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:23

CONTENTS:

SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE

LETTERPRESS COPY BOOKS

VOLUME NUMBER: ^^

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Letters ^ Report

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FILMED AND PROCESSED BY
LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY. CA 94720

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MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS -1963-A

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REDUCTION
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1 I lb I 113 ' 114 ' 115

PLEASE NOTE:

Letterpress copybooks consist of bound
volumes of tissue paper onto which outgoing
letters are copied by transfer of ink through
direct contact with the original usinq moisture
and pressure. This process may produce
variations in quality or defects Including
extremely weak or heavy imprints, smearing,
and double images. These defects may in

turn be reflected in the microfilm.

Page numbering may appear in

reverse on some pages of this volume.
Some pages may be missing from the
original, or the pagination may be
inconsistent. Film has been reviewed to

insure completeness.

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The coitttnts of this Letter-Book were compared with

the printed docuiisentB, argumentB, tc. in the various volnrngs
constituting the 'Fur-Seal Arbitration of 1692' as found in
the Library of the U. F?. State Department. Nothine appearing
here could le identified positively in the naterial making up
that published set except the Letter-Book matter on pp. 196-
233 (earlier versionB of wiiich are on pp. 86-103, 123-125).
This is evidently the final form accepted as O.H.M. 's part of
the Anier. Cora'rB* Report which is published as pp. 307-396 of
IjjjT-SealJrbitraU on^ _aa3 e of t he U_. Sj_lB9£ . The Lett o--
Book niatter on pp. 296-301 appears to be the detailed statement
from which the sunmary was -lade which constitutes 'Appeixiii E'
of this published Report of the Aner. Com'rs.

The Letter-Book Instructions to the 'Albatross*
(operating under theU. S. Fish Qom'n) ai^d to the 'Oorwin*
(operating under the tj. ^. Revenue Gutter Service) cculd not
be found in the published Reports or Bulletins cf the Fish Corn'n,
nor ir anything credited to the Revenue Cutter Service -the
reports of which were not issued for 1892-1896. The Instructions
were probably included under 'Secret Orders' of the Revenue Cutter

ar^ice and, being confidential documents, were never published.

E. Crawford,

March 14, 191 3*

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COPY.

Taooma, Wash i rv^ton

Au/^ust 22,1891.

W

The HonoT'abla

t

The Secrotao" of State

In obedience to in^iitmctions. Professor Tri<>)!73.s C. .Vendenhall aiad I
eaiiod from San I^'rancisco Tulv 1-^, 18D1, on heard the U. S. Fish Gommis-
fr'ion steain^r *AlKatroB:-\ bonnd for the PriV)iiOi Iciandr. in Bering Sea,
Wo stopyed at Unaiaska for coal July 253 and ioft July '^7, arriving at the
Seal Inlands no/it day. Wa stopped at -t. G(:or/-;6 Inland and ':.ook on board
I'r. J^ Stanle;^' i>ro^m, Special Aeent of the Troasiry Denartr'.ent, '^rhom ^e
aarried to St. Paul*

The Pritish ComTnir..sicners, Sir Oeon^o Paden-Po-veil and Dr. George
lU Da\vsr»n, mot us at Un^laRka on the way to the Pribilof Islands, imd
reached Su Paul the sarae day ^/e did. T^iey came on the S. S. * Danube *♦
I acc.'>!npaniod them Crcnn St. Pa^il to St. fTeorge Julv :^l(on the 'Danube')
and rot:irned r/ith M'er'i io St. P'\id Au/>;ust 2,* \7liile at St. (Teorp;e, '7e
vis! tod Zanadnie» Eastern, and Trreat Has tern rcokerjos together, and took
jointly the testimony of Captiln Daniel Webster, •: man who has lived on
the Seal Islands t^^^nr-ty-two years in the 'Tiploy of tl:e Alaska and North-
Ajnerican Commercial Oonipanies.

August 4, t^-^e British Commissioners ,caire on board the 'Aibai.ross',
and visited North-Eajsf Point rooKery (the largest fur-seal rooken? in the
world) in company -/ith Professor ^tenden}iall, Mr. J. Stanley Brc^/n, and
jfsyselfj rotaimir : to St, Paul the saruo evening.

