

sitkii ;;

'I'i'ii.ser

Williii.l ., iimwiirtiiV
Iiiiliiin I'liiioi'x. I'll ...

iHeiiU.

I'.-HHI'JH.

Sill III

hIMl

riiiml.

:iu

148

. .1111
I III

5'.l.-i

•J4

.I'.'

117

2-.'7
:i,7U

<^I|1UII

lllllt
KiiHHiiin

jlli

ii:i!i

IMll

7J4

LTi?
03

•Jii.-i

4511

•Ml

'Sliilislinil lalili'H, III

VfHsll.

Ill I llll'l:

iMiK'iil .Vn |ii:ij Tri.ii^iirv

<;.'..v.\hi.vN \i:.ssi; I.S.I

4.1U7
I'i'piirliii

:i. son

I. 1S!I7.

I'liiiiiiiiiliili'r siwil
IhtiI.

PrliilMl' „.al liiTil.

Alia

AijniH .Mi'lliinii.il .

Arnii'ii. ....

Allii'.l. Aljirr ..'.[[[.l..]]

•\nia(i'iir

Aiiiiir (;. .Vimri.....^'.'

Aiiiiii' i:. I Hint

.Xrii'lJH

.\iirora ]

lliMililii. (.ShantihiiV- .'.y.'.

llruliiii' ( ViiiiiiiiiviTi

Hiin-alin

I '.D.lianil ;.

• 'arlnlliKi. (j„x

Carriii ('. W ""

('UHt-ll

< 'il.v of San I)i'«giV ".'■.;

Kiana *

"irnrtui-

l'ol|ibiii

l>"r.i Sir Weill

I'liiis

••:. II. .Marvin .'."

l''avm'it»

I''mv ti . . . '.'.'.". ' ' "

{•'JHlni- Maid (wri'ikiMi) .'

!• loivni i> .\I..Sniiili . ..

Kurt 11 nil

• ii'iieva

Ilia KIta

Kal.' "■;

Kiilliarine(roiiuile"n'(i.'aiW«kini"|",;«t)"

Klhiiiiny

I'Uliraili'ii'

^.ibble

M»r.v Kliun

•lapan

I'UllHt.

5J.-1
'«5ll

H15

I.IKU

tllXI

\.-:si

lliiHHJaii

i-iuinl

.Siirlli

Wl Pl
I'llllMl .

IIKI

4;ii

9i<7
1,1)78

sja

61)2

5;i7

4119
OKI

'ais

'.'ll'J

!l.')^

■:.Hl I
:iii.'i '

i.>i:i

171
4,'il

377

Nl!4

a:i

1»I4

ioo

51 12

ItiTiliy
Soa

7l':i
-■■*?
i.'m

411

1 DhH

I I

;iii.'i

.'iliU

ii(i;i

4IMI ,

lliTilii;

Sl'M.

175

(i:i7

404

r,iir,'

iiii;

HL'tl
ll>U

•r.i

I,ll4»
1114

"■i7i

:i7n
»I8

:iiW
Ma

I'l.lal

H'.'l
MII5
li4H

;m
112:1
u;i5

34U

i.:itit
7:14
2ia

1411
505

IW5

UII4

■J I

4IMI
KM

H.'iS

.TJ
117
Il2ti

12. 132

I'lital.

I. IIS

i.r.iii
1.11411

I 472
4117
Ul.l
4.">.'.
IU2
561)

i,4:iii

) . (172
I.IIIU

«I3
I.UU2
l.()7«
I. lou
I "113

11(12
l,»87
l.H7.'l
1.114:1

11:1

H7:i

7(W
USII

i.u:i:i

B22
215
I (Ml
390
l.(l»5
536

' 'riluiiipmin Kuiiorl, IHM, pp. ;:«.:I7.

i i

S I

'sr

220

THE VVH SKAl.S oF THK PKIIULOK ISLANDS.

I'lir-Heal aitch l\ir !S9<: — ('uiitiiiiUMl.
(;A.VA1)IAN VKSSKI.S-CniiliiHi.'.l.
Coiiiiimnili'i' nni\

Ikm'iI.

\'l'HHt>l.

•Iiipai)

CllllHt.

KlIHHillll

eoaxt.

Priliiluf seal Iiki'iI.

.Nortli
weHt
riMiHt.

'J'otiil,

Mary 'I'aylur

Ml.'Ht-Ot

MttiKl.S

Mcriiiiiitl

I Miiiiiio

Ui'i'iiii Hello

Oacar hikI llatliK

(Ilt(i

Oeoati Uuver

(iKIiify

Pacliwellin

l'uiivlii|H'

Pioneer

Sadio Tiirpel

Sttiiphire

San «IoRe(wreeke<l. 4 HkiiiHliiHtl.

j Saiiey Krhh

I Seliiiii

Snulli lleiul

Torntia

Triiiin|ili

L'liibriita

Veiituro

Vera

Victoria

Viva (.seiznl)

Walter I.. lUch

ZillaliMay

liuliaii eaiiueM

;ta;i

l9-.>

'.140

":,M
Till'

480

':')5;i'

45H

8U»

"iS2

4IK
471

:;:il

Gilt!
742

•JO
41

r.72

607'

164

'"03

2,':i53

Heriiii.'

Sea.

1117

.'.20

417

tlOS

«(12

002

:i45

I.28S

484

970

:ii»

1100

.1X11

1)42

Tidl

1.220

Iill2

002

2UII

200

1S2

Wt4

1,352

;i7.5

I.2A8

281

803

1,002

1,420

00.-.

8:1.1

■,.'i!>

1.020

18.-I

IH5

33«

4211

4K3

714

750

I,:i76

208

1,081

442

711

2U4

83(1

vol

1.065

077

;iuu

492

821

2. 35:i

Nixty-ei^lit veHMeU

IK. 246

10, "o:i 2.'i, 700 ,■>.'.. 677

•SrMMAUY <ll' CAN.' DIAN VESSKL.S.

Japan cua.it 18, 240

KiiRHiaii <oa8t 1 , 028

Coniiiiaiiiler neiil lieni I'l. 274

NortliWiHt coaat 10,703

Jleriiit; Sea 2,1, 700

I'ribilot' Heal herd 116,403

KECAVITII.ATION.

t'auatlian veHsulM ,1;'., 077

AniHrioaii voHHelH 12,432

Tiital 1 6S, ; 1)9

rela<iicfitr-iie<ilcalt:li of Amerivnn reHm-lx, tS'JT.

\*!'HSI'I.

FiMlier Ilros

Kate anil Anna .

.1. Kiipiniter

l.iiiilNa U

.las.O Swan

('uliiiiilila

Uwahkn

W. AiiiHwiirth ..

Beriii); Sea

Teaser

Kalller

KiBi.'

St. l.awrenie

NorlliweMt
euaHt.

llei
S.

in;:
■a.

Kn^iHian
1 oaHl.

Tdtal.

;i2»i

■'.'(20

3211

443

'1.08,'.

2H4

r>6

^29
50
88

:io

3KII

30
389

103

193

21.''.
IWI

014

mil

K38
H6II

1,758

857

1,275

4.048

Total

I tn nililitiiin to this total for tim y.'ar IHDO there wan a ealeli of 2,t>23 nkin.s niaile liv .lapain'se ve«Bi<ls on llie .VKialir
«lile.

'There wan u ililleriim' of 6 in tin rmeli of tliis vi'MBel l.et«eeti the statement of the master anil imipeitor at
Antoria.

"The KppiiiK'T look 31!) skinH all leoialas south of tin- awanl ana ami the I.onisi 1). i"ok 44.'. 47 nialen ami 39K
lemale.1. iu the .same wutem.

'9Ih

PiuIfPIT

«'. I). ICaiiil

Mary Kllrn

Alicip I. Al(!iii' ..

AriHi.i

Aniatciii'

KiitrrpiiMi'

ll.iitii.r

TerfMii

Vicloriii

Mary 'I'liyliir

K. I!. Miirviii

H'liwii

Aiiioku

Duni SiDweril

Miiiiiii'

City iif Sim I>iij.'ii

Triiitiipli

Oceiiii Itfllii

Kavorilii

ntio

I'i'iieli>|'i-

Sail in Turpel

SappliiT

ZiMali ,Iav

Aiiiiii! K. I'aijit. .

HoriMiliH

riiiliriiiii

ftfernmid

Cliarlolta (i.Cox..

Vera

Dirt'ctDr

< asiMi

I.alirndor

Attni'H McMmialil .

(Inncva

Finliir Maiil

MiMiiilaiii (Jiilef. . .

Pailiwollis

Iiiiliaii caiioex

PKLAGIC SEAMNTi.

/'eliii/ir lin-sml ralrh .;/' Iniiiiilhiii irHsrls, /Sfr.

•J21

\"l'MMfl,

NorlliwiHl
I'OHHt, I

1117

L'll
IIS

51
1117

101

III

•-'Oil

1117

"m
III)

"»«

IA4
71

IDI
172

4 ..
14 ..

1,018

llerlii);
Hua.

H'.I7

.■>iri
ri7!i

711.")
771!
6«.j

!t7;i
Nil '

9'.'4

i,r.4
Mnr>

402
I. 55 1

7!IJ

ri-iii

H'.'H

7u:i
2r.2

mt '.
:ia:i

31.!

lao

Kit>Miaii

2n:i

...I

•117

fi:i4
:il4

H|«

'.172

I . :m

2711 1
I.U4H
I. USD

4ii<)
72fi

Total

T.ilal.

H7K

:iii2
2!in

«4lr
I. (KM

.Vill 1

71)7 I

S4H

77ii

044
1,250 ;

491
I,:i31 I
1.330 I

ODO I

463 I
l,7H(l I

o'lO ;
5r>3 I

1,021 i

822

HIW
IIH

H27
1,208

II2II
1,008
1. 123
1,438

.'■40
1.052
l,IIG4

489

804

1.III8

li. I'lO

1.1. «07

8, 703 3U: 400

AiiK'i-iraii vi'M«i'la . ..
ratiadiai) vpHaeiH

Tiilal

•SI MMAIM Ol- J'KI.A,<;ir ITIJ..SEAI, (J.vrcil, 1807,

' In a<l.lili.>i, In i:,w a ml, h of .1.82:1 hIuii.h ua. iak...i l,y .lapaiiu.s.. s^

■ ■ 4, 1148

.. :io. 4011

fl» on tlio Russia u coant

fhi

TIT.

I ai

222

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRHULOF ISLANDS.

o
*

s iS55?a5S?iit?is^iiiisiii5? I i

t- = te — '-o 3J M r^ I- s -f I', o jj — 1.1 ?^ ? -t- c .n X ^ = ^
I) II II '.*( 1 1' I N \' -• ^ x'» rt trj'rti.-^'ioo'*.-; ae « s ift ts f- -r rTio *':?'— x H

■..lllljHV

.in

II i!.i I .iiMily

p..

II 1 lll.l.ll.lpll 1

pil -.iDtniiv

'I'lHH.IA

Mll.trtHJ.l.vV

•I| llll." I"1I>.I,

■-

•£

"(•'""'A

■*«.

■*•

'.\'l!(liili>ip:<^

•A

'|.t8f).l\

j.hI.i^uj.ia y

-•

■i|.iiii.i |iii(),|.

S|9X(I» Y

**■

'-.

■Aiiimmiii'S

-f 2 r: -^ M TO S

l"l".l. -*tX5C

i.-i rt 1.1 in iT

J-

-4-

ft c

.-r

J^ilifgii : :

??.

: £

« ft a ,

r. t* ?i — Vi I- X X

i ;"v-.2 - -^2 s g«

So« ?!••» r*M3 ri.-^K*

- - s »

I *

^>s d^^iiJ Mzr— x^ri

: 5 a i4 3S i ic

ri x tg — tp -^

W .- X -fc iS (£

S S ?. "i f i * .■* 5

5 S ■:

r X X o ^ ^
— ?l rt CII- Ot

r- — X in I- ?i

r; X

2 »"

H <• -^ r-

1^ -» o> tc r-
I - iS n ri — '

|0 lll't.> .M,|

•r^irili.i r'H".!

■ AltjniHHl'?'^

H.l[ltllhl{

i<> )iia.> .1.1,1

.|.)ll.lifH.I*t.\V'

MI.>Jl'.>l"l<>.I. ^•i'i'^ln

■9\A9H-A\

■AlipmoiuiX

=! -^ r-

I lO r* -f •* r: t r

rM'*XXC-^iO
X ^»n 3 3J n— •^-
= irt '^ T — CI r I :-

<e no n 5 to x

i.1 ^ X '-T X I-

I - — s 1 - n
7 1"^ » I X V

=3 t "V^i

3 -5

X -f iS'l il -^ *I bi CI r- ?l —..*

53 a

X ti — r-— ^ffi-P-*— XX r»
— xi^.-h-.f?:"" — t^S^I

S o 71 — p — o S in

10 *o o X X o i^ -t » -- — rr X 2 rt i.' 5
— Ti » ri i?t ?? — »n f t - ri X — o ji

ft R

l-l- -r

?1 X' p C» ^

c-i ."^ w fi PI ■* .1 M tft ' — rt -^ — .*; -f

wr-xrsc—Mcifi

•- « O "OS

- ^ - - i:

H -<;j H -1;. H ^U !- <w

' - :t 5 = - 21

b X X X X 3

£ A d>

finlUjitoil ' 1i -'-»^*'*w

^ ?

; a
1 *

l^s.

a : a

.-5 ^ S

; 3

NOTKS ON PELAOIC CATCir. 223

VKLAdlC SEAL CATCIIKS, ISHS 70 W.'C.

At'TIIORITlKS lol! FIOIHI'S I'SED IX K(HIK.(i(HN(i lAlll.K.

[Ill i|iiotiii); Hiiiii Kiir Siiil Arliitriiticin I'appis tbitlrHl iililloii m iihvajit riliTruil t«.)

' Fnr-scal Arltitriitioii. Apii. to 11. S. Ciisc, vol. 1, ji. ."litl.

'•'Catrlics tor voiirs IstiS to ix'lt, incliiHivr . is niiiilo up of NoitliwcHt conHt <•at^•h<^■^ (Fiir-Seal
Arliitratioii; Kritisli CoiniiiiKsionrrN' l\'f|iort, \>. l'07 it s<'i|.); Iiiili;iii caiioit (Mtclies illrilisli
('oiiiiiiiHsioiiprs' |{<>|i<irt, pp. -'(I7, L'OHi, mikI skiii» olitaiiicii tliroii^h the IIiiiIboii Ha.v Coiiipuii.v'H triiclin;;
HtatioiiH (Itritisli I'diiiiiiiNNioiit'iH' licpnrt, p. 'i\\\),

'M'atcliuM of pelagic soalorH and liiiliaii imiiuoh ( HritUh ('oiiiiiiiNsioni'rs' Kcpnrt, pp. L'(I7, L'liS), ami
rrtiinis from IIikUoii Way Conipany's posts i llritiKhCoiniiiisNioiicrs' K'cpoii, )i. 21lii.

'San Francisco riistom-liimsf records: hcpiity Ccdlcctor .Iciomc's letters of I'eliniiii-.v 2)i ct seq.,
Wd'l. on tile in 'I'reasnry Mepartnieiit.

Catcli ofscliooner Citii of San Dieijo ( Itritlsli ConinnHsioncrs' Report, p. 208).

''(';itches of pela;;ic sealers in North I'lieilie anil Hprini; Sen ( Hritisli ('oniinissioiieiH' Koport. p.
20H). anil returns from Ihidsoti Kay Conipaiiv's ]ioHts (Hritisli Coniniissionors' Report, p. 121.'l).

' t'atrlies in North I'iieilir from nil sources ( llriti!^h ConiiniHsionors' l{e)iort, ii)i. LMO, L'13).

^ Mtirkuted ctitchus from llerin>; Sea (liritish Commissioners' h'eport. p.21lii plMHl'.tMiO skins seized
on schooners Omranl. TUorntiiii, t'liroliini, and Sun Diriin (II. II. Melntyre's niiiniiHcript reiiort to Al.isUa
Cnnimerci.'il (omp.'iny, a copy of which isin possession of |)o|iartinont >.

' HritiKhrommissioncr's estimated catch of .Vmerican vessels in alt loealitiesdiritislK'.imniissioners'
K'eport. J). 1.'12).

"'North I'acilic catches (Kritish (.'ummissioners' h'eport, ]i|i. L'ld, lilU).

"Marketed catehrs from lleriii); Sea I Hritisli (.'oiiimissioneis' h'lport, p. L'tO) )iliis S, '111) skins
seized in Hering Sea and nnaci'oniiled for liy Hritisli cominissionerN; I l,!)(ll skins were seized thnt
year* ITnited StatesCoiinter C.'ise, p. Xi~), and the Hritish commissioneis, on ]inge L'lO of their re|Mirt,
account for 2,!li»l ofthim.

