IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 28 4,1- m 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 .4 6" ► V} <^ /2 A VI c-l ^ > <$>. a / o / M Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. I4S80 (716) 872-4503 Of w Q>- w. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historlques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques T t( The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original cop/ available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D n D D D D D V D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. otkier than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves aoded during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ 11 se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplimentaires: L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage sont indiquds ci-dessous. D D D n n n D n Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag6es Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu^es Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of print varies/ Quality indgale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel suppl^mentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc , ont 6t6 filmies d nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. T P o fi b tl si o fi si o T si T IV di ei b( rii re m This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmii au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X tails du Ddifier une nage The copy filmed here hai been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library D'vision Provincial Archives of British Columbia The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the las^ page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ♦- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method. L'exemplaire fllmA fut reproduit grAce A la gAnArositA de: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Coiumbiii Les images suivantes ont AtA reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetA de l'exemplaire filmA. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimie sont film4s en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — •- signifie "A SUIVRE ', le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis A des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup(6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rrata :o pelure, id □ 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 .'' 1 lUo q^' • ^ z? 7.-RR OK ' ; ON • IN 1 tliuU as eiiiic receive oil the 1 (1) li in lieii islaiKls '* (2) F ^lay 1 J Bering of the ( coiitiim l)rote('t Bering (•"') I' canoes (4) li excel vt lawful t The I they ar herd in and nil than ai whales, either i * . ' The extent inigrat( breed in In the ( nious i\ , and ge) ' Wop 7.-RRMARK8 ON TKK MOVKMF.XTS AND Hm-:K:)IN(H;H()rN|)S OF TIIH FUU-SKAL, IIASFI) ON OhSFKVATlONS MADE WllILK I ON THl^: UNITED STATES NA\'AL I'ATKOL OF BElUNi; SFA IN iSDi. Ky Joux .). Bkh K. ( umiiiandrr, I'liilal SttileH ^^((vy. Under the tcrinsol' the award of tli(; lJeriii.<>- Sea arbitration tribnnal, as enacted into law by tlieaetof Conj^ress of Ajn-il G, 1804, the fnr-soal received the followiny' jtrotection wiiile absent from its breediug-grounds on the Tribilof Ishmds: (1) Iniinnnity from i)ursnit or capture at any lime and in any manner in Bering- Sea within a radius of 00 geographical uuk's of the seal islands. (2) l"'urther immunity from pursuit or capture in any manner between i\Iay 1 and July.ll, inclusive, in tliat part of tlie i'aciiic < )(H'an, including Bering Sea, north of tlie tliirtytilth degree of north latitude and cast of the one liuudred and eightieth degree of longitude from (ireenwich continued as far north as the sixtieth degn'c of latitude; thence the protected area is bounded hyaline drawn northeast to the center of Bering" Strait. (.'5) Immuiuty from jiursuit by any other tluin sailing vessels and canoes or undecked boats proi)clled by sails or oars. (4) Immunity from capture by nets, firearms, air guns, or explosives, excei't tiuit shotguns may be used outside of Bering Sea during the lawful season. The migrations of the fur-seal are so regular and well nau'ked that they are easily taken advantage of by sealers, who know where the seal herd may be looked for at any giviMi time. The seal is thusdilferently, and much more unfavorably, ]»laced as regards natural protection than are some other marine mammals that arc sought by man, the whales, porpoises, and sea-otter, for instance, whose juoveuients are either irregular or not fully understood by the hunters. The movements of pelagic aninnds are inlluenced to a very great extent by the temperature of the water in which they exist. The ndgratory instinct, whether leading them to feeding-grounds ov to breeding grounds, api)ears to lie dominated by the water temperature. In the cas(^ of oceaiuc tishes like the cod and mackerel, and of anadro- nious lishes like the salmon and shad, the deterndnation of the time and general course of their migratious by the water teuqu'rature is bio 574 KEPOKT OF COMMISSIONEli OV FLSII AND FISIIKIilES. well recognized. This saine inliueiiee is not less strikingly exoniplilied in tlM^ extensive migrations of the Alaskan In r seal, which cover diagonally 1^5 degrees of latitude, and, following the ronte of the herds, embrace a distance of over 2,r)0() miles, which is traversed when the seals are bound north to their breeding-grounds in Bering Sea and again when they seek the coast of the ITuited States after thebrecdiuL; season. The fur-sesvl, although usually described as having almost huniiiii intelligen(;e, is reiilly a rather stupid aninnil, whose reputation forintcl ligence is based