The British Cominission^ra lived onboard their ship, the 'Danube'*
ProfeiiSor fv'endGnliall aiid I lived on shore, boardiu^ at the house of tlie
North-American Commercial Company, and eating at the table ^^ith the com-
pany's a^;ents and the U. S. Treasury agents. \^iile cri St.. George I r; land,
July 31 to A-^p;ust S, I lived on shore in the sane manner. A\)gust % the
Pritish Conimiss loners l-^^ft St. Paul Island for a cruise to the northward,
bound for Nunivak and St. i/jxlVviOv Islands.

I visited in person every fur-seal rooke^-y on St. Paul and St. George
Islands.

Prof. Mendeahail a.nd I remained on the Pribilof Isi'mds froiri July *^5
to Aiv^.ust 10, sailing on the latter date for Piiget So^ind, and reached ^his
roi^tlTacoma) on the ^Albabros^' '.his evenirir^.

Respectfully,

1

Ootober 28, 1891.

:#

I*

The Honorable t

The Secretary of the Treasury,

Wa8hii)gt;0n, D. C*

Sir:

I have the honor to request copies of the 'seal lops' of the
soveral reveniie outterc cmising in Bering Sea dta'ing the past seasor^
The information particularly aesired comprises the number and posi-
tions of the seals observed frofn horrr* to hour each day, distance from
the Prlfailof Islands, and direction in which the seals were movlniRj,
if recorded.

If the tracks of the several veccels have been plotted I would
be obliged for copies of the track charts. In case any vessels
wore in siotion at night the night tracks shoiald be discriminated
from those made by day.

I have the honor to remain.

Very respectfully.

(Dictated. )

2

Oct. 28, 1891.

The Honorable,

Seers tecry

Washington, D, C

Sir:

I have the honor to request copies of the 'seal logs- of the
several war vessels orui«lr« in Bering Sea ^i^ the past season.
The infot^tlon particularly desired ocn^rises the n«»her and posi-
tions of the seals observed fro.' hour to hour each day, distance
from the Prlbllof Islands, and direction in irhich the seals were

moving, if recorded. , ,.

If the tracks of the several vessels have been plotted 1 would
be obliged for copies of the track charts. In case any vessels
were in «K,tion at night the night tracks should be discriminated

from Uiose made by day.

I have U\6 honor to renain.

Very respectfully.

(Dictated,)

3

October 29, 1891»

Hon. J, M. Rt«k»

i^.scretary of A^4eult,ure,

Sir:

AmiliT^ »^«Blf of your kind offer to lay before the President
certain matters relating to the Be'^lng Sea seal fishery, T redpeot-
ftdlj Bubmlt the fcllowin/?: '^ha Britieh Commiasioners are now at
Ottwra and are engaged in th© preparation of their report* which,
apparently, ydll be a volundrKms doctarant. Dr. Daweon has juat
writ1.en ma that he is plottij^ on a track chart the poeitioris at
Vfhich seal 8 have been observed at sea by the British ships Danube,
RiTOphe* Pheasant, and T'olphin, ana desires to plot at the same
time the records made by our vessel?, in the sawe waters. He re-
xjiissia, thersfor^, that he be fiirnlshed with the "aeal logs" of
owr 'i-ar ships and I'evenue cutters. 1 see no objection to giving
hiw this information, sines he will furnish us a duplicate copy,
thus saviri^^ us eonsids^'abls time and labor, and puttiw^ us early
in possession of the sime information \»rhich they possess. I have
written to the Soaretnries oi the %yy and Treatury for the •seal-
lr\f» logs' ^rd repon,3 of th^ masters of vessels ci-uising in Berir^
Sea duri'^ the past se&aon, and sho-xld like to know if T m sisthor-
ized to furnish Dr. Dawson >.v'ith the infomation asked for.