'-North I'acilic catches (Hritish L'ommissioners' Keport, pp. 211, 2K{),

'■' Hering Sea catches ( Hritish CommiHsiouers' He|iort, p]). 211, 212).

''North Pacific catches ( Hritish ('ominissioners' Keport, pp. 211, 2IU).

'This figure, 2",l.">0. is the siiniof the tigiires22,ri30 and •l,!t20, the origin of which will he foiinil
nnder note Hi. The Hritish eommissioncrs, on page IK of theirreport, give the .ijiproxiinate total catch
as (i8,00<).

■"In a letter from the Hritish foreign oDice to the Secretary of State, diited May 17, lxit,-«, the
Hering Sea eatih of Hritish vessels for ISill is i|i)oted at 2!>,Mti. Ithasheen foniid liy this l>e|)arlment
that these tigures represi'iit the total catch in Hering Sea — that is, including seiils killed off the western
side, in Russian waters, as well as otf the cistern side, which afterwards lieianie the award area. This
is home out hy the fai't that it appears liy the Hritish case hefore the trihiinal at Paris that 41 vessels
were warned out of the American side of Hering Sea hetween .Iniie 2!i and Aiigii.-.t 15, ISlil, under I lie
modus Vivendi of .lime l.") of that year. It is certain that many of these vessels crossed nvei to the
Knssian side of Hering Sea and continued scaling until the close of the season.

Statistics made hy Mr. Alfred I'raser, now in possession of the Treasury Itepartimnt. show th.it
8, 1112 skins were thus taken on the western side of Hering Sea in Knssian waters. < tfthese. (!,(iU> wcri'
taken liy Jiritisli vessels and 1,H1(1 by .\merican ves.sels. We should, therefore, deduct from tlie Hritish
tignres (2!M4t>) the sum of ti.OIti, leaving 22..'>!W as the Hritish < ateli in the :iw:ird urea — tluit is, the
eastern side of Hering .Sea — for the year 1M91.

It further appears from Mr, Praser's tignres that the .Vmeriean cnti h in Hering Sea in 18!il was
fi,7H6, of which l,81t> were taken in I'lissian waters and I, "20 in thc^ award ari'a. Adding to tlie
corrected Hritish catch. 22,530, the catch of the .\mericau vessels, l.i'20. w,( have 27,4,">0 as the total
catch of British .ind Ainericaii vessels in that part of Hering Sea known as the award area for the
year 1S!»1.

In the report of the Conimittee on Ways and Means to acconiiiany II. 1{. S!l0i), I'iftythird ( 'ongress^
third session. Report No. 1H4!), the i atcli in Hering Sea lor the year isitl was given as2;(,04l, on the
unthority of the Treasury Dojiartment. These lignies imlnded only the returns of Hritish vessels, as
no reliable returns as to American vessels were then in the jiossession of the Department. The result
was reached hy deducting from the estimate given liy Consul Meyers in his report (I'nitcd States
counter ease), 28,605, a number of skins estimated to have been taken oil the Russian co.ist. This

224

I'lIK Kim HKALS Ol' I'lIK IMilBll.UI' ISLANDS.

•■Mtiiiialf wiM reiiclieil liy » citrul'iil rxiiiiiiiiutioii of nil cutt'lios rci'tirroil to in tlio iiDliliivitH hidI i>tlii<r
|iit|i«rH ill tlio ritHr iinil <'oiiiili-r rusu <il' lli» I'nittMl Sliit<'H iiiiil )irriit Krllitiii, oxcliiilInK IhoHit which
went rliiimtxl to have Imttii taken iitV tliu Itiis.sian rnaHt.

That the MiitiNli iKtnriiH (iiliove rititil i, l!ll, 140, iiicliiilc hi'iiIh taki'ii on tli<t \v<<Ht«rii Hide of llt-iiii);
Sua, froiii Ihr KiiHNiiiii hrnl, will iifipcar, im uliiivr Htiitoil, from the I'att of tlio warniiiK of saiil vomhuIh,
illiilci' tin- inoilim viv«n<li, and their HiiliH«M|ncnt i-roHsin^ to llin {{iiNHian toaMt.

Thr report of tli« iiiiniNter of inarine and tiNlierioH of ('miada for IK!M rreililH none of the eateh
to liiiRHlan wiiterH. In 18!)'.', howiner, Naid report creditN 14,HI)5 hIuiih out id' ii total of ri.'<,!Ml.> Ironi
Haid AHiatio NlioroN. The fait tlint tliiM liir^e etiteli vvuh made in IHiVJ poinlH Htroii|;ly toNiinilarcutcheH
ill the year IHill, which are eonlirtned liy the alioveiiientiinied cvideiieo.

"Obtained liy Hiilitrai lin^ tlio total of '21, iM and H,A:i2 from )i8,(Ni().

'"Heo ITnitnd Stati'H eoiintcr riim-, pa){« 108.

'''Taken from Alfred Kraser'M estiniiiteH for Amerienn xealiiiK lleot In AHiatie waturH. Skins
entered in United StatcH portn.

'"The HinallneMH of the iiumlier, 2,l!)!i, Hiifo;*''*''* ^''^t either niaiiy of (he vesselH after clearing
Hailed directly for tho Japan eoiiHt. or else the eatchen olV the NorlhweHt eoast were tranHnhippcd at
Japan portH.

-'The Amcrieaii ciitrli for I8!KI is ItiiNed upon HliiliNtieN compiled liy A. Krancr and on file in the
TruaHiiry Departninnt. The I'nited StateH eoimul at X'ieloria Nlat<-H (('oiiHiilar Keportn No. lUI, p. 27!()
that Anieriean NclioonoiH in I8!);i traiiHNliipped at Vokohaina iind llakodiite lietween 17, (KM) and IN,(HN>
skinH. TblH in further eonllriiied liy the report of the Canadian department of niariiie and lishcrieH
for 18!lli, pa){e elxviii, wliieli ^ivcH the cmIiIi of Aiiieiican vuNHelH landed at Hakodate a» IK.'iST.

•'The hffiireH for the ratcheH of Canadian vcHKelH are taken from the report of (ho Canadian
department of ninrine and liHliericH for |8<);<, page elwii.

'''The London trade Halex for I8!);< iiceonnt fur the iliHpoHition of KMl.tMi!) |ielaKie Hkiim.

•'Compiled from the reiiortn of eolleelorH at jiorts of entry on the I'acilie (!oaHl. Thevo rnportn
are on (He In the TreaHiiry Depaitineiit.

-The li{;nre L'll.TIO in olilained liy taking the ti,8llti Hkiim noted under the eaptlon "Locality
undetermined'' in the IrttiT of the .Siciet.irv of the TreiiHiiry to Coiif(reHH dated .lanuary 'Jl, \H'X>
(Kilty-third ('oiiKreHs, third NesHioii, K\. hor., L'i;i), and dividing; them lietween the Asiiitio and
American herdn in Hiniilar proportioiis nn the other wkiiiH l;iniled at Cnited ."^tateH portH in United
.'^tatcH Healing vchhi'Ih during 18li|. The r<*Hiilt would he: Anieriean herd, Ii, 152; AHiatie, 681. Addin^t
0,1.52 to the catch on th<> N'ortliwcHl eoaNt ( I2.ll!)8) already Kiven and the l<erin<; >Se» catch (5,160)
alreiuly ^iven, we have the total 2!{,7l(l.

-'' Made up of Mkiiin »n per I'ci'ordH of c.olleetorH of eiistoiiiM on the I'aeillir (uiast, which credit Lf'OO
to .\Hiati(^ watern; Ii8t Hkiim, previoiiHly referred to in note 25, and the 20,<H)() okinH which it is
cHtimatcd were trniiHsliipped in ,la)ian (K\. Doe. 2l:<. I''ift\-tliird ('onv;ress, tliinl scNHion. "NotcH
eoneeniing catch for 1811I." p. I).

•'Taken from report of Canadian depart nieiil of marine and lishericH for I8!M, pa|;e !t.

The ligiireg 20,125 inrliide one .\nieriran vessel, wliosn catch wiih SI skins.

The ligiircH I!), 8111 contain the catches of three Anieriean veNsclH, whieh agKi'<'KAl<'d l!IO HkiiiH,

The facts ^ 'he two foro;;(>in;{ paragrapliH are ({ivcn in a report of FishericH ComniiHyioner
CoHtiKan to the ( ernor-deiieral of Canada, under 4lat« of .lauuary t), 18!I5, page !>■

-'Ueports of collectors of cUHtoms at Anieriean ports of entry on the Pacific Coast.

-"'(•rtlcial statement Hunt liy rniteil States Consul KohertH, at \'ictoria, under date of Noveinlier
15, I8<,I5, anil on tile in the Treasury Dupartnient.

■"'The pehiffie calch for lSil5 is fnrtlier inrreaseil by u catch of about l(t,(MK» skins taken by
vchhcIh I'lcariiiK from .lapanese ports.

'"From returns of rtiitod StatcH ins|ic('tors who examined skins landed in I'nited States ports.

"From oftii'ial returiiH of colleitor of cnstoniH, Victoria, Itritisli Colunibia. Skiiia not inspected.

"" In ttveraj{cs per vessel lelaliiin to Northwest coast calrh, the canoe eatilies are not included.
HritiHlit'olumbia caiioo catch, 2,:i5:<, included iii Canadian Northwest (^oaHt total.

"Total eatidi of American and Canadian \ easels for 1890 further increased by a ratcli of l<,3!)2
skins taken by vchscIh clearing fr<im .lapanene ports, ami of l,|{)7 skiim taken by nativcH in the paBHen
of the Al<!utian IslandH.

-'-''All log entries relating to Anieriiaii pi'l.igic catch sworn to bv iiiasters of veH.sels, but niiml of
them changed as to proportion of females upon exaiuination of catches by inspectors of Heal HkiuB.

PKUCKNTACiE OF FKMAI.EH.

'>'>r.

2r,

mil I'cliiriiN tiilii'M I'r

lllll Nt.'ltt'lllClllH I

>,\ iim, Icfs lit" m'shcIn

'"l'ro|tortii>ii of IrriiitlrH in all (Jiiiiiiil
CiitihcM not (lUliittlly iiiH) hill ns to hh\.

"•rota! .Nit.h of A.Mfiri.Mt, v..H8elH in liic-ieaH...I l,v 11.., .at.-l, of L-M tikli.s l.l<..,i l.v ii,., /• . ,r

/'i»/(W miliiiii imitrlH in iiwiiiil uno.

Aiiii'riciiii..
Citiiiulinii . . .
Total

IKU4.

:i(i

114

•■Vi

4U
Ml

IXIHl.
|H
.'.It

Toliil muiliiin i-fHHrlH in .liialir inilrrx.

AtllCI'icilll 031 ;|r, |.

<'''"i"'iiuii ' :iH its

tl(i|taiit«M(*

'I'lituI .

Ult

•M

1 Kntliiiatiiil.
Tolal mulimj vrnHils i„ .Iniatic and .h,„;ir,in (c.i/,,-.-..

-J

AllllTilMII

ClIIIHlliull

ilii|iaiHtH«

I'lital

ar.

:;!

(IS

III
11)7

I'rrrnil,,;/, of Irnialfx i„ ,wla,ii, ralrhen in /SHI, ls:i-,, and ts'.h:.
NoKTiiWKSI roA.Sf.
/.V.'//.-Ain.,iH-„n v,.hhH.s.' m p,,,- r,.nt. Uritmli^ KJve no (iK„n,.
/.V.'A,. -Ai.inn.Mi, \,,Hs,Is, 71 |M-r r.„if,. Itntisl, «ivr no ||^,„„s
/.VOo.-Aii.ciruM v.-«H,.|H. m ),,„• rent. Hiitisli vcHsels, 1 ,r rmit,

IIKKINIi SKA.

/.V,a/._.\,„oii.-,-,i, voMsrls, lilt ,„.r .■,.i,t. Uritisl. vcbh.^Ib, .-.r, i,,r «„nt,

/AV'-.-Aiiionran vmsolH, 7:{ pur .•onl. HritiHh vi!hs..|,s, .V. prr cent

— _^"5'~'^"""!'';"" ^«"'*«'«. '•"• Por com. ItritiHh vchh.Ih, lil prr .ml.

Hill.' in tiM. sa „,.a an'l a, ll,« Ham"!",,. '^ "'" '■»l'"''"»- "'" "•""-I" "I U,.! tw., 1|,«Ih «.,■., ..„.„f,.,.,l s„l.. I,y

I.-.18I 1.-.

22fi

THE FUR SEALS OF THE PIUBILOF ISLANDS.

Kuliiiialiil iiiliif iif Ciiiiailinii irtHiU eiujageil in jtilaiiif neiilin;/ in all iriiUrH, niaiion of /Sfii:, hiil nol 1807,

clearril from I'icloria.'

N'UIIH* nl' \'<)HHI-1.

('urrlo.C. W

.Snn .Ii)«fi

SUHI'V 1.B8H

Ubl.io

Walt««r I,. Ulrli ....
OHcar unci Hnttie..

(Irniiii |{uver

Ventura

Kiito

Kiiiitl. Ilciiil

Doliiliiii

DurlH

Ada

Sflnia

KloruiK'v M. Smith

Viva

MaHi'ot

Aiiiora

Ida Ktta

'I'on-
iiaitc.

rirnt
ront,
allow

IDK
♦7.1 |»T

ton.

A«i'.

91.8

80. .'iS

37.82

48.4

,59. 70

21.44

98.69

41.21

89.23

*0,885
2,293
2.836
6,975
6,700
6. 07.')
4.1 2.')
;i. 63(1
4, 3.50 i
L.'iOO I

6.400 I
4.484 I
0,760
1,008 I

7. 401
0,900
3,090
3. 075
6,192

r>
• ;i

20
13

•15
35
10
15
•2
17

•5
I'*
».?

Dailiio-

tloilM

liir ngf
at 6 |HT

Cl'llt

per
Minuni.

: 13, 786

(>)

2,127

' 5, 028

(•)

2.120

3,919

907

300

1,.'I50

4, 035

1,012

1,286

6. 550

2, 7(10

2. 317

l.OUl

1.817

Nil hi
lier of
lioatn.

' Kiiti ' Knti.
iiiali'il inati'il
valiin valiii'

of iHiatn of vtm-
al W Hi'l aixl
uauli. Iiiiata.

M
2
2
3
II
3
2
3

♦ISO
1(K)
100
l.'iO
ttM
l.'iO
IIIU
150
100
100
I. to
100
KM)
50
450
40(1
I (Ml
2.5(1
3.5(1

♦3. 030
320

2. 227

0, (170

1. 12(1
2, 270
4.010
1.057

535
40(1
1,500
4.135
1,112
1. 336
0, 00(1

3. 10(1
2.417
1.041
2, 167

EHtiiiial4"l

Vllldl'
of OliniM*N.''

Niiiii
Iwr.

8
U
U
(')
i:i

Vjiliin.

♦375
200
275
:i.50
CI
325
225

;i(i(i

125
325
350
275
125
CI
CI
LMIO
75
^*)

Total. I» v..|ii«dn iM5, 737

Averiigi' piT vi'SHvl (Hp|iri>xiinat«ly| $'.'.400

> I'D'pnretl liy C'apt. Calriii i,. Ilooper, It. C. S.. ciiinniaiiilinK llcriiii; Sra patrol lli-«t.

<(,'aiii»> valdeH i>Htimat«il sapurat«ly.

' VeHHtda IH yt'urH ul' ii^o or ovtir arc uAtiinatril at 10 ]ipr vt\u\ ol' tlioir origiidil vast.

•Not kiiowu.

' Kntiniatua.

Note. — KrpairH iiiaili' to any ol' tlieac voMielH wimiIiI iucreaau tlir vahio propiirtioiiately, and would li« xubjoct to tbo
5 per cent ileddction for ai;u tliu same ag the hull.

Sdleg of Ctipe Horn' ialled fiir-senl ikhm.

NorK.— 'i'livse fl){(irt<g hIiow tin' comparatively iiiHigiiitli'niit yield ol' those Hcinlherii riMikcriex nit ('(mipureil with tboso
Itui'iiiK Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Your.

SkinH.

1876

6,306 •

1882

11,711

1888

4,403

18114

IH77

7,6;u

1883

4.055

1880

3,021

1X95

1.8SH

1878

8, 227

1884

0. 743

189(1

2.450

IHUn

2,5111

1879

12, 180

1885

3.404

1801

.'1.114

1807

1,2B5

1880

17,502

1886

009

1892

0, 292

1881

13.164

1887 ;

2.762

1803

2. 131

'I'be skins takuu oH'CaiHi Horn not under any KOviTnnioiit com met.
Salted Loboa Island 'fur seals sold in London.