hirgely ujkju appearances (esi)ecially its soft, beautiful eyes, which appeal to one in their ajjparent innocence) and upon the cleverness displayed in linding its way over immense distances in tlic ocean. Great stress has been laid on tlie latter faculty, which has been a matter of more or less speculation. In this and most other move menis, however, the fur-seal is very largely governed by the temi)era tare of the water, and is controlled by circumstances rather thiiii guided by intelligence, as it recpiires but little mental capacity to carry out the laws that nature has provided lor it by which it Unds its w;iy to distant jjoints in the ocean. When compared with the subtle instinct displayed by many species of migratory birds on their way to and from the same regions resorted to by the fur seal, the movements of tlic latter are rather commonplace. Combined with the directing intlueiKc of the temperature of the water is the wonderful rajudity of action which enables the animal to cover with little efltbrt a vast area of ocean in a remarkably short time. The lonely and remote islands of St. Paul and St. (leorge are admi rably adapted for the breeding purposes of the fnr-seal, and are the only islands in the eastern part of Bering Sea or the North Pacific; Ocean suited to the requirements of this j'Mimal. Owing to the stupidity <•! the seals they are almost defenseless when on shore, and many would fall an easy prey if tlie islands were infested with predatory mamniiils or birds, while their tiriiidity would probably cause the eventual abandonment of the islands if, while on the rookeries, they were liable to the sights and sounds of modern civilization. The seals leave the rookeries in the fall and are driven out of Bering Sea by the decreasing temperature of the wsiter as winter ai)proa(!hes. They then seek the more genial waters otl" Vancouver and California. On withdrawing from Bering Sea, they follow its current south through the passes in the Aleutian Islands and then meet with the Japan current, which leads them to the coast of Alaska, where there is an abundance of food. Thence they follow the cold current down the coast to Vancouver, oft" which land the old male seals remain and disperse over the adjacent ocean, having found a temperature suited to their condition in a region well stocked with fish food. The old male seal is six or eight times larger than the female, and. having a superabuudauce of fat, requires a lower temperature of water i i in whici account Tiu; fen inovenR where, 1 tlieir nc The SI combine care of uneasy i I'lom al tcmperii relief b; only dir tlie cold they art The c rents w] chain, ii where t some cc resorted Oir Sitl' nient, h progres seals g( Kadiak Sea am The fi inents b lioweve than til compel (^ oil" the I course ( The f fish, as, cries th fat, whi viscera from fo( vitality to mak( the sail journey streugt IKS. OBSERVATIONS ON THE FUli-oEAL. .575 xoinplilicd lich C()V( 1 tlie herds, when tlif i U' Sea and ebrt'ediiiu )8t liuiiiiin II foiintcl ;, beautiliil I upon tlie iices in tlif h lias been ther move e tenipi'iii itlier tliiiii ty to (!arry ids its w;iy I tie instinct | o and from 1 snts of tlio I gintiuoncc 1 /■ of action * ea of ocean i ■ 1 3 are ad mi .re the only cific Occjin tupidity <•!' lany wcmiM \' manmiwls e eventual were liabU' fc of Beriii}? ,]>proach('s. California. Lththrongli the Japan there is an k'utliecoast * ad disperses ed to their ^ emale, and. ire of water in wliicli to live tlian do the female and youiifj male seals. This fact iiccounts for the separation of the old males from tlu; r(!st of the herd. Tlici females and small seals of both s<*xes continue their southward movement in the cold Humboldt current off the coast of ('alifornia, where, having found the slightly higlu^r water temperature adapted to their needs, they disperse over the ocean in seandi of food. The same laws govern the seals on their way to the breeding-grounds, combined with the strongest instincts in all animals — propagation and care of the young. In spring the old males are the first to become uneasy under the incn^asing temperature of the water, which has risen from about 4U° F. early in February U) 'ti)^ late in Ai)ril, the normal temperature sought by the seals being between 4(P and 4(io. To seek lolief by reducing the temperature, the^' start toward the north (the only direction in which this object can be attained), and, guided by the cold stream which flows along the coast of Alaska and Vancouver, they are led in the direction of the rookeries. The course of the seal herd to the Pribilof Islands, by the cold cur- rents which flow from that direction through the passes in the Aleutian chain, is only interrupted near the '• Fairweather (Iround" off Sitka, where the inlluence of the warm water of the .Iai)an current causes some confusion in the progress of the seals. This region is much resorted to by the pelagic hunters and is a vast slaughtering-ground. Off Sitka large [)ortions of the herd are often found, in their bewilder- ment, heading in various ways, and sometimes they make considerable progress in the direction from which they have <'ome; but finally the seals get within the influence of the cold stream in the vicinity of Kadiak and then, through the passes in the islands, they enter Bering Sea and are virtually on the breeding-grounds. The females and young males are influenced in their northern move- ments by the same conditions which affect the old males. The females, however, on account of their being with young, make slower i)rogress than the others, and are easily approached and killed when fatigue compels them to rest at the surface of the water. The