Year, j

Skins.

Year. '
1880

Skins. .
14, 830

, Year. ,

1887

Skins.

11.U08

Year.
IH04

Skins.

1873 '

6.956

12. 145

1874

8,500

1881

13,569

1888

2(1. 747

1805

12.017

1875

8. 170

1882

13. 200

1889

8,755

1890

14.0111

1876

11,353

1883

12, 801

1890

18,541

IHin

12,791

1877

13,000

1884

16.258

1801

15.8:14

1878

12, 301

1885

10,953

1892

12.202,,
13, 024

1879

12, 205

1886 i

13,667

1893

' The skins taken by a UruKUuyan company on the Lobos Islands off Uoutuvideu.

91 i

APPIONUIX ir.

DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE FUR SEAL QUESTION.

be subject to the

imri'il with those

AOUEEMINT ItlCI'WF.ES 1 11 1'. (iOVKUXMESV nf TIH: I Sill:!) SIAI'F.S ASH Till:

(i<»n:iiyMi:.\T of iifii ///.•/ y.i.v.v/r' M.i.iFsry nm .i moi>i\s \ n fsih is jifi.j-

TIUN TO THE VUli-SEM. FISIIEUIES IS ItEltlSd sE.I.

For the piir|>(»so ofavoitliii^; irritiitiii); ilill'eit'iUMis, aiid witli a vio\vt«» promote Ww.
trieiully Ht'ttlcineiit of the (jia'stioii pciidinj; between the two (ioveiimiciits toiieliiiifi
their respective ii{(hts in iSerin^ Sea, and tor the preservation of tiie seal s|ie(;ie8, the
following; ai;reenient is inaile without prejudice to tiie rij,fhts or chiims of either |)arty:

(1) Her Majesty's (.lovernrneiit will jtrohibit, until May next, seal killing in that
part of Beriufi Sea lyiuK eastward of the line of demarcation described in Article N(k
1 of the treaty of 1807 between the I'nited States and K'ussia, and will promptly use
its best etiorts to insure the observance of this prohibition Ity ISritish subjects and
vessels.

(2) The I'nited States (lovernment will prohibit seal killing for the same period
in the same part of IJerin}'' Sea and on the shores and islands thereof, the property
of the United States, (in excess of 7,500 to be taken on the islands for the subsistence
and care of the natives), aiul will promptly use its best etl'orts to insure the observance
of this prohibition by United States citizens and vessels.

(3) Every vessel or person ott'ending against this prohibition in the said waters
of Bering Sea outside of the ordinary territorial limits of the United States may
be seized and detained by the naval or other duly (tommissioncd olliccrs of either
of the High Contracting Parties, but they shall be handed over as soon as pra<!tical»le
to the authorities of the nation to which they respectively belong, who shall alone
have jurisdiction to try the offense and impose the penalucs tor the same. The
witnesses and proof necessary to establish the offense shall also be sent witii them.

(4) In order to facilitate such proper in(|uiries as Ilei' Majesty's (lovernment may
desire to make, with a view to the presentation of the case of that (Jovernment before
arbitrators, and in expectation that an agreement for arbitration may be arrived
at, it is agreed that suitable persons designated by Great Britain will be permitted at
any time, upon ajtplication, to visit or to remain upon the seal islands during the
present sealing season for that purpose.

Signed and sealeil in duplii^ate at Washington this lAth day of .lune, ISJH, on
behalf of their respective (lovernments, by William V. Wharton, Acting Secretary
of State of the United States, and Sir .lulian I'auncelbtc, (1. ('. M. U., K. C li.,
11. B. M., Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

|SEAL.| Wll.MAM !•'. WlJAirroN.

I SEAL. I Julian Paincefote.

2127

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

^^ .^4b.

.*'-.V^.

1.0

1.1

1.25

llJil

1^ iy4

Hiotographic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WIST MAIN STRUT

WiBSTH.N.Y 14StO

(7V ; «/2.4503

^.V

;1 'I'

22S

THE FUK SEALS OF THE I'RIIilLOF ISLANDS.

TllK.irV llEIWEEy TJE

UXITEI) STATES OF AMEIIK .1
CONCLUDED FEIiUlAIlY J9, 1S!K'.

ASP UHEAT lilllTAlX

I I

Tlie ITiiited States of AHierica and Her Majesty the (iueeuoftbe United Kin}>doin
olCJreat Britain and Ireland, beiny desirous to i)rovide for an aiiiicaldo settlement of
the (luestions which have arisen between their respective (iovernnients concerning
the jurisdictional rifjhts of tlie I'nited States in the waters of Bering's Sea, and
citncerning also the i)reservation of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said
sea, and the rights of the citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking
the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said waters, have resolved to submit to
arbitration tlieijuestions involved, and to the end of concluding a convention for that
purpose have appointed a;^ iheir respective Pleuipotentiaries :

The President of the United States of America, James G. Blaine, Secnetary of
State of the United States; and

Her Majesty the Quci-ji of the United Kingdom of (ireat JJritain and Ireland, Sir
.Inlian I'auncefote, G. C. M. G., K. 0. 11., Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenii)otentiary to the United States ;

Who, after having communicated to each other tlieii' respective full powers which
were found to be in due and i)roper form, have agreed to and concluded the following
articles :

Article I. The (iiiestions which have arisen between the (Jovernment of the
United States and the Government of Her liritannic Majesty concerning the
jurisdictional rights of the United States, in the watersoi ISering Sea, and concerning
also the [(reservation of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said sea, and
the rights of the citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking of fur-
seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said waters, shall be submitted to a tribunal of
arbitration, to be composed of seven arbitrators, who shall beai)pointcd in the following
manner, that is to say: Two shall be named by the President of the United States,
two shall be named by Her Britannic Majesty ; His Kxcellency the President of the
French Republic shall be jointly requested by tiie high contracting parties to name
one; His Majesty, the King of Italy, shall be so requested to name one; and Mis
Majjesty tlie King of Sweden and Norway, shall be requested to name one. The
seven arbitrators to be so named shall be jurists of distinguished reputation in
tlieir respective countries; and the selecting powers shall be retpiested to choose, if
l»os8ible, jurists who are acquainted with the English language.

In case of death, absence, or incapacity to serv(> of any or either of the said
arbitrators, or in the event of any or either of tlie said arbitrators omitting or declining
or ceasing to act as such, the President of the United States, or Her Britannic Majesty,
or His Excellency the President of the French Republic, or His Majesty the King of
Italy, or His ^lajesty, the King of Sweden and Norway, as the case may be, shall name,
or shall be requested to name forthwith another person to a(!t as arbitrator in the place
and stead of the arbitrator originally named by such head of a state.

And in the event of a refusal or omission for two mouths after receipt of the joint
request from the High Contracting Parties of his Excellency, the President of the
French Republic, or His Msijesty, the King of Italy, or His Majesty, the King of
Sweden and Norway, to name an arbitrator, either to till the original appointment or
to till a vacancy as above provided, then in such case the appointment shall be made
or the vacancy shall be tilled in such manner as the High Contracting Parties shall
agree.

THi: ABI!ITR\TION TREATY.

229

liUl lAlS

Art. II. Tlio arbitiatois sliall meet at Piiri.s within twenty days after the (U'livery
of the coiiiiter cases mentioned in Article IV. and shall proceed impartially and
carefully to examine and decide the (pie.s^^ious that have been or shall be laid before
them as herein provided on the part of the (iovernment of the I'nited States and Her
Jiritannic Majesty, respectively. All 'iiiestions considered by the tribunal, inclndiiig;
the final decision, shall be determined by a majority of all the arbitrators.

Each of the High Contracting Parties sliall also name one person to attend the
tribunal as its .igent to represent it generally in all matters connected with the
arbitration.

Art. III. The printed ca.se of each of the two parties, accomi)anied by the
documents, the otlicial correspondence, and other evidence upon which each relies,
shall be delivered in dui)licate to each of the arbitrators and to the agent of the other
party as .soon as n)ay be after the apjtointment of the members of tlie tribunal, but
within a period not exceeding four mouths from the date of the ex(!hauge of the
ratifications of this treaty.

Art. IN'. Within three months alter the delivery on both sides of the printed
case, either party may, in like manner deliver in duplicate to each of the .said
arbitrators, and to the agent of the other party, a ccmnter case, and additional
documents, correspondence, and evidence so i)re.sented by the other party.

If, however, in c(mse(iuence of the di.statice of the jdace from which the evidence
to be presented is to be juocured, either i>arty shall, within thirty days after the
receipt by its ageut of the case of tlu". other party, give notice to the other party that
it requires additional time for the delivery of such counter case, documenl.s,
e(urespoiulence, and evidence, such additional time .so indicated, but not e.\eee<ling
sixty days beyond the three months in this article provided, shall be aUowed.

If, in the case submitted to the arbitrators, either party shall have speciified or
alluded to any report or document in its own exclusive possession, witlumt annexing
a copy, such party shall be boun<l, if the other ])arty thinks jn-oper to apply for it,
to furnish that i»arty with a copy thereof; and either party may vail ni)on the other,
through the arbitrators, to produce the originals or certified copies of any papers
adduced as evidence, giving in each instance notice thereof within thirty days after
delivery of the ca.se; and the original or (^opy so requested shall b(^ delivere<l as soon
as may be, and within a period not exceeding forty days aftei' receipt of notice.

Art. V. It shall be the duty of the agent of each party, within one month alter
the exi)iration of the time limited lor the delivery of the counter ca.se on both sides to
deliver in duplicate to each of the said arbitrators and to the agent of the other
party a ])rinted ar";ument showing the points and referring to the evidence np<m
which his (iovernment relies, and either party may also .support the same before
the arbitrators by oral argument of counsel; and the arbitrators may, if they desire
further elucidation with regard to any point, require a written or printed statement
or argument, or oral arguuuuit of counsel, upon it; but in such case the other party
shall be entitled to reply, either orally or in writing, as the case may be.

Ar'I'. VI. In deciding the matters submitted to the arbitrators, it is agreed that
the following five points shall be submitted to them, in order that their awani shall
embrace a distinct decision uimui each of said live points, to wit:

1. What exclusive jurisdiction in the sea now known as the Bering Sea, and
what exclusive rights in the .seal fisheries therein, did Ru.ssia assert and exercise prior
and up to the time of. the cession of Alaska to the Tnited States?

230

TIIK rUIi SEALS OF THE PltlBII-OK ISLANDS.

I
1

. »

HI' "^

^ •

2. IIow I'lU' vvce these cliiiins of Jiirisdietion as to tlie seal Hslieries recognized
and eoiict'ded by (ireat Britain?

li. Was the body of water now known as the Bering' Sea inchided in the phrase
"i'a(!ili(! Ocean,'' as used in tlie treaty of 18L*r» between (Ireat Britain and Hiissia;
and what rights, if any, in the Bering Sea were held and exclusively exercised by
i>'ussiii after said treaty?

4. Did all the rights of Russia as to jurisdiction, and as to the seal fisheries in
ISering Sea east of the water boundary, in the treaty between the United States and
Bussia of the 30th March, 1SC7, pass unimpaired to the United States under that
treaty?

."(. lias the United States any riglit, and if so, what riglit of i)rotection or i)roi)erty
in the fur-seals freiinenting the islands of the United States in Bering Sea, when such
seals are found outside the ordinary Smile limit?

Ak't. VII. If the determination of the foregoing questions as to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the United States shall leave the subject in such ]»osition that the
concurrence of (Ireat Britain is necessary to the establishment of regulations for
tiie proi)er protection of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the Bering Sea,
the arbitrators shall tlien determine what concurrent regulations outside t' e jurisdic-
tional limits of tlie respective (lovernments are necessary, and over what waters such
regidations should extend, and to aid them in that determination, the report of a
Joint Commission to be appointed by the respective Governments shall be laid before
them, with such other evidence as either (iovernment may submit.

Tue High Contracting Parties furthermore agree to co operate in securing the
adhesion of other Powers to such regulations.

AUT. VIII. The High Contracting Parties having found themselves unable to
agree upon a referen<!e which shall include the questittn of tlie liability of each for the
injuries alleged to have been sustained by the other, or by its citizens, in connection
Avith tlie claims presented and urged by it; and being solicitous that this subordinate
question should not interrupt or longer delay the submission and determination of the
main questions, do agree that either may submit to the arbitrators any (juestions
of fact involved in said claims and ask for a finding thereon, the (piestions of the
liability of either Government upon the facts found to be the subject of further
negotiation.

Ar'1'. IX. The High Contracting Parties have agreed to appoint two commis-
sioners on the part of each Government to make the joint investigation and report
contemplated in the preceding Article VII, and to include the terms of the said
agreement in the present convention, to the end that the joint and several reports and
recommendations of said commissioners may be in due form submitted to the arbi-
trators, should the contingency therefor arise, the said agreement is accordingly
herein included as follows:

I'^ach Government shall appoint two connnissicmers to investigate conjointly with
the commissioners of the other Governments all the facts having relation to seal life
in Bering Sea, and the measures ne(;essary lor its proper protection and preservation

The four commissioneis shall, so far as they may be able to agree, make a joint
report to each of the two Governments, and they shall also report, either jointly or
severally, to each Government on any points upon whicdi they may be umible to agree.

THE PARIS AWARD.

231

i'ec»»giiized

tlie phrase
id Hnssiii;
;ert'ised by

fisheries in
States and
luder that

>r i)roi)erty
wiion such

> exclusive
II that tlie
lations for
ering- Sen,
e jurisdie-
aters such
eport of a
aid before

jurinff tlie

unable to
Ich for the
onnection
Jordiuate
ion of the
questions
s of the
lurther

coinmis-
id report

the said
)orts and
the arbi-

ndingly

itly with
seal life
rvation
a Joint
jintly or
o agree.

These reports shall not be made public until they shall be submitted to the arbi-
trators, or it shall appear that the contingency of their being used by the arbitrators
can not arise.

Art. X. I'^ach (loverninent shall pay the expenses of its members of the .j(tint
commission in the investigation referred to in the precieding article.

Abt. XI. The decision of the tribunal shall, if possible, be made within three
months from the close of the argument on both sides.

It shall be made in writing and dated, and shall be signed by the arbitrators who
may assent to it.

The decision shall be in duplicate, one copy thereof shall be deliver»!d to the agent
of the United States foi- his Government, and the other copy shall be delivered to the
agent of Great Britain for his Government.

Art. XII. Each Government shall pay its own agents and provide for the proper
remuneration of tiie counse^ employed by it, and of the arbitrators appointed by it,
and for the expense of preparing and submitting its case to the tribunal. All other
expenses connected with the arbitration shall be defrayed by the two Governments in
equal moieties.

Art. XIII. The arbitrators shall keep an accurate record of their proceedings,
and may appoint and employ the necessary officers to assist them.

Art. XIV. The High Contracting Parties engaged to consider the result of the
proceedings of the tribunal of arbitration, as a full, perfect, and llnal settlement of all
the (piedtions referred to the arbitrators.

Art. XV. The present treaty shall be duly ratified by the rresident of the United
States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by
Her Britannic Majesty; and the ratification shall be exchanged either at Washington
or at Loudon within six months from the date hereof, or earlier if possible.

In faith whereof we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this treaty and
have hereunto affixed our seals.

Done in duplicate at Washington the twenty-ninth day of February, one thousand
eight hundred and ninety-two.

[SEAL,.] James G. Blaine.

[seal. J .Julian PAUNruFOTE.

AWARD OF THE TRinVXAL 01' ARIUTRATIOX CONSTITUTED UNDER THE TREATT
CONCL UDKD A T WA SHINC TON THE 39 Til OF I'ERR UA R Y, 1S92, liETWEEN THE VNI TED
STATES OF AMERICA AND HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE IS'lTED KINGDOM
OF GREAT ItRITAlN AND IRELAND.

[KiigliHli verginii.]

Wliereas by a treaty between the United States of America and Great Britain,
signed at Washington February 29, 1802, the ratifications of which by the Governments
of the two countries were exchanged at London on May 7, 1892, it was, amongst other
things, agreed and concluded that the questions which had arisen betwee" the
Government of the United States of America and the Government of Her Briiuiinic
Majesty, concerning the jurisdictional rights of the United States in the waters of
Bering Sea, and concerning also the i»reservation of the fur seal in or habitually

t !

■;i I

232

THE rirK SEALS OK THE PUIItlLoK ISLANDS.

resortiii}^ to the .s;ii<l sea, iiiul the ri{jhts of the citizens ami subjects of either country
as re^anls the taicinf,' of liir seals in or habitually res(»rtinj' to tlie said waters, sliould
be submitted to a tribunal of arbitration to be composed of seven arbitrators, who
should be ajipointed in the following manner, tluit is to say: Two should be named by
the President of the United States; two shouhl be named by Her Britannic Majesty;
His Excellency the President of tlie French lie|)ublic sliould be jointly recjuested by
tlu' liigh contracting parties to name one; His Majesty the King of Italy should be so
reipiested to name one; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway sliould ln! so
re(|uested to name one; the seven arbitrators to be so nanu'd should iie Jurists of
distinguished reputation in their respective countries, and the selecting ]»owers should
be re(|uested to choose, if ]iossiblc, Jurists who are ac(|uainted with the ICnglish
language;

And wluneas it was further agreed by .Vrticle 11 of th»^ said treaty that the
arbitrators slnmld meet at Paris within twenty days after the <lelivery of the counter
cases mentioned in Article IV. and should proceed imi)artially and carefully to
examine and decide the questions which had been or should be laid before them as in
the said treaty provided on the part of the Ciovernments of the United States and of
Her Britannic ^Majesty, respectively, and that all (piestions considered by the tribunal,
including the final deciision, should be determined by a unijorityof all the arbitrators;

And whereas by Arti(!le VI of the said treaty it was further i)rovided as follows:

In tleciiling the inattiTs Hubniitted to tlie Hiiid arliitratoiH, it is agrt'eil that tlie following live
pointH sliiill 1)0 siilimitted to them in order that their Jtward shall embrace a distinct derision iipoa
eiu'hofsaid five points, to wit:

1. What excltisivt) jurisdiction in the sen uow known us Hering Sea, ami what exclusive rights in
the seal lislieru's therein, did Hussia assert and I'xercise jirior and up to the time of the eession of
Alaska to the United States?

'J. How fai were these <'li(ims of Jnrisdietion as to the seal lisheries recognized and eon<'e(led liy
Great liritain i

'.i. Was tli(> body of water now known as Bering Sea inclnded in the phrase I'ai'ific ( )cean, as u.>ied
in the treaty of 18i") Vjetween (ireat Hritain and Russia; and what rights, if any, in Heriug Sea were
lield and exclusively exercisfd by Russia after s.iid treaty i

I. Did not all the rights of Russia, as to, jurisdiction and as to the seal lisheries in Hering Sea east
of the water boundary, in the treaty between the I'uited States ami Russia of the :{{)th of March, 1S(!7,
puss unimpaired to the Tniled States uniler that treaty ?

5. lias the United States any right, and if so. what right, of i>rotectiou or property in the fur
seals frequentin.; the islands of the United St.ates in Hering Sea when such seals are found outside the
ordinary 3-niile limit?

And whereas by Articde VII of the said treaty it was further agreed as follows:

If the determination of the foregoing (luestions as to the exclusive .jurisdiction of the United
States shall leave the subject in such position that -the concurrence of Great Hritain is necessary to
the establishnu'nt of regulations for the proper j)roteetion and iireservatiou of the fur seal in, or
habitiuilly resorting to, Hering Sea, the arbitrators shall then determine what concurrent regulations,
outside the jurisdiction limits of the respective (iovernments, are necessary, and over what waters
such regulations should extend;

The high contracting parties furthermore agrt^e to cooperate in securing the adhesion of other
powers to such regulations;

And whereas by Article VIII of the said treaty, after reciting that the high
contracting parties had found themselves unable to agree upon a reference which
should include the tpiestiou of the liability of each for the injuries alleged to hsive been
sustained by the other, or by its citizens, in connection with the claims presented and

" •':-i:??»r.Jia?t?"t?'.ya' a r j ifl m

THE PARIS AWARD.

233

(•oni'cilcil l»v

itn of other

urged by it, and tliat '' tliey were solicitous that tiiis snltordiuate question should not
interrupt or longer delay tlie submission and determination of the main ((uestions,''
the liigh contracting parties agreed that "eitiier of them might submit to the
arbitrators any (juestion of fact involved in said olaims and ask for a finding thereon,
the (|ue8tion of the liability of eitlierCiovernment upon the facts Ibund to be the subject
of further uegotiation ; "

And whereas the President of tiie I'nited States of America named the lion. John
M. Harlan, -histicre of the Supreme Court of the Inited States, and the lion. John T.
Morgan, Senator of the United States, to be two of the said arbitrators; and llcr
Uritannic Majesty named tlie Right lion. Lord llannen and the Hon. Sir John
Thompson, minister of Justice and attorney-general for Canada, to be two of the said
arbitrators; and His Kxcellency the President of tlie Freiu-h Republic named the Baron
de Courcel, senator, ambassador of France, to be one of the said arbitrators; and Ills
Majesty the King of Italy named the !\Iar(|uis I'^mi'io Viscouti Venosta, former minister
of foreign affairs and senator of the Kingdom of Italy, to be one of the said arbitrators;
and His Hajesty the King of Sweden and Norway named Mr. Gregers Grain, nnnister
of state, to be one of the said arbitrators;

And whereas we, the .said arbitrators so named and ai»pointed, having taken upon
our.selves the burden of the said arbitration, and having duly met at Paris, proceeded
impartially and carefully to examiiu' and decid*; all the i[uesti<)ns suhmitted to us, the
said arbitrators, under the said treaty, or laid before us as provided in the said treaty
on the part of the Governmeuts of Her Jiritannic Maje.sty and the Cnited States,
respectively ;

Xow we, the said arbitrators, having impartially and carefully examined the said
questions, do in like manner by this our award decide aiul deternuiie the said que.s-
tions in the manner following; that is to say, we decide and determine as to the live
points mentioned in Article VI as to which our award is to embrace a distinct decision
ui)on each of them :

As to the tirst of the said five points, we, the said IJaron de Courcel, Mr, Justice
Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir flohu Thompson, Marijuis Visconti Venosta, and Mr.
Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide and determine as
follows :

By the ukase of 1821 Russia claimed jurisdiction in the sea now known as Bering
Sea to the extent of 100 Italian miles from the coast and islands belonging to her;
but, in the course of the negotiations which led to the concbi.sion of the treaties of
1824 with the United States and of 182i"» with Great Britain, Russia admitted that her
jurisdiction in the said sea should be restricted to the reacdi of cannon shot from
shore, and it appears that from that time up to the time of the cession of Alaska to
the XTnited States Russia never asserted in factor exercise<I any exclusive juri.sdiction
in Bering Sea or any exclusive rights in the seal fisheries therein beyond the ordinary
limit of territorial waters.

As to the second of the said five i)oiuts, we, the said Baron de (!ourcel, .Mr.
Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir John Thompson, Manjuis Vi.sconti Venosta, and
Mr. Gregers Gram, being a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide and determine
that Great Britain did not recognize or concede any claim upon the part of Russia to
exclusive jurisdiction as to the seal fisheries iu Bering Sea outside of ordinary terri-
torial waters.

'AH

THE lUli SEALS OF THE I'RIUILOF ISLANDS.

Ah to the third of tlio said live points, as to so iriiuili tliero.of as roquin^s us to
(l('ci('"i wlictlier tlu", body of water now known as Herin}'' Sea was includud in the
lilna.vvi ' I'lcilii! Ocean," as used in tlie treaty of 18L'r> between (Ireat liritain and
h'ussia, "' , tlio said arbitrators, do unanimously deeide and determine tliat tlie body
of water now known as Heriny Sea was included in tlie phrase " Pacific Ocean"' as
used in the said treaty.

And us to so nuich (tf the said third point as requires us to decide what lijjhts, if
any, in Berir.^j Sea were held and exclusively exercised by Russia after the said treaty
of 18-'."), we, the .said l>aron de Courcel, Mr. Justice Uarlan, Lord llannen, Sir John
Thompson, Maniuis Visconti Venosta, and Mr. Gre^jers Oram, being a majority of the
said arl)itrators, do decide and determine that no exclusive ri>;lits of .jurisdi(!tion in
iierinjj Sea and no exclusive rights as to the seal fi.sheries therein were held or
exercised by Hu.ssia outside of ordinary territorial waters after th(! treaty of 182.").

As to the fourth of the said five jmints, we, the said arbitrators, do uinmiuiously
decide and determine that all the rights of Russia as to jurisdiction and as to the .seal
fisheries in IJering Sea east of the water bound.ary, in the treaty between the I'nited
Stiites and Russia of the 30th March, 1807, did pass unimpaired to the United States
under the said treaty.

As to the tifth of the said five points, we, the said Baron de Courcel, Lord llannen,
Sir.Iohn Thompson, Mar(|ui8 Visconti Venosta, and Mr. OregersOram, being a majority
of the said arbitrators, do decide and determine that the United States has not any
right of protection or property in the fur seals frequenting the islands of the United
States in Boring Sea when such seals are found outside the ordinary Smile limit.

And whereas the aforesaid determination of the foregoing questions as to the
exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, mentioned in Article VI, leaves the subject
in such a position that the concurrence of Great liritain is necessary to the establish-
ment of regulations for the projter protection and preservation of the fur seals in or
habitually resorting to Bering Sea, the tribunal having decided by a niajority as to
each article of the following regulations, we, the said Baron de Courcel, Lord llannen.
Marquis Visconti Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, assenting to the whole of the nine
ji'tides of the following regulations, and being a majority of the said arbitrators, do
decide and determine in the mode provided by the treaty that the following concurrent
regulations outside the jurisdictional limits of the respective Governments are
necessary, and that tliey should extend over the waters hereiuatter meutiouedj that
is to say;

RKGULATIONS

Aktici.b 1.

The Governments of the United States and of Great Britain shall forbid their
citizens and subjects, respectively, to kill, capture, or pursue at any time and in any
manner whatever the animals commonly called fur seals within a zone of 60 miles
around the I'ribilof Islands, inclusive of the territorial waters.

The miles mentioned in the preceding paragraph are geographical miles, of 00 to
a degree of latitude.

Article 2.

The two(iovernment8 shall forbid their citizens and subjects, respectively, to kill,
capture, or pursue, in any manner whatever, during the season extending each year

THE KEUULATIONS.

235

111 any
miles

o kill,
» year

from the lut of May to the Ist of .luly, both iuoliisivo, the fur seals on the hijjh sea, in
the ]tait of tlie I'acKic Ocean, iiu'lnsive of Herinfj Soa, which is situated to tlic noi tii
of tlie tliii'ty fifth dejireo of north latitude and eastward of the one liundred and
eifihtieth degree of longitude from (ireeiiwich, till it striives the water boundary
described in Article 1 of the treaty of 1H(>7 between the I'nited States and JJussia,
and following that line uj* to Bering Straits.

AitTici.r. 3.

During the j/eriod of time and in the waters in which the fur-seal fishing is allowed,
only sailing vessels shall be permitted to carry on or take jiart in fur-seal lishing
operations. They will, however, be at liberty to avail themselves of the use of such
canoes or undecked boats, propelled by paihlles, oars, or sails as are in ccmimon ii.se as
tishiug boats.

Aktici.k i.

'•'aeh sailing vessel authorized to fish for fur seals must be provided with a special
liceuKi^ issued for that purpose by its (iovernmcnt, and shall be required to carry a
distinguishing tlag, to be i»rescribed by its (lovernment.

Akticlk 5.

The masters of the vessels engaged in fur-seal fishing shall enter accurately in
their oflicial log book the date and jdace of ea»"h fur seal fishing ojjciation, aud also
the number and sex of the seals cai>tiircd upon each day. These entiies shall be
eommiiuieated by each of the two Governments to the other at the end of each fishing
season.

AUTICI.E 6.

The use of nets, firearms, and explosives shall be forbidden in the fur-seal fishing.
This restriction shall not apply to shotguns when such fishing takes ))lace outside of
Bering Sea during the season when it may be lawfully carried on.

Articm-. 7.

The two (lovernments shall take measures to control the fitness of the men
anthoiizi d to engage in fur-seal fishing. These men .shall have been proved fit to
handle with .suflieient skill the weapons by means of which this fishing may be
carried on.

Articlk 8.

The regulations contained in the preceding articles shall not ai)ply to Indians
dwelling on the coasts of the territory of the United States or of <ireat Britain, and
carrying on fur-seal fishing in (-anoes or undecked boats not transported by paddles,
oars, or sails, and manned by not more than live persons each in the way hitherto
practiced by the Indians, provided such Indians are not in the employment of other
persons, and provided that, when so hunting in canoes or undecked boats, they shall
not hunt fur seals outside of territorial waters xinder contract for the delivery of the
skins to any i)erson.

This exemption shall not be construed to affect the municipal law of either
country, nor shall it extend to the waters of Bering Sea or the waters of the Aleutian
Passes.

236

I'lIK FUK SEALS OK THK PKIIULOF ISLANDS.

NotiiiiifT liPi'Pin «M»iitiiiiii'(l is iiiti'iulod t<» iiiterft'ic witli tlie t'liiployiiieiit of IiiUiaiiM
as liuiiters or otlierwisc in cuiiiiectiKii witli fur acalinp vossels, as lieretotitro.

Abtk I.K !>.

Tlie concurrent rcfjiiliitions horeby determined with a view to tlie protection and
l)ie.servation of tiie fnr .seals aliall remain in force until they have been in whole or in
part abolished or modified by common aH:reenu'nt between the (lovernnicnts ol the
Ignited States and of (ireat Britain.

The said concurrent re{,'ulations shall be subnutted every live years to a new
examination, so as to enable both interested Goveriunents to consider whether in the
light of past experience there is o(;casi()u for any nioditicatioii thereof.

imci.tii.iTioss MADF. iiy tuf. TumrxAL or ah/u ruATiox Axn i<i:i'i:iini:i> to the
tioi i:i!.\.\/i:.\rs OF riii'. isitfi* states asi> hheat iiiutaix fou theih coysm-

KKATIOS.

I Kii^lisli vtTsioii.]

The arbitratoi's declare that the ccmcurrent regulations, as determined upon by
the Tribunal of Arbitration, by virtue of Article VM of the treaty of liie liJtth of
February, 1.S92, being ai)i)licable to the high sea only, siionld, in their opinion, be
supplemented by other regulations applicable within the limits of the sovereignty of
each of the two powers interested and to be settled by their common agreement.

II.

In view of the critical condition to which it appears certain that the race of fur
seals is now reduced in couseqtience of circumstances not fully known, the arbitrators
tiiink fit to recommend both (lovernments to come to an understanding in order to
prohibit any killing of fur seals, either on land or at sea, for a i)eriod of two or three
years, or at least one year, subject to such exceptions as the two Governments uiight
think i)roper to a<lmit of.

Such a measure might be recurred to at occasional intervals, if found beneficial.

III.

The arbitrators declare moreover that, in their ojiinion, the carrying out of the
regulations determined upon by the Tribunal of Arbitration shouhl bo assured by a
system of sti])iilation8 and measures to be enacted by the two ijowers; and that the
tribunal must, in consequence, leave it to .the two powers to decide upon the means
t'or giving effect to the regulations determined upon by it.

TEltMs OF THE OHIO IS Al. LEASE OF THE SEAL ISLAND 1(7/7/ THE ALASKA rOM-

MEKCIAI. COMPANY.

This iinlenture in dupli(!ate, made this 3d day of August, A. 1). 1870, by and
between William A. Richardson, Acting Secretary of the Treasury, in pursuance of
an ac!t cf Congress appioved July 1, 1870, entitled "An act to i)reventthe extermina-
tion of fur-bearing animals in Alaska," and the Alaska Commercial Company, a

TflK I'lHBT C'AHK.

137

li beneticial.

.ISKA COM-

(Mii'poiiitiDii tliily *^>4tal)lislK'(l iiiidor tlu> laws of tlic Stat«> ()l'< 'aliforiiia, aitin;; l),v •loliii
I'. Miller, its |ii'i>si(l<Mit aiid a;;i'iit, in at'cuidaiicc witli a ri'sojiiliiiii at a iiuM'tiii^ of its
board of trusU'cs, lichl .Imiiiary .'M, 1S70, witiicssctli :

Tliaf srtid Secretary licreby leases to tlie said Alaska (Utmmereial <'oin|miiy,
without ]>ow«r of tiaiisfer, for the t«Min of twenty years from the 1st day of May, 187(1,
the right to eiii^ii;;o in th« business of taking fur seals on tiie islnnds of St. (ieorgti
and St. I'aul within the territory of Alaska, atnl to send a vessel or vessols to said
islands for the skins of sueh seals.