presence of food oil' the coast and estuaries of the rivers also aflt'ects in some degree the course of the seals. The feeding habits of the breeding males are similar to those of some fish, as, for instance, the salmon. During their absence from the rook- eries they accumulate a vast amount of energy and food in the form of fat, which is deposited under the skin, in the muscles, and about the viscera; so that after the breeding season begins they abstain wholly from food and, during a period of more than three months, retain their vitality by assimilating the stored fat, while the other seals are obliged to make frequent excursions to the fishing banks. In like manner, after the salmon leave the ocean, enter the rivers, and commence their long journey to the spawning-grounds, they eat nothing, but maintain their strength on the fat with which they were fortifying themselves while at l(»l.^-49 iU(] ItKI'URT OF COMMISSIONER <>F FISH AND FISIIKRIl S. 8eu, tojicthcr witli tlic sui)|)l.v <>f iioiirisliiin'iit iVoni tin (lisiiitcjirjilioii i>\' the oillx'ariiiii tisHiies smnmiMliii.u tlii^ ovaiiaii aiid s|M'iinati(! parts. Miiicli begins us soon as the lisli enter the stieanis. Asi(h' from the (lestruction of the feniah's and yonnju' by sealing in l>ering Sea, the animals are distnrbed or hai-assed at a time wlicn they have scmglit seclnsioii to rear their young. Ah'eady a restit'ss ness and a idiange in the hal)its of tlie seals have been obscrNcd which are indications of the breaking up of the herd. The use of lirearnis for killing seals in liering Sea being prohibited bv law. the spear inis been substituted. The silent destruction of the latter instrument does not frighten the seals, and its aim is more certain and deadly than the rille or shotgun. The waj'uing noise of the lii'cai'm renders tlu^ scnls more sliy and v»ary as the season progr«'Sses, but with tlie spear tiic slaughter ol unsuspi(;ious animals continues uninterruptedly from the eommen(!ement to the end of the season. As a proof of this, it is only necessary to cite the W(»nderful (^atch of the sealing schooners this year by means of the spear. Notwithstanding the comparative unfa niiliarity of most of the crews with the use of the spear, the luunber ol' seals secured by the i)elagic sealers was greater than ever before, and the catch is almost certain to increase year by year, as the men become more dexterous in hamlling the s])ear, provided the sujtply of seals holds out. Instead, therefore, of the jjrohibition of lireanns in liering Sea being a serious restriction on the depredations of the sealers, it really aids them and renders the rooki?ries even moic liable to rajiid decimation than they were under jjrevious reguhitioiis. It is reported that the catch of seals by pre(lat')ry sealers in ISOl was in the neighborhood of Ido.OOO. Of this numbev alxait .")7,()00 seals were taken from the herds Ix^longingoii the Asiatic shores of the North Paeilu; Ocean and the remainder, 48,()()b, from thi^ Alaskan herd. In the jnevious year the seals secured from the herd rendezvousing at the Pribilof Islands nund)ered about :?(»,00b, and in l.S!)2 about li:),()()0. Of the seals from the Alaskan rookeries taken by pelagic sealers in 18*.)1, al)out SO per cent were killed by vessels clearing from N'ictoria, H. ('., and -0 per cent by vessels from Uiuted States ])orts. The prohibition of pelagic sealing b(»( ween May 1 and .Inly .'il, durinc which time the seals are moving northward olf the coasts of the United States, Uritish Columbia, and southeast Alaska and entering Bering Sea, necessarily concentrated the oi)erations of the sealers on IJering Sea — that is, during the breeding season. The nund)ers of seals killed beyond the (lO-mile zone in Bering Sea between August 1 and August 15, 1894, were large, and ])erhai>s 7o or 80 i)er cent were juirsing femiiles that had left their i)U]»s on the Pril)ilof Islands ami gone for food to the cod baidvs lying from 75 to 200 mil(\s from the rookeries. The death of a female seal under these circumstanees meant also the death of her young by starvation. It is therefore evident that more harm is vicini select (•■!) \vlii(;h been Htatef The iiction tliat n preser iiiival ix'lagif imd 1( iiiiinbe tlie scii sp<'cta( I'ail to liiiinan .•seal he s. ic piirts. •ulinti' in Ut"! wlu'ii rostlcss h\ wliicli ,\)v\\v lins H'llt (1()«'S tliiiM the t\w seals ;|M'ar (Ik- tVoiii Hm- it is only iicrs this JVC uiila lUinhiM' of .'tore, and '11 bccoiiii' V of seals ill IW'vin.u sealers, it 1) to rapid II ISIM was ,(UI(I seals the North herd. In siiiji' at tlu' :),()«)(>. or IS ill IS'.M. oria, H. ^'.^ ;U,diuin,!j; the United iii«;' HerinK on Uerin.u seals kilU'd iiid Anjiiist iii^i' females for fo()«l to eries. The o the death ore harm is OUSKIIVATIONS OX TIIK FUK-SKAL. 577 done to the seal herd in the lew weeks of seallii;;' in Aii<;ust tlian at any other time. i'ermissioii was ;;iveii by the Treasury Department to the lessees of file seal ishinds to kill 2(>,()(>H yoiiiij; male seals in ISJU. Nol withstand- ing that only 7, ")(>() seals had been killed there diiriii]u- eareveiit the havoc; wrought by the pelagic hunters in killing annually -5,000 or 30,000 nursing female seals and leaving their pups to die of starvation, besides sacriticiing the same number of unborn seals. Xo oiu; who has had the opportunity to visit the seal islands during the breeding season and witness the distressing sjiectacleof thousands of young seals in various stages of starvation will fail to acknowledge; tin; merciless barbarity of pelagic sealing and the liiimam; i>rinci))le involved in the proposition to wipe out the Alaskan seal herd at one blow. J". R. Ol- ■Oi