And the suid Alaska Coininereial (Company, in consideration of their right nniler
this lease, hereby covenant and agree to pay for each year durin;; said term, and
in jji'oportion during any i)art thereof, the sum of )?r>r(,0()(i into the 'I'reasury of the
Uidted Stat«'s in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary to be made for
this purpose under said act, which payment shall be secured by deposit of Inited
States bonds to that amount, «.n also covenant and a^ree to pay annually into
the Treasury of the United States, under said rules ami regulations, an internal-
revenue tax or duty of $2 tor each seal skin taken and shiiipcd by them in
accoidance with the i)i'ovisions of the act aforesaid, and also the sum of «iliA cents for
each fur-seal skin taken and shipped, and ;>") cents per gallon for each gallon of oil
obtained from said seals, for sale in said islands or elsewhere, and sold by said
comjiany; and also <'ovenantand .gree, in accordance with said rules and regulations,
to furnish, free of charge, the iiduibitants of the islamls of St. I'aul and St. (leorge
annually during said term LC>,000 dried salmon, <»() conls of tirewood, and a siitHcient
(|uaiitity of salt and a sutlicient quantity of barrels for preserving the necessary
supply of meal.

And the said lessees also hereby covenant and agree during the term aforesaid to
maintain a school on each island, in accordance with said rules and regulations, and
suitable for the education of the natives of said islands, for a period of not less than
eight months in each year.

And the said lessees further covenant and agree not to kill upon said island of
St. Paul more than 7r),()00 fur seals, and upon the island of St. (ieorge not more than
20,000 fur seals per annum; not to kill any fur seal \\\w\\ the islands aforesaid in any
other month except the months of .lune, July, Sei)tember, and October of each year;
not to kill said .seals at any time by use of firearms or means tending to drive said
seals from said islands; not to kill any female seals or seals under 1 year old; not to
kill any seal in water adjacent to said islands, or on the beach, clitt's, or rocks, where
they haul up from the sea to renniin.

And the said lessees further covenant and agree to abide by any restriction or
limitation up<m the right to kill seals under this lease that the act prescribes or that
the Secretary of the Treasury shall. judge necessary for the preservation of such seals.

And Ihe said lessees hereby agree that they will not in any way sell, traiisfcr, or
assign this lease, and that any transfer, sale, or assignment of the same shall be void
and of no ett'ect.

And the said lessees further agree to furnish to the several masteis of the vessels
employed by them certified copies of this lease, to be presented to the (iovernmont
reveiuie ofticers for the time being in charge of said islands, as the authority of said
lessees for the landing and taking of said skins.

23 M

Tin; Kilt si:al8 ok tiik pkiiiilui' islands.

And tliu Hiiiil I(<HH(M)M rurtluM' coveimnt and agreu tliat tlit-y or IIi«mi' atr«iits shall
not k»'(4), Hell, luniisli, j^ivf, or diHposti of any diHtillod spirituouH liciiioiK on oitlier of
said islands to any of lii<- natives Mnuoof, sntdi |M>r.son not bein^ a physician and
furnishing the same for use as inedieine.

And the said lessees further eoveiutnt and atfioo that tliiH U^ase is aceepted, suhjeet
to all needful rules and re;;ulatioiis whieli shall at any time or times lieieaftei' be made
by the hecretary of the Treasury for the eolleetion and ])aym(Mit of the rental herein
aj?reed to be ])aid by said lessees for the eonifort, inaintainanee, education, and
protei'tion of the natives of said islands, and for earryiiif; into elVeet all the i»rovisions
of the aet aforesaid, and will altide by and eonforni to said rules and legulatioiis.

And tiie said lessees, aeeeptinj; this lease with a full kn(»\vk'dj;e of the i)rovisions
of the aforesaiti act of Ton^jress, further covenant and agree that they will fulfill all
the provisions, recpiiremonts, and limitations of said act, whether herein speeitically
set out or not.

In witness whereof the parties aforesaid have hereunto set their hands and seals
the day and year above written.

[SEAL. I William A. Uiciiardson,

Acthuj Secretary of the TredMitri/,
[sKAL.| Alaska OoviVIkrcial Comi'any,

By John F. Millku, I'vexidenl.
Executed in presence of—
J. 11. Havillk.

COPY or insTitAir iti:T\\i:i:s riii'. iyiri:i> sr.rncs ixn tiik south amijucas

COMMEUCIAL CO.UI'AyV, ISIUCU irillCIl .SAID COMI'AXV IS CrllASTKI) Till:

iixcLusivK iminr of i'akinc, fuii seals vpos the j'iiuulof islaxds ix

ALASKA.

This indenture, made in duplicate this twelfth day of .March, 1890, by and between
William Windom, Secretary of the Treasury of the Tnited States, in i)ursuance of
chapter .'{ of title 2.1, Revised Statutes, and the North American Commercial <'onipaiiy,
a corp(M'ation duly established under the laws of the State of California, and actiii};
by 1. Lieb(!s, its president, in accordance with a resolution of said corporation adopted
at a meeting of its board of directors held .laiiuary 1, 1890, witnesseth:

That the said Secretary of the Treasury, in consideration of the agreements
hereitiafter stated, hereby leases to the said North American Commercial Company
for a term of twenty years, from the first (hiy of May, 18!tO, the exclusive right to
engage in the business of taking fur seals on the islands (»f St. (leorge and St. Paul,
in the Territory of Alaska, and to send a vessel or vessels to said islands for the skins
of such seals.

The said North American Commercial Company, in consideration of the rights
secured to it under this lease above stated, on its ]»art covenants and agrees to do the
things following, that is to say:

To pay to the Treasurer of the United States each year during the said lerm of
twenty years, as annual rental, the sum of sixty thousand dollars, and in addition
thereto agrees to pay the reveuue tax, or duty, of two dollars laid upon each fur-seal

TMK IMtDSKNT CA8E.

23! •

■ills

:i> Tin:

i.MiS IS

rif-lits
<lo the

;erm of
addition
fur-seal

Hkiii taken jiiitl .slii|i|)e*l by it t'ruiii suid iMlaii(!.s of SI. (ieoi'^u and St. I'aul, and ulso
to pay lo said Treasurer the further sum of seven tlollars sixty-two and one half
cents apuHH- for each and every fur seal skin taken ami shipped from said islands, find
also to pay the sum of fifty cents per gallon lor each {{aUon of oil sold Ity it made
from seals lliat may be taken on said islands durin;-' the said period of twenty years;
and to secure the pronipt paynuMit of the sixty thousand dollars lentai above referred
to, the said company agrees to dejxtsit with the Secretary of tlie Treasury bonds of
the IJiuted States to the amount of fifty thousan<l dollars, face value, to be held as a
{guarantee for tlu^ annual payujent of said sixty thousand dollars rental, the interest
thereon whendiw to be collected and paid to the North American Commercial ( ompany,
provided the said company is not in default of payment of any i)art of the said sixty
thousand dollars rental.

That it will furnish to the native inhabitants of sai<l islands of St. (leor^e and
St. I'aul annually such quantity or tiundKU' of dried salmon, and such (pnintity ol salt
and such nund)er of salt barrels for i)reservin{i their necessary supi)ly of meat as the
Secretary of the Treasury shall from time to time determine.

That it will also furnish to the said inhabitants ei;>lity tons of coal annually, and
a sullicient number of comfortable dwellinj;s m which said native inhabitants may
reside; ami will keep said dwelliiiffs in proper rcii lir; and will also provide and keej)
in rei)air such suital)le schotdhouses as may bt necessary, ami will establish and
luaiutain during' eiyht months of each ye'- proper schools for the education of the
children on said islands, the same to be ight by contp»'tent teachers, who shall be
paid by the comi>any a fair compensation, all to the satisfaction of the Secretary of
Che Treasury; and will also provide and mnintuin a suitable liouso for religious
worship; and will also provide a competent physician or idiysicians, and ne<'essary
and proper medicines ami medical supplies; and will also provide liie necessaries of
life for the widows and orphans and a^ed ami intirm inhabitants of said islands who
are unable to provide for themselves ; all of which foregoing agreeiiieiits will be done
and perfornuMl by the said company free of all costs and charges to said nati\e
inhabitants of said islands («• to the llnited States.

The annual rental, together with all other payments to the i'nited States jnovidcd
for in this lease, shall be made and paid on or before the 1st day of April of each and
every year duriug the existence of this lease, beginning with the 1st day of April, 18!U.

The said company further agrees to employ the native inhabitants of said islands
to perform sucdi labor upon the islands as they are fitted to perform, and to i)ay
therefor a fair and just compensation, sutdi as nuiy be fixed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, aiul also to contribute, as far as is in its ixtwer, all reasonable efforts to
secure the comfort, health, education, and promote the morals and civilization of saiti
iiLHive inhabitants.

The said company also agrees faithfully to obey and abide liy all rules and regula-
tions that the Secretaiy of the Treasury has heretofore or may hereafter establish or
make in i)ursuance of law concerning the taking of seals of said islands, and (ioncerning
the comfort, morals, and other interests of said inhabitants, and all matters pertaining
to said islands and the taking of seals within the possession of the United States. It
also agrees to obey and abide by any restrictions or lindtations upon the right to kill
seals that the Secretary of the Treasury shall judge necessary, under the law, for the
preservation of the seal fisheries of the United States; and it agrees that it will not

' f.'.i H^K'lwirw.vH nm.u.nt!^ F.J""lt.

240

TlIK rUI{ SKALS OF THK I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

kill or peiniit to be killed, so far as it can pieveut, in auy year a greater iiuinbur of
seals than is autliori/ed by the Secretary of the Treasnry.

The said company further iigrees that it will not perndt any of its agents to keep,
sell, give, or dispose of any distilled spirits or spirituous liquors or opium, on either
of said islands, (»r t-.<3 waters adjacent thereto, to any of the native inhabitants of said
islands, such person not being a physicitin and furnishing the same for use as a
medicnie.

It is understood and agreed that the number of fur seals to be taken and killed for
their skins upon said islands by the North American Commercial Company during the
year ending j\Iay 1, l.S!»l, shall not exceed ()(»,0(M».

The Secretary of the Treasuiy reserves the right to terminate this lease and all
rights of the North American Commercial Company under the same at any time, on
full and satisfactory proof that ihe said company has violated any of the i)rovisioii8
and agreements of this lease, or any of the laws of the United States, or any Treasury
regulation respecting the taking of fur seals, or concerning the islands of St. (leorge
and St. Paul, or the inhabitants thereof.

In witness whereof the i)arties have set their hainls and seals the day and year
above written.

|SKAi..| William Windom, ISixtrlary of ihe Treasury.

[seal. I North American Commercial Company,

By I. LiKHKS,
I'rcsident of the North Amermni (lommereUil dompuiii/.
Attest:

II. I>. Parsons, AsHintant Seeretury.

THE v(>xri:iti:\ci-: or riiisKAL i:.\i'/:i{i\s.

The Conference of Kur-Seal Experts, representing (heat Britain, Canada, and
the United States, convened at the city of Washington, November 10, 1807. The
foll(twing were tiie delegates: On the part of Great iiritain. Prof. D'Arcy Went worth
Thompson; on the part of ('anada, Mr. James Melville Macoun: on the i)art of the
United States, Hon. Charles Sumner Hamlin and Dr. David Starr .Jordan.

Mr. Hamlin was chosen president of the Conference, and Mr. (leorge A. (Jlark,
secretary of Stanford University, ami Mr. Robert N. Venning, of the department of
nnirine an<l fisheries of Canada, were appointed joint secretaries.

Hon. John NV. Foster, sjjetaal commissioner in charge of the fur-seal matter for
the United States, and Sir Louis H. Davies, minister of marine and fisheries for
Canada, and Mr. (". F. Frederick Adam, «)f the British legation, attended the sessions
of the Conference.

After due deliberaticm, on November Id, the C«»nference agreeil to and duly signed
the ftdlowing joint statement of conclusions:

JOINT STATEMENT OF CONCLUSIONS RESPECTlN(i TIIE Fl R-SKAL HERD FRE
yrENTING TIIE I'RIBILOF ISLANDS IN UEKIN(f SEA.

The undersigned, duly empowered <lelegales, engaged during recent years in the
investigation of the condition and habits «tf the fur-seal herd fretjueiit ing the Pribilof

' iiUUl..li i X.iU. I

UJUUUJU L JJII ^«i.iii

iiunibor of

its to keep,
, on eitlier
lilts of said
r use as a

I killed toi'
during- the

asc and all
ly time, on
provisions
y Treasury
St. (Jeorge

y aud year

lNY,

Uniiptiiii/.

nadit, and

897. The

en t worth

t of the

A. <Jhuk,
rtnient of

latter tor
heries for

sessions

ily signed

1) FKE

iirs in the
e I'ribilof

JOINT 8TATi:.MENT OF CONCLUSIONS.

241

Islands in lieriug Sea, viz, on behalf of the United States, Charles Sunmer Ilaiidin and
David Starr -lordan ; on behalf of (heat Britain, D'Arey Wentworth Tlioinpsoii; on
behalf of Canada, James Melville Maeoun, have met in (lonference under instructions
from our respective Governments. Under these instructions we were directed "to
arrive, if possible, at correct c(»nelusions respecting the numbers, cuuditions, and
habits of the seals frequenting the Pribilof Islands at the present time as compared
with the several seasons previous and subse<iue:it te the Paris award."

As a residt "f such conference, now completed, we, the above-named Ch;irle8
Sumner Hamlin, David Starr Jordan, D'Arey Wentworth Thompson, and .lames
Melville Maeoun, And ourselveii in accord on the propositions contained in the
following Joint statement of conclusions respecting the fur-seal herd frequenting the
Pribilof Islands, and make this our report:

.JOINT STATKMKNT.

1. There is adeciuate evidence that since the y«'ar 1.S81, and down to the date (»f
the inspection of the rookeries in 1807, the fur seal herd of tiie I'ribilof Islands, as
measured ©neither the hauling grounds or breeding grounds, has declined in numbers
at a rate varying from year to year.

2. In the absence for the earlier years of actual (lonnts ;»i the rookeries su(!h as
have been made in recent years, the best approximate measure of detliiu! now
available is found in these facts:

(a) About 100,000 male seals of recognized killable age were obtained from the
hauling grounds each year from 1871 to 1889. The table of statistics given in
Appeiulix 1 shows, on the whole, a progressive iiu-iease in the number of hauling
grounds driven and in the number of drives made, as well as a retardation of the date
at which the (juota was attained during a nund)er of years previous to iss'.t.

(b) In the year 1896, 28,904 killable seals were taken after continuing the driving
till .luly 27, and in 1897, 19,189 after continuing the driving till August 1 1.' We have
no reason to believe that during tlie period 189(i and 1897 a very much larger number
of males of n'coguized killable age ccuild have been taken on the hauling grounds.

The reduction between the years 18iMi and 1897 in the number of killable seals
taken, while an indication of decrease in the breeding herd, can not l>e taken as ari
actual measure of such decrease. A number of other factors nuist be taken into
consideration, aud the real measure of decrease must be sought in nntre jiertinent
statistics drawn from the breeding rookeries themselves.

.'5. From these data it is plain that the former yield of the hanling grounds of the
I'ribilof Islaiuls was from three to live times as great as in the years 189(5 and 1897,
and the same diminution to one third or oiie-tifth of the ibrinei product may be
assumed when we include also the results of hunting at sea.

I. The death rate among the young fur seals, especially among the imii)s, is very
great. While the loss among the pups prior to their departure frouj the islaiuls has
been found in the last two years to approach 20 per cent of the whole number born,
ari! though the rate of stibseipient mortality is unkiutwn, we may gather from the

' The nomiiiul quota of 30,000 for ISiHi and of 20,8t)0 for 1807 iiicliuleil fiioil sl<iiis tal<oii in the fill
of is:)3 and ISOO. (Thosn tijjuros, L'8,9()4 and 10,1S9, are slightly iu error and should rund rosiiectively
a8,:<65 audl8,it()l.)
15184 16

Iff

242

THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

H '

■[-.i i

1.1

■

muuher vrliicb return eiich year that from oue-balf to two thirds liave perished before
the age of three years — that is to say, the killable aye for tlte males and the breeding
age for the females.

5. Tlie chief natural ' causes of death among pups, so far us known at present, are
as follows, the importance of each being variable and more or less uncertain :

(a) Ravages of the parasitic worm Uncitiaria, most destructive on sandy breeding
areas and during the period from July 15 to August 20.

(b) Trampling by fighting bulls or by moving bulls and cows, a source of loss
greatest among young pups.''

(v) Starvation of pups strayed or separated from their mothers when very young
or whose mothers have died from natural causes.

{(1) The ravages of the great killer (Orca), known to be fatal to many of the young
and x)erhaps also to older seals.

At a later period drowning in the storms of winter is believed, but not certainly
known, to be a cause of death among the older pups.

(i. Counts of certain rookeries, with partial counts and estimates of others, show
that the number of breeding females bearing pups on St. Paul and St. George was,
in l.SDC and 1807, between lfiO,000 and 130,000, more nearly approaching the higher
ligure in 1806 and the lower in 1897. •'

7. On certain rookeries,where pups were counted in both seasons, 10,241 being
found in 1896 and 14,318 in 1897, or applying a count adopted by Professor Thompson,
14,."43 in the latter year, there is evident a decrease of 9 or 12 i)er cent within the
twelvemonth in question. The count of pups is the most trustworthy measure of
numerical variation in the herd. The counts of harems, and especially of cows
present, are much inferior in value. The latter counts, however, point in the same
direction. The harems on all the rookeries were counted in both seasons. In 1890
there were 4,932; in 1897 there were 4,418, a decrease of 10,41 per cent. The cows
actually present on certain rookeries at the height of the season were counted in both
seasons. Where 10,198 were found in 1890, 7,307 were found in 1897, a decrease of
28.34 per ceut.^

8. It is not easy toapply the various counts in the form of a general average to
all the rookeries of the islands. We recognize that a notable decrease has been suffered

' That is to say, nut inoliidiuji; loBxes onHuin^ from tho killing of mothers at soa.

Thu numbur of dead pups counted ou the rookerius between August K and 14, in 1S!)(>, was 11,045.
It is rei'ogiii/uil that this number is an uuderostimate, inasmucli as a greater number must liave beei,
overlooked than were counted twice. It is also recognized that tho great miijority of these pups
died from the attacks of tho worm Uncinaria.

^Tho importance of this source of loss wo now iind to be much less than was supposed to be the
case from the investigations nmde in 1^96. (See Reports for 18%, Jordan, i*. 45; Thoiupson, p. L'O;
Macoun, MSS.)

Tor detailed a<'count of the census uf 1896, see Jordan, Preliminary Report for 18W), p. 15;
Thompson, Report for 1890, p. 19; Macoun, Report, 1896, M88. For a discussion of suggested
corrections to the census of 1896, see Jordan, Final Report, 1897. For details of the cousub of 1897, see
Thompson, Report, 1897; Macoun, Report, 1897; Jordan, Report, 1897. A correction to be made in
tho census uf 1896 arises from tho agreed ossumptiou that the total number of breeding females was
1.75 times the number seen in the height of the season. Later observations tihow that the actual
total is at least twice the maximum number over seen at once on a rookery.

<The extreme irregularity of the number of cows present on the rookeries from day to day and
the euusei|uent invalidity of any comparison of their number is shown by the counts made on Lukanin
and Kituvi rookeries during the season of 1897. See Appendix II.

*ve perished before
8 iintl the breeding

own iit present, are

uneertain:

on siuidy breeding

8, a source of h»ss

i wlien very young

many of the young

, luit not certainly

C8 of others, show
id iSt. (ireorge was,
iiehing the higher

sons, 10,^41 being
jfessor Thompson,
[• cent within tlie
■orthy measure of
specially of cows
oint in the same
reasons. In 18(t6
cent. The cows
e counted in both
!>7, a decrease of

neral average to
has been suffered

HCil.

in !«!«!, was 11,045.
I)t)r must have lioci.
ority of thi:so pujus

supposed to be tlie
Thompson, p. 20;

ort for 18tMi, p. 15 ;
Bsiou of suj^gestoU
census of 1897, see
on to be made in
ding femah'8 was
w that this actual

ini day to day and
imatleonLukaniu

JOINT STATEMENT OP CONCLUSIONS

243

by the herd during the twelvemonth 1890 to 1897, without attempting, save by setting
the above numbers on record, to ascribe to the decrease more precise figures.

9. The mctho'Vs of driving and killing practiced on the islands, as they have come
under our observation during the past two years, call for no criticism or objection.
An adequate supply of bulls is present on the rookeries; the number of older bachelors
rejected in the drives during the period in (luestiou is such as to safeguard in the
immediate future a similarly adequate supply; the breeding bulls, females, and pups
on the breeding rookeries are not disturbed ; there is no evidence or sign of impairment,
by driving, of the virility of males; the operations of driving and killing are conducted
skillfully and without inhumanity.

10. The pelagic iiulustry is conducted in an orderly manner and in a spirit of
acciuiescence in the limitations imposed by the law.

11. I'elagic sealing involves the killing of males and females alike, without
discrimination and in proportion as the two vsexes coexist in the sea. The reduction
of males effected on the islands causes an enhaiu;ed i)roi)ortion of females to be found
in the ])elagic catch; hence this proportion, if it vary from no other (.'ause, varies .it
least with the catch ujmn the islands. In 1895 Mr. A. J'.. Alexander, on behalf of
the Government of the LTidted States, found ()2.;{ per cent of femalcT in the (tatch of
the Pom Sietcerd in IJering Sea, and in 1896 Mr. Andrew Ualkett, on behalf of the
Canadian government, found M.2 in the catch of the same schooner in the same sea.
There are, no doubt, instances, especially in the season of migration and on tlie course
of the migrating herds, of catches containing a very different proportion of the two
sexes.

12. The largo proportion of fenuiles in the pelagic catch includes not only adult
females that are both nursing and pregnant, but also young seals that aie not
pregn.aut, and others that have not yet brought forth young, witii such also as have
recently lost their young through the various causes of mitural mortality.'

13. The polygamous habit of the animal, coupled with an equal birth rate of the
two sexes, permits a large number of males to be removed with inqninity from the
herd, while, as with other animals, any similar abstraction of females checks or
lessens the herd's increase, or, when carried further, brings about an actual diminution
of the herd. It is equally plain that a certain number of females maybe killed
M'ithout involving the actual diminution of the herd, if the number killed do not
exceed the annual increment of the breeding herd, taking into consideration the
annual losses by death through old age and through incidenis at sea.

14. While, whether from a consideration of the birth rate or from an inspection
of the visible effects, it is manifest that the take of females in recent yeai's lias been
so far in excess of the natural increment as to lead to a reduction of the In-rd in the
degree related above, yet the ratio of the pelagic catch of one year to that of the
following has fallen off more rapidly than the ratio of the breeding herd of one year
to the breeding herd of the next."

'Statements on whicli to base an estimate of the relative nuniberH of these suvi'i*! classrs are
necessarily incomplete, but the following notes may st'fvc as a partial nmdc : Townsenu, Report, 1895
pp. 46, 47; Alexander, Report, 1895, pp. 142, 143; Macoun. Heport. 1897, MS.**. ; Liiciis, Krport, 1897, MSs!

-The catch of the pelagic lleet, Canadian and American, in 1897 in Kering Si'a was 10,(i.")7 sualH.
In the aammor of 189(i it was 29,.j00. Thu aggregate catch which directly intluenced the herd of 1897
was 38,922, a number made uj> by adding to the siimnier's catch of 189G the northwest coast catch in
the spring of 1897. Tp to the present time, accordingly, the pelagic catch already taken (l(i,657), and

\ ?

i..

I i

244

THE I'UK SEALS OF TlIK I'UIHILOF ISLANDS.

I.">. Ill this greater roductiou of the jielagic catcli, conipaii'd witli tlie gradual
decrease of the herd, there is a tendency toward equilibrium, or a stage at which the
iiiiinbers of the breeding herd would neither increase or decrease. In considering
the jirobable size of the herd in the immediate future, there remains to be estimated
the a(UlitionaI factor of decline resulting from reductions in the number of surviving
l)Ui>s caused by the larger pelagic catch of 1804 and l.S!»5.

l(i. The diminution of the herd is yet far from a stage which involves or threatens
the actual extermination of the species, so long as it is protected in its haunts on land.
It is not possible during the continuance of the conservative methods at present in
force upon the islands, with the further safeguard of the i)rotected zone at sea, that
any pelagic killing should accomplish this tinal end. There is evidence, however,
that in its ])resent condition the herd yields an inconsiderable return either to the
lessees of the islands or to the owners of the pelagic fleet.

Note: The tables referred to in this joint stiitemeiit us Ajtpenilix I iniil II are alreiuly ]>rintud in
A]>pendix I of this I'oport (pp. 211 and 212) and need not bo repeated bere.

, H3a:

■

. 1

■. ■■-■<:

■t

AFFinAvrTS or nvKus axu Diii:ssKiifi or vru-SKAh skixs.

The following atlidavits of dyers and dressers of fur-seal skins, submitted to the
conference of fur-seal experts, may here be placed on record :

QfKEN STREET, London, A'. ('.

I, (ieo. Uice, of the city of London, England, make oath and say that I carry on the bnsiness of
il dyer and dresser of fnrs and seal skins in this city; that I have been engaged In the si^al-skin trade
for over tliirty years and have jjersoual aiul ]iractical e.\i)e!ienee in the various processes of dressing
an<l dyeing skins; that I employ 5(X) men in my bnsiness; that of the seal skins tliat have been taken
in the waters of the North racilic Ocean and Heriiig Sea by sealing vessels 1 have dressed or dyed the
skins of the iielagic catch of 18(.l, 8,'),(X)0 skins; 189."), 70,000 skins; ISiMJ, .')0,(XM1 skins.

That I personally and tliiouiih my expert employees have had every opportnnity of examining
these skins; that a part of them, being those of pnps or young seals, are not with certainty
dislingnisbable as to sex, but the greater ]iortionof the skins can be readily determined; that of
these latter, I'mbracing the pelagii' catches of 1894, 18tl.T, 80 per cent, and of IStlO. 70 to 80 per cent,
were the skins of females; that of the skins of adult seals in these catches, the skins of males w
rarely found. I further say that I make this declaratiiui in the interest of truth and for tu
information of thiwe who are concerned in making regulations for the preservation of the seal herd
and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to he true.

(iEO. KlCE.

Sworn to at ''The Elms," Edmimtou, iu the county of Middlesex, this 2t)th day of October, 1897,

before me.

Ai.FHEi) H()D(;kinm)X,

J Commhuionir for (hillis.

1, Edmund Wischhusen, of 138 New North road, Islington, in the county of London, seal dresser
au<l unhairer, .solemnly and siucendy declare as follows:

I. I have been engaged in the seal-skin trade for over thirty-five years. I have actually worked
on seals for the last forty years, and on the Heriug Sea seal ever since they have been brought to
market. I have had personal and practical experience iu the various processes of dressing :iud
nnhairing seal skius during that period. I have been regularly employed as an expert by tlie largest

operating directly against uext year's supply, is 57.22 per cent less than the pelagic catch which
operated against the supply of 1897 (see, also. Appendix I); or, if we compare merely the summer
catches, inasmuch as the possible spring catch of 1898 is an unknown factor, we have :< reduction of
43,'lti per cent, (Later and more accurate returns show the tignres here given for the pelagic catch of
1897 to be slightly iu error. The Bering .Sea catch should be 16.104 and the complete catch 39,110.)

th tlio j^radual
y;e at wliich the
In considoriii}?
to be estimated
)ei' of surviving

i^esor threatens
haunts on hind.
8 at present in
ine at sea, that
ienoe, however,
u either to the

already i)riiitud in

.VS.

ubniitted to the

IT, London, E. ('.

im the business of
the HiMil-skiii trade
ocesses of dreBsiiig
lit have Im'cii taken

ressed or (lyed the

18.

nity of examining
(it with certainty
tei'Uiined ; that of

70 to SO per Cfiit.
Lins of niah'8 w ,
ruth and for tii

of the seal herd.

(iE(J. KiCE.

of OctobiT, 181t7,

ilNMIX,

•ioiiiy for Odilis.
iidou. seal dresser

actually worked
been brougiit to
f dressing .lud
rt by tlie largest

igic cateh which

rely the suinnier

ve ■I reduction of

pelagic catch of

catch 39,110.)

SKX OF SALTED SKINS.

245

fur merchants in London to examine the skins as they arrive from the pelagic sealers, at Messrs.
('. M. Lauipsons \ Soiin', of tSI (^ueen street, in the city of London, at the Hudson Hay Company's
liremises in ijimo street, iind at Messrs. Ciilverwell it Hrooks's, at St. Mary -Vxe. These are the only
firms to wliom seal skins hav»! been sent for sale during the last few years. I inspect them in order
to determine the i|uality and condition of tlie skins, and it is my business to report to the merchants
from time to time the (|iiality of the skins, and the merchants act on my report. From my personal
inspection in this way I am able to say that fully SO per cent of the skins which have arrived from
the pelagic seahirs during the la.st three years are the skins of female seals. Of the i:ri,O00. or
thereabouts, of the jielagic northwest catch of 1891, fully 120,000 came under my notice and were
examined by mo; and of tlie 101.',000, or thereabouts, of the like catch of 1S!1."), about IOO.(HMI came
under my notice and were examined by me; and of the 70,000 forming the like pelagic cateh of lS9(i,
the wlnde parcel came under my notice and were examined by me.

2. There is absolutely no diOiculty whatever in distinguishing the sex of the adult seals as,
apart from all other distinctions (and there are several, as for instance, a dilfereuce in thosize and shape
of the head and also in tlio color), the distinction in the breast is very marked, those of the females
being very largo iMid prominent, and those of the males hardly distinguishable. It re(|uires no cx|iert
to distinguish the sex. In most instances the hair round the nipples of the female seals has been
worn off by the young pups.

The only reason there is a doubt as to the sex of the remaining 20 per cent of the skins is that
about this proportion art* the skins of very young animals in which, the breasts and heads not being
fully developed, the sex is not so easily distinguishable, but this only applies to young pujis and not
in any way to adult seals.

There is no dilliculty whatever in identifying the Bering t<eii seals from those caught on the coast
of Jajian and round or in the vicinity of the Copjier Islands.

.\nd I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue
of the provisions of the statutory declarations act of 1835.

E. WlSt'lIIIfSKN.

Declared at No. 138 New North road, in the county of London, on this 2t!th day of October. 1897,
before me.

.loilN Vknn', yotari/ I'libliv.

NoTK. — Attached thereto are the ofticial certificates of .lohn Venn, notary public, of the city of
London, and William M. Osborne, consul-general of the United States, with their otticial seals.

I, Walter Kdwanl. Martin, of t Lambeth Hill, in the city of Loudon, member of the tirm of
C. W. Martin A Sons, of the same place, fur dyers and dresseis, solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare
as follows:

1 am a British subject. I have been in the business of dyeing and dressing fur-seal skins in
Loudon about twenty-five years, and have personally handled many hundreds of thousands of such
skins, and I have in consc(|uenee a special knowledge of seal skins.

I have at various times made a special examination of the skins of the northwest (pelagic) catch
of seals (a very large number of which come through my lirm's hands) with a view to ascertaining
whether they are the skins of male or female seals, and I say that of the seals caught in the lieriiig
.Sea and in the North I'acitic Ocean by the pelagic sealers fully 80 per cent of them are female seals,
and I believe a still larger proportion. The remaining 20 per cent are mostly skins of young pups in
which the sex is not very distiuguishable, and a few large bulls, not more than about 3 per cent of
the entire parcel.

With regard to adult seals, there is no dilliculty whatever in detecting the skins of males and
the skins of f'ei'ales. The breasts are very ])rominent in the female .seals, and it reipiires no expert
to detect which is the skin of a male seal anil which the skin of a female seal, and very often round
the breasts of the females the fur has been worn away. The regulations of the arbitrators, made In
August, 18!I3, at I'aris, witii regard to pelagic sealing have not tended to in any way diminish the
proportion of female seals to males killed by the pelagic sealers, and the large majority of the skins
of the pelagic catch still bear traces of the seals having been killed by means of shot.

There can be no doubt whatever that a continuation of the present system of slaughtering such
a large proportion of the female seals in the open ocean, with the consequential death of such a large
proportion of pups, as is admitted by I'rof. D'Arcy Thompson in his recent report to bo due to pelagic

If. I

If'

'II

■ ;!l

1 !|

.'1
. 1

. '

1 s

1 ;

I 1

i
!

1
t

!»'

246

THE FUR SEAL8 OP THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

Healiug, and tho dutitb of the mothorH i» fast tending to exterminate the Hoal from the ocean, and that
iinleHM Honio nie\m are iiromptiy taken to Htop pelagic. Mealing, which nndei- the jircHent coiiUitioiis cau
not bo prolitalile to the HcalorH, the herd will hooii bo entirely exterminated and duHtroyed, and I
snlimit that the only means of ])reHL'rving the Heals from entire extinction is to absolntcly put an end
to pelagic Healing, which it onght not to be diilicult to bring about by mutual agreement, due regard
being hnd to the interests of all ]>arties C(uicerned.

And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to bo true, and by virtue
of the provisions of tho statutory declarations act, 1835.

Waltkk Martin.

Declared at No. 4 Lambeth Ilill, in tho eity of London, this liith day of September, 18!)7,
before nie,

John D. Vbnn, \olary Public.

NoTK. — Attached thereto are tho olTlcinl certilicates of .John A'onn, notary public, of the city of
London, and William M. Osborne, consul-general of the United States, with their otlicial seal j.

I'uniinuTinx of ruE killing ovfch seals is tiik watkhs of the xohtii pacific

OCEAN, AW OF THE IMPOHTATION OF FIR-SEAL SKINS TAKEN IN SLCU WATEIiS.

TuEAsuuY Department,

Office of the Secretary,

Washington, 1). C, December 30, 1897.
To Colh'ctors and other Officers of the Customs :

The following act, prohibiting the killing of fur seals in the waters of the North
Pacilic Ocean, and the regulations made thereunder are published for the information
and guidance of all concerned:

lie it enacted by the ISenate and House of Reiyresentatives of the United States (f
America in Congress assembled, That uo citizen of the United States, nor person owing
duty of obedience to the laws or the treaties of the United States, nor any person
belonging to or on board of a vessel of the United States, shall kill, capture, or hunt,
at any time or in any manner whatever, any fur seal in the waters of the Pacific
Ocean north of the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude and including Boring Sea and
the sea of Okhotsk.

Sec. 2. That no citizen of the United States, nor person above described in
section one, shall equip, use, or employ, or furnish aid in etiuipping, using or
employing, or furnish supplies to any vessel used or employed, or to bo used or
employed in carrying on or taking part in said killing, capturing, or hunting of iur
seals in s^^id waters, nor shall any vessel of the United States be so used or employed.

Sec. J. That every person guilty. of a violation of the jnovisions of this Act, or
of any regulations made thereunder, shall, for eachofleuse, be lined not less than two
hundred dollars or more than two thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than six
mouths, or both; and every vessel, its tackle, apparel, furniture, and cargo, at any
time used or employed in violation of this Act, or of the regulations made thereunder,
shall be forfeited to the United States.

Sec. 4. That if any vessel of the United States shall bo found within the waters
to which this Act applies, having on board fur-seal skins or bodies of seals, or
apparatus or implements suitable for killing or taking seals, it shall be presumed
that such vessel was used or employed iu the killing of said seals, or that said

le ncenn, and that
)iit coiulitioiiB ciku
(ItiHti'oyed, and I
iliitc^ly put till und
smeut, duo rugurd

nio, and by virtue

ALTKK MaKTIN.

Septoniber, 1897,

, Notary Public.

>Iic, of the city of
llicial Heuh.

\OJtTll VACll'lV
JCU WATEliS.

mbcr 30, 1897.

>rs of the North
the iiil'orniiition

Tnitcd States of
►r person owing
nor any person
ipture, or hunt,
i of the racific
Bering Sea auil

/o described in

>piiig, nsing or

to bo used or

hunting of fur

id or employed.

of this Act, or

)t less than two

t more than six

cargo, at any

ade thereunder,

thin the waters
ies of seals, or
1 be presumed
or that said

PROHIUITION OF SEALING.

247

apparatus or implements were used in violation of this Act until tht; contrary is
proved to the satisfaction of the court.

Sko. 5. That any violation of this Act or of the regulations thereuntlia- iniiy In;
prosecuted either in the district court of Alaska or in any district court of tlic United
States in California, Oregon, or Washington.

Se«j. 0. That this Act shall not interfere with the i)rivilegcs accorded to Indians
dwelling on the coast of the United States under section six of the A(!t of April si xth,
eighteen hundred and ninety-four, but the limitations ])roscribc«1 in said Act shall
remaiu in full force.

Sec. 7. Tiiat this Act shall not aOect in any way the killing or taking of fur seals
upon the I'ribilof Islands, or the laws of the United States relating thereto.

Sec. 8. That any ollicer of the Naval or Kevenue-Cutter Service of the United
States, and any other otlicers duly designated by the President, may search any
vessel of the United States in port or on the high seas suspected of having violated
or of having an intention to violate the provisions of this Act, and may seize such
vessel and the otfcnding oilicers and crew and bring them into the most accessible
port of the States and Territory mentioned in section live of this A(rt for trial.

Sec. 9. That the importation into the United States by any person whatsoever of
fur-seal skins taken in the waters mentioned in this Act, whetlier raw, dressed, dyed,
or manufactured, is hereby prohibited, and all such articles imported after this Act
shall take effect shall not be permitted to be exported, but shall be sei/.ed and
destroyed by the proper otlicers of the United States.

Sec. 10. That the President shall have power to make all iieiiessary regulations
to carry this Act into ett'ect.

Approved, December 29, 1897.

UEf^ULATlONS.

1. No fur-seal skins, whether raw, dressed, dyed, or otherwise manufactured, shall
be admitted to entry in the United States unless there shall bo attached to the invoice
a certificate, signed by the United States consul at the place of exportation, that said
skins were not taken from seals killed within the waters mentioned in said act,
specifying in detail the locality of such taking, whether on land or at sea, and also the
person from whom said skins were purchased in their raw and dressed state, the date
of such purchase, and the lot number. Consuls shall require satisfactory evidence of
the truth of such facts by oath or otherwise before giving any such certificate.

No fur-seal skins, whether raw, dressed, dyed, or oi'ierwise manufactured, shall
be admitted to entry as part of a passenger's personal ettects unless accompanied
by an invoice certified by the consul as herein provided.

All fur-seal skins, whether raw, dressed, dyed, or otherwise manufactured, the
invoices of which are not aceoiupauied by the certificate above prescribed, shall be
seized by the collector of custoius and destroyed as provided for in section 9 of the act
of December 29, 1897.

2. Every article manufactured in whole or in part from fur-seal skins, the invoice
of which is presented as aforesaid to the consul, shall have legibly stamped thereon
the name of the manufacturer and the phice of manufiicture, and shall be accomitanied
by a statement in writing, under the oath of said manufacturer, that said skin or skins

,1''

;|:^

t, I

3 ;

24S

THK FUR SKAL8 OF TIIK PRIIUI.OP ISLANDS.

used ill saiil article wore taken from seals not killed at sea witliin the waters mentioned
in said act, specifying' the locality in detail, and also the (terson from wlnnn sanl skins
were purchased in their raw and dressed state, the date of said purchase, and the lot
number.

.'t. When iin application ia nnidc to a consul for a (certificate under these rej^ulations
the invoice and proofs of origin presented by the expcnter shall i)e submitted to the
Treaf^ury a^ent desi<:natcd for the purpose of investigation, and the consul shall not
certify any such invoice until such agent shall have made his repent.

4. All articles manufactured in whole or in part from fur-seal skins and imported
into the United States shall have the linings thereof so arranged that the ]»elt of the
skin or skins underneath shall be exposed for examination.

r». All fur-seal skins, whether raw, dressed, dyed, or otherwise manufiWitured in
wh(»le or in j>art, whether imported as merchandise or as part of a i)assenger's effects,
shall be sent to the public stores for careful examination and iuspe<ition to inevent
evasion of the law.

0. All garments made in whole or in part of seal skins and taken from this country
may be reentered on i)resentatiou of a certificate of ownership from the collector of
customs of the port of departure, which certificate shall have been obtained by the
owner of the garment by offering the same to the collector for inspection before leaving
this country.

7. Nothing in these i^jgulations shall affect the right of any ofllcer of the customs
to inspect and seize any fur-seal skin or garment imported which he may find to have
been imported in violation of said act.

L. J. (iA(iK,

Secretary of the Tremurij.
Approved :

William .Mckinley.

Bin iiioiitioiKMl
oiii said skins
it^, and the lot

86 ref^^iilations
)nutt«>d to tlie
iisiil shall not

and inipui'ttMl
he pelt of the

iinfaetured in
iifjer's ell'ects,
on to iiievent

u tliis eountry
le c«)lle(!tor of
tained by the
before leaving

if the customs
y find to have

( 1 AOE,
he Treasury,

APT^r.XDIX III.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

The ])late8 lierewith i)ies<>nte(l are <lesi;>:ned to show the fact of de<'Iine in the
fur-seal herd during the period covered by the operatious of the regulations of the
I'aris Award. The number of examples might be multiplied in«letlnitely, but it is not
necessary to do so,

I'lafe 1. — This is a view in ])anorama of a portion t»f Kitovi rookery on St. Paul
Island known as the Ampiiitheater. The photographs were taken on the ITith of tluly,
1.S04, when the season was at its height and the nuiximum number of breeding seals
for the season present.

I'Uxle X'. — This is a view of the same breeding ground taken on the 13th of .Inly,
18!»7, a date which practically coincides with that in plate 1. The (contrast for the
two seasons is too obvious to reiiuire comment.

Flute :>. — This represents a section of the small breeding ground on Keef Peninsula
known as Ardiguen. The date is .luly 15, 18!)4. By the aid of a gludS six harems,
aggregating more than 100 cows, can be distinguished. This plate slu)uld be compared
with plate .">, to follow.

Phtti: J. — This view of the same breeding ground for July liO, bSOo, is introducied
to show the progress of the decline, by comi)arison with the season of 1894, as shown
in plate .5. Ordinarily the slirinkage between successive seasons is iu)t clearly marked
in photographs, but the seasons of 189-4 and 1895 arc exceptional in this regard. The
unusual loss which the herd sutt'ered in the tirst season of the operation of the
regulations of the Paris Award — (51,000 as against 3(»,000 in 189.'5 — showed itself
distinctly on the breeding grounds in 1894, as indicated in this and other photograjdis
which might be cited.

Plait' '). — This third view of the upper section of Ardiguen for July 13, 1897, when
compared with plate 3, siiows the most unmistakable evidence of rookery decline,
being completely abandoned. In 189(5 there were three harems in this territory. The
seals represented an overHow due to the crowded ciondition of the beach, with which
it is connected by a narrow ravine. In 1897 there was room for all "he seals below.

Plate 6. — This plate shows a bird's-eye view of Zajmdni rookery of St. (Jeorge,
taken on July 19, 1895. With it should be contrasted the view of the same rookery
in plate 7.

Plate 7. — This view of Zapadni rookery was taken on July 11, 1897. It shows the
group in the tbreground of plate (5 entirely gone. The large grouj) at the foot of the
.slope has shrunk perceptibly, as has also the one at some distance beyond. The
farthest group shown in 1895 is practically broken up in 1897.

'Ill '

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I .;

INDEX

137

8K
75
88
17

Aliandonmont of— rago.

Itroodiug territory iftl

cawseof 137,138

Maruuiclii'u lag

Spilki

Acn^age inousiiruiiioiit—

coiitriist of

diiliculty of

summary of

Aft of CoiifjreHs

Actual counts go 109

Adams, Uristow 2I

Affidavits of furriers 24-t

Agents, Government 35 191

Alaska Commercial Comimuy 28

leiiHc of 29,23(»

Alaska, transfer of 21

Aleuts, condition of 34

notions of 139

Alexander, A. IJ. :

investigatiiuis regarding sexes 155

spearing of seals 144

Alleged change of habits 134

Allen, Dr. J. A 43 73

American contentious igo

American fur-seal catch:

1894

1895 ][

1896

1897 ['[\

American citizens jirohiliited from scaling 17(5, 246

American management 28

Aniphitlieatcr of Kitovi:

count of 54,212

harems on 54

synopsis of counts 53

Antarctic seals 43

Arbitration Tribunal 30 177, 231

award of 931

declarations of 236

regulations of 180, 234

Arbitrary selection of males 13G

Arbitration :

proposals for jyg

treaty of 179,228

215,
217
219
220

Pogc.
Arctocephalus 43

•^'''''S"en !.!!..'"39,107

Arrival of seals 49

Atlantic seals 43

Average haroin 90

Babine, A. \ 37

Bachelor, the 4(;

Bacbolors :

landing of 41)

of Bering Ishind 435

Bachelor herd, decline of 29

Barrett-Hamilton, O.K. II ."...18, 125

Basis of enumeration iqI

Bayard, Secretary j 77

Beaman, . I. W., counts of 82,83

Bering Island jjg

dearth of bulls on i25

Bering Sea, scaling in 143^ 140

Bering, Vitus, second voyage of 23

Blaine, Secretary 478

Breeding grounds 3(5

Breeding seals :

estimate of ^9

summary of 93

Breeding season :

breaking up (J7

height of 5.5 -4

British contentions 37

153, 151, 159, 161, 162, lti3, 168, 180

Bryant, Capt. ('harles 77 ];J9

estimate for 1869 ' 77

note on Kitovi g2

Buckshot in seals 445

Bull, the 4g

Bulls:

condition of (57

count of 100

discipline of r,g

fasting of 57

fighting of 52,59,(50,61

no lack of 422 127

not impotent 127

proportion of, to cows 119 194

scarcity of, on Bering Island 125

superlluouB J20

INDKX.

Hi i

('iillorliiiniH — Vnuv,

nlllHI'llllIlM Ifl

ciirilcMHiM I.")

iirMitniM 15

('iiiiikIii :

intiTOHtH of 17.1

uiijcciioiiH of nn

soaliiiK iniliislry of 17ti

('iiniuliaii fiir-Nt'al citlcli:

18!tl 2Iti

1895 317

18<Hi 21!»

1«!17 L>'.'1

Capo Horn Hoiils L'Jti

{'nrciisH-Htrt'wii ilrivcwa.vH 132

Ciitiistioi.li.. of is;i| 25

('at("j;orio.s of NealH Hi

CaiiSH of ilei'liiix lit!, 15(1

not killing of malm 12:i

pt'lagio sealing !•">■'

{•••nsiis of IS'Mi !W, 21M

cliiff rori'i'ctioii ill !M

(ivtMCNtiiiiatt-H in 91

rovisud (aj)l»< of !l(i,2i;<

revision of 93

Census of 1897 iH!, 97. 213

('(■nsus of brecdinjj Krals, tcntativi^ —

for St. (icorjio 91

for St. I'anl ill

Cliiin'so nuirkcts, BtamlanlN of 25

Clark. (ifor{j;e A 18, lO'.t

Closi'suason 30, 181

Closeil zont' W. 181

Conniiauilur lolandN:

discovery of 23

driveways of 130

siiffneslcd iuij;ration to 131

Coinniission, the 17

Comparative census, 189(i-!t7 213

Conclusions, summary of 181

Condition of licrd:

past 75

present iK)

Conference of experts 188.210

lindiuKs of 188,241

Counts of cows and pn|iH:

189«! 92

1897 9G

count in 1S!I5 85, «(i

Cow, th«> 4(i

Cows :

daily counts of 51, .53. 212

dead (>2

departure of 58

feeding of .55

increased nuirtality in 18!t7 62. 108

landing of 51. 52, (io

treatment by liulls til

[ CiiRtom-houHc cxaminaliim of skins 155

Daily counts of \S'J~ 51, .52. ,53, 51. 212

Kail. Dr. W. II., notes of 2ti

Dawson, Dr. (J. M ||(|

Dead pups:

counts of 213. 21 1

decrease of, in 18!17 KW

early dentli of 70. m;

eaten liy foxes I(i7

losHof liodicH |(i7

on St. I'aul Kis. Hi!)

on St. (ieorge 71. Ili8, llill

on death traps 70

removal of I7(i

total for \H'M> 70, Uiit

Death tra|is:

contrasted <'.iunts los

record of 70

Decline:

lieginning of I(t2, 1.50

( ause of 1 15

'videnceof 1()|

history of 102

in quota of 1S!)7 lOH

percentages of IK)

total ixtcnt of Ill

Defective ski lis 121

Discovery and explor.'it ion 23

DiHci|dilie iif the harem .58.5!!

Dora Siewcrd. cruises nf 15,-,

Drive, till' 117

Driving:

animal drivi'n 127

process of I2(i

I >rives :

absenie of sexual injury 133

.Vmerican 128

care exercised <ui 131

comparison of 130

fatalities on 132

from Northeast I'oiut 128

from Koef 1 17, 129

i:«

130

128

129

not a factor in (lecline

on CiMumander Islamls

IfiLssiau

short I'll ing of

Karly rookery cstiinales —

of 18()9

of 1872-1871

of 188(i

of 18!M)

of 1895 x:,, Sli, 87

reconstrnction of X8. 8!t

value of 82,81.8(i,88

Kast riiokeiy '!■'

Ktlect of pelagic sealing 15:'.

.. 155

:i.r.i,L'i2

L'tl
IIU

. -'in, I'll

.70. IIMi

l(i7

1«7

. IthS. Iti!)

It>8, Itill

170

.70, Iti!)

lOS
70

150
115
101
102
lOS

no
111

ILM
I'll
58, !)!•
155
117

I1'7
ll!(!

.10:

i:{;{

i;u
ino

132
128
1 17, 129

i:<3

lliO
128
129

77
77
84
81

85, 8t!. 87
. 88,89

8l.8(i, 88
i2

INDKX.

Ill

Willi'

Kllioit. II. w Ml, :w, 77. 70, 120, i:mi. i;t8

cstiiiiiilf of 1872-1871 77

(wliiiiiittMif I8!M) 81

Mill vi'.vs of 79, 80

unit (if M|m('o 80

Kiiiply stoiiiitcliN, oxplitiiittiiiii ol' I(!l

Ki|iiililii'iiiiii of hcnl 102, 1.58

iiiiili'r poJiiKi)' Hraliii^ 158. I.5tl

riiiilil not III' iiiaiiitiiiiii'il 1.59

cxiNtH below coiiiiiiuiTiiil mill 1.59

K.Htiinati'H of 1895:

coiitriiHt of 87

Crowley 8((

.Murray 87

TriK) autl 'rowimt'iitl 85

K8t!iiiati<B of 1897 :

ImcliclorM 98

liulU 98, UKt

<:owH und piipH 98, 100

idle iiud half IiuIIh 98

HealH of all claMNcH prostuit KN)

houIh dt'ad diiriuK Hvasoii 100

Hcals aliv« ill October 100

yearliii>;N and vir;;iuH 99

Kxrroiuoiit i\i' seal."* 161

KastiiiK of Mould 57

FoiiialoH, proti'ftion of 25

eawo ol'captiiro 15(5

elVo.l of killing 171,189

fei'diug of Itil

killing of 25, 153, 1.5ti

percciitagti in pulagii' ralrh 15.5,225

[lOHaiblo abHtraolion of 157, 243

propondcranco of 15 1

Hkius Hlioiildbu coutrabaud 190

Figliting, of bulls 52, .59, 00, (51

due to sexual cxciti'iiioiit GO

iiiHtinct for 02

Fiudings of fact 188,212

Firuarma, used in Mcaliug 143

Fixity of babits 134

Food and feeding grounds 08

Food, digestiou of .50

Fur-seal berd:

condition of 2ti, 88, 89, 100

importance of 1!K)

iiiternutional interest in 173

Fur seal or sea bear 43

Fur-seal <iueBtion, origin of 177

Future of the bird 188

(iains and losses of tbe berd 149

Oala]iagoH Islands 74

Oorbatidi rookery 39

(irass-grown areas 104

Great Hritain, interests of 174

Great killer, tlio 71

I'liK*.

(!r('MHi«rada, Nil border of 13

(i row til of pi'luKJc rati'll 1 19, 1.50

liiiadnliipr Island 41

llalkctt. A IH, (1.5, 185

ri'porton proportion of Iriiiab'S 1,55

ii'iiiarkH on slagy skin.s 05

Hamlin, ( bas. .S . . . . ". 18, 24 1

ilarbors, almrni'<\ of 32

llari'iii, tbe 57

llari'in si/rs 5X

llari'ins, count on umpbitlK'atcr ,54

summary <if !Mi, 97

Hauling groundM 3li

not drivon 121

uumbi'r driven, 1871-1889 123

IliHtorical skftcli 23

Home of till' fur seals 31

Hooper, (apt. CM 17l,22ti

Howes, Osborne 20

Hunting by Indians 142

Hntchinsoii Hill 37

lee, obstruct ion by 25, 19

Idle bulls, estimate of 100

IndisiTimlnate killing 154

lni|iiiry, oecasioii of

Inspection, elleit of 140

need of I'M

Instructions 18

Interregniiin :

1 )airN note on 2(i

females not killed in 28

Howos's niites 2(!

inetbods of killing 27

uiinibur of Deals killed 26

Introduction 17

Investigation, the 18. 19

Itinerary :

1890 20

1897 21

.lordan. Dr. David S 17, 130

.loint agreement of 1892 115

.loiiit commission of 1892 179

.loint report of experts, 1897 1x8.210

Killable seals 1 10

Killing season lit!

Killing:

indiscriminate 1.54

premature 123

wasteful 124

Killers 71

Killings:

at Nortboast Point 207

at Zapadni (St. (Jeorge) 207

eomparison for 1889 and 1890 124

for food 2.5. 121. 124

land and soa lUi, 211

INDEX.

Killilll."' — Coiitilllli'tl, I'nuf.

on CuiiiMiHiKtiT InIuikIn 125

()|irriltii>IIN of IIH, ll!l

purci'iititKO killoil ni r>0

I'ojortod noiiIh at '>()

Hiiiiiiimr.v of 2'>7, L'OH, L'()!t

KiliiiiKH. tiaily taliluM:

1875 Iil7

\HHO l!l!»

imi aoo

1««!) L'Ol

1«!N) 202

18!tl 203

1892-10 204

1804-!I5 20r.

18!Mi-!»7 20(i

KItovi idoktrv IW, lit

uvenigo harem of iM)

taken a» typical 90

Koiiiaii(l(ii'Hki (Ciiiriinaiiilor) lieril 44

Kuril Islands, tlio 45

Lack of knowlr(l};o ill paHt 1!)1

Lagoon rookery 40

ikppai'ont iiicrenso on HI

Land and Hoa killing:

history of 2!(

statistics of 14!t, 211

Land killing:

coiilluod to nialus 110

effect of lilt

in 180!) 27,28

snspcnaion of 147

Law |iroliil>iting American Hcalors 240

Lii'bi'H, Isaac, note on Htagy skins 6(i

Little Kast rookery 42

Little Zapadni rookery 40

Lobos Island seals 22tS

Lncas, F. A 18, 4H, 101), 100, 1(15

Lnkanin rookery 38

count of 51, 212

ManiiKcment:

A nierican 28

linsslan 25

wastcfnl 123, 124

Macoiiii, .lames M 18, 1011, 163, ItW

Males, killed with iiiipnnity 189,243

Martin, Walter K., deposition of 215

Marnnichen 41

abandonment of 138

Massed rookeries 52

Miiynard, Lieutenant 83

McIntyro,II. II 28,144

Mi<ldleIIill 40,103

Migrations 47

period .and limits of 48

Modus Vivendi 143,179,227

eliectof 147

text of 227

I'llK'".

Morton, .loliii M 22

MoHcr, Capl . .letl'crson !•' 17

Murray, Col. .loMoph 18,170,197

estimate for 18115 87

Naturalist, need of 194

Natural mortality 70, ll.">, 1.57,181, 185

Need of continuous expert study 193

Nomenclature of the seals 10

Nonbrreding seals:

estiuuite of in past 89

estimate for 1897 97, 08

North American Connnercial Company, lease

of 29,238

Northeast I'oint:

killingsat 207

rookeries of 37

North Pacific, seals of 44

North rookery 42,49

Noycs, ( 'opt. W. L 71

( Hd age, death from 157

Obi Johns Rock 108

Orca orca 71

Otter Island 32, .5)1

liachelors on 39

harem on 39,93

Overdriving:

has not occurred 127

theory of 120

Overkilling:

has not occurred 121

impracticability of 121

possibility of 120

I'alatadrivo 131

I'arade grouiKl of reef 38

Paranites of seals 70

Paris award 231

resi'ltsof 177

Parrot t A Co., expedition of 26

Patrol, co4tof 182

Pelage of fur seals 65

Pelagic fleet, value of 171, 220

vessels sealing in award area 225

Pelagic catch:

compared with land catch 148

decline of 1'8, 175

from Commander herd 118,151

growth of 149

relation to land catch 1,")2

percentage ol feinal s in 154, 155,225

statistics of 149

Hunimary of 16, 222

summary since 1894 175

Pelagic sealing 142

Asiatic waters 117, 151

a check 151

a suicidal industry 175

Pngp.

8, 170, 197
87
... I'.tl
.7, l«l,l«5
... l!t;{
10

... 207
37
U

... 13, lit
71

... 157

. . . lOH
71

.... HL'.M
•M

.... 3!t,!»:{

... 127
.... I2(i

.... 121

120

i:il

•M
70

2;!i

.. 177
2(!

.. 182

171,220

.. 225

.. 118
1'8, 175
1 18, 151
14'J
. . 152
54, 155, 225
. 119
1 6,222
. 175
. 142
117, 151
151
.. 175

INDEX.

Polaf{ir Nnullnn— f ontiniiotl. Vunr.

Ik (!iiiiii(liiiii iniliiNtry 170

1).V liiiliuiis TO, 142

by white inmi 30, 143

catehof,giiic.' 1804 215-221

oiimiilativo ntVot't uf 171

ilcBtructioii of ])U|iN by

entry into IterinK Hou 110, 112

expiingion of 150

in Horinn Sea 30

legality of 176

lo8H from, total 171

losRsini'c 1883 171

loBH iiniler the ntKolatioiiH 172

oil' north wt'Ntcoant 146

pogsible ofiiiilibrinni nnilrr 15t!

Iirobiliited to Aniuricanit 176

prohibition necessary 187

slaughter of fc^inalrg 187, 180

aumniary of HtatiBtirs 222

voHHelH engaged in 143, 225

Period of e(|uilibrinni, 1871-1880 102

r<'rNonal eNtiniut<'H 83

I'boca nraina 44

Photographs:

<.f Tolstoi in 1801 115

limitations of 10«i

relation to counts 106

value of 105,107

I'innipedia, the 43

Policy of st^clnsiou 140

Poluvina rookery 37

early ostiniatos of K2, 83

Polygamous habits of seals 119

Population of rookeries:

diOiculty of estimate 7fi

ilut'tuatiun of 54

Present condition of herd 90,100

Promiscuous nursing of pups, thfory of. . . 162

Proportion of bulls to cows 119

Protection :

proposed nioasuros 178

counter proposition 178

Pribilof, (ierrasim 23

Pribilof herd 44

Pribilof Islands:

area of 31

b irds of . . . ; 33

climate 32

discovery of 23

geography of 31

iuhaliitauts of 33

latitude and longitude of 31

mammals 33

vegetation 33

Pups:

birth of 55

PiipH — Conlinned. I'sgi-,

c tsof, 1S!M( 92

count of, 1897 !«

death of 70, 158

dead unborn I*i0

dependent upon milk liU

estimate of starved 169, 170

excess over cows 92, !K!

excursions of 6!»

killing of 25, 121

play of 163

podding of 68

starvation of 160, ia5

starving lt;6, 167

stomach examinations 163

supposed feeding of 16.3

swimming of 69

trampling of 115

Pop, the 47

Questions still unsettled 193

Quinan, Lieutenant, account of shooting

seals 145

Quota :

anticipation of 123

conti ctioM of lw7(i-77 and 1882-83 122

data regarding 123

date of Oiling VS.i

decrease of in 1897 108

fixing of l<(3

failure ol, in 18!M) 103

irregular since 1890 151

measure of breeding herd HI

of 1871-1889 «8

of 1890 and since 103

of 1894-95 lo;i

of 189«-!>7 88, 111,112, 113, 20it,2IO

relation to breeding herd 88

liecommcndation l!)l

Hecounis of live pups 10!t

Keport, divisions of 19

Reef driveway iLtt

Keef rookery 38

Uegulations of Paris award 143, 231

adapted to work of sealers IHI

eftoctof 30

failure of 182

obligations of 183

purpose of 183

revision not adei|uate 187

trial period of 182

liejected seals 98

skins 124

Remedy for decline 187

Remipetlia 43

Revised census of 1896 95

Revision of early estimates:

of 1872-1874 88,89

of 1895 86

I""'-'

INDEX.

Tagr.

Kii;e, (iPori('>, <lepiisitioii of 241

Rolilien Island lu'nl 15

Uookories, the 36

doteriiiiuatioii of iKiiiiiilarics IS

fnrmiitiuu of 52

in8))('ction uf ,.' 139

life on 49

uunieH of 36

noise of 63

obstriii^teil liy ice 49

unstable populMtiiin of 78

Ku88i:i, interests ol 174

Knssian-American ('onipaiiv 23,24,25.26

Salisbury, Lord 17s

.San Diego, the 112

Sealing seuson, boginiiing of .">0, 110

Seal grass 33,1(11

Seals, species of 45

ability to travel 127. 131

age of 68

■•irri val of 4i>

attitudes of 64

"breaehing" 144

categories of 46

coloratioi' of 64

de])arture of "i

enemies of 71

fasting of 57

Hxod habits of 134

"liuning" 144

indiviilual s lace occiipioil 80, Ml

injuries to <W

law of distribution Ix

low iiitelligenci' of 134

migrations of 47

mortality among 70

mortality among young !i9

not iillectrd liy man \X>. U 1

nomenclature of 46

]iarnsites of 70

possibility of driving elsewhere 136

rate of t ra vol 72

shooting of 14+

"sleeprrs" 114

sleeping of 63

spearing of 144

staginess, meaning of 6(i

swimming of 72

" travelers " 144

wounds of 62

Sealskin industry, dentoraliited eonditlon. 173, 175

Sealing of the .South Seas 153

Sei:<nre of vessels 30, 177

Sex of suited sUius 155

Sex returns:

Alexander's report 1.55

Sex returns — Continnod. I'agp.

Ilalkett's report 156

ser ling captains' 1E)4

customs experts' 155

.Shooting, loss through 145

Shrinkage ol breeding area 107

Ardiguen 107

Tolstoi sand tiat 107

Sivntch Hock 32,38

estimate of 94

Sivnt'h rookery, cause of occupation 138

Skins:

defective 121

rejected 124

treatment of 119

stagy 121

Slaughter of the heals 190

Southern fur ceals, habits of 73

South rookery, IJerIng 125

Spearheads on rookeries 145

.Spilki. abandonment of 137

count of 83

St. I'aul:

count of CO ws 91

count of harems 91

description of 31

rookeries of ;16

St. (icoige, description of 31

rookeries of 41

Stagy season 65

Starvatifui of pups 165

.Starved pups, count of Kit!, 169

estimate for 1897 169. 170

Starving pups, notes on 166,1(57

Steller, (ieorge Wilhelm 44

Ste.jneger, Dr. L 17, 1 IS, 125

Summary of killings 207.208.209

Snperttuous males 120

Texts:

attidavits of furriers 344

Alaska Comiucrcial Coiupany's lease... 236

arbitration treaty a 228

declarations of tribunal 23(i

joint coni'lusiiMiB of exi)erts 240

law prohibiting scaling 246

modu« vivendi _'.. T

North American Commercial Ciuiipauy's

lease 238

Paris award 231

regulation , the 231

Theory of overdriving 126

Thompson. I'rof. D'Arey W 18. 107, 109, 114,

156, 159, 168

Tingle, estimate (d' 18«6 84

Tolstoi rookery 40

photogrnpi of, 1891 115

I'ownsoMd.C. II 18,48,146,148

INDEX.

VII

Page.
15(i
154
155
145
107
107
107
32. 38
91

i;«

124
119
121
190

73
125
145
137

TownNcnd'H crossps

TroatioN:

182J-25

1867 ......"

1892 .[[[..[[.[

'I'nidifijr comp.inios:

I'liridtt A (.'o

Williams A }\:,\rn

Fliitchinsoii, Ki.lil A Co

Tiipiirtito iitjiepiiii-iit of \HHH
Truoanil Townstui.l, cslimnttM)!' ISiir,

llkaso of 1x21

l/iii^iiiaria

UiulorHizcd seals, Idllinir ,,(•

United Slalos, intciVNts of

Unit of H|(a(o:

Klliolfs

Trno and Townsnnd's

I'acn.
107

179, 228

17K

70, ] Iti

124

173

80
M,85 i

15184 17

Veniamlnnf ^r?

Vnstocljiii rooUory ' ''^(j

\'irj;in cowh ._

Walrus r.sl.iii.l •)•)

Wasteful IxillinjT jljT

Williams. T.T ."'..''........'.'' 17.,

Weather, olioct on scallnir ."" 14h

WinKficld, rofeieiice to l.ttcrol ^9

Wisclilinsen. Kdniiind, .Icposiiion of zn

VaiiovsU.v. report of ,-.

\''"*'l ' "KN . 47

Votihif seals, losses anions c)<)

Zapadni (Medni) drive j^^j,

Z.'ipadni rookery '.f.

Zapadni (,'<t. George) ^,

^ ''""""^on '.'.'ZZy:..] 207

^"'*«" 39

91
31

•Ad
31

«5

.... 1()5

. l(i<), l<i9

.. 1(59, 170

. . IWi, 167

44
17,110,125
07, 208, 209
.... 120

.... 244

e... 236

.... 228

.... 236

240

. ... 246

.... 238
.... 231
. . . . 234
.... 126
7, 109, 114,
'6, 159, 168
84
40
... 115
18, 146, 148