Miss. ScidiTiore, author of a book on Alaska, has just serit

4

1

we a lon^ letter frosTt Jud^^e xTsciies C. !;-#an, of Port Townsend,
Washington, in which he states that h« was called to Victoria by
the British Coinndssioners, Among other things, he stetes, "The
Royal Commissioners also have found that the seals of Cape Flattery
' do nr>t go to Bering Sea at all, but go to Cook's Inlet, Cross
SowJ, and other of the Fiords and Inlets of southeaater-n Alaska,
where thsy are found and killed by indians during the zme months
of the breeding season on the Pribilof Islands. •

This letter in dated October SSd anU contains much other
matter of importari<jeo

I have the honor to r^imain, ?fith great respect.

^v^VaK^^ IvVoJ-vhOsJ^/v^.,^

Chief of Division,

tttmtmtttm:^

■^■^

Niov. 2, ICSl*

Detxr Dr* Dawson:

In reply te your recs^it letter T woxild say that I shall
be very jkiad to exchan/^e mih yon the infonnnticn indicated in
relation to the distr b.ution of the Fur Seal in Berin/?; Sea, as
observed by the varioui« ve-^sels durin/^ the past season, T hp.ve
a^ked the Navy and T-'-i^sur^ DeparUr^ents for copij=;s of the •seal io.rrs'
of our 'itc^r ships ^''*.d ;?ver; ^ cutters, bat have not yet received t'e
data« Will let yov know a^ ooon as tho material reache^s my hands,
but fear .1* is not so (xe? tailed ar it should be*

ii you are goinfr to plot all available data imder this head,
would H not simplify matters for you to lot our data with your Otvn
anci give us an exact copy of the ^v>suiting tr^ck chart?

^erj truly yours.

^

v\

i\\>>v>\i/

5

• 1

11

Dr. George M. Pawi:.on,

Asst. Director, Ceolo/rlcal Survey of Canada,

Ottaw?:, Canada.

poor imprint

November 2,1S91

6

I

The Honorable

Tho Secretary of the Treasury,

Washington, D* 0^

Sir:

I hu\^e the honor to ackno\vled/>{-; the receipt of your conirauiiica-

bion of October 31, transmitting, in compliancJB with my request,
copit^s of the 'seal logs* of the Revenue Steamers •Rush" and Mor?/.ln;
covering the months of July and August • In the case of the "Rush*,
it seems hardly possible that the five entries received comprised
all the records of seals made durir^ the season* s cruise • Under
date of July 19 it is stated t.hat a fur seal ^vas observed 1?.0 miles
from Bt, Paul Id., but r>he direction is omitted*

I 9jn vory ^lad to learn that track charts of the above r^arried
vessels are now bein/r niade mA that copies irili be furnished me
when finished ♦

I have the honor l-o reirain.

Very respectfully,

^

(Dictated^)

7

November 7, 1891.

^

The Honorable

The Secretary of the Treasury,

Washinftton, D. C.

Sir:

rne track charts of the Revenue Steamers 'Rush* and -Corwin'.
referred to in your communication of October 31 as 'mder construction
in the Supervising Architect's office, have been received, for

^ich I am very much obliged.

Respectfully,

*

(

i

No Timber 0, 1891 «

Lieut. Richardson Glover,

Hydrographic Office, U. S, Navy Department,

Washington, B. C.

Sir:

T Jiave tha honor to acknonfladgH yovr aoinnuni cation of the 7th
instant, transmitting seven tracings of track charts showing the
movements of the naval fleet in Bering Sea during the paet seaaon,
together with the folloving Archive documents:

See* IX — Box 2 Index S4H-

Soc. IX — • 2 • 24le

Sac. IX — • 2 • 2417

Sec. IX — • 2 • 2412

8eo* n '- • 2 • 2413

Sec» IX — • 2 • 2415

See* IX — • 2 ' 2411

8

The leitter wiil be returned in accordanoe vith yoiir request as
soon aa 1 am able to have them copied^

RespectftiUy,

Chief of Division of

Ornithology and Matnnalogy.

(Dictated)

9

I

Ncvamber 10, 1891.

The Honorable

The Secrfjtary of the Mavy.

WashinjPTton, D. C.

Sirj

T have the honx-r to f-oknowl edge the receipt , from the
Hydi^ographic Office, of copies of the track charts ana "seal logs'
of the several vessels of the naval flaet cruising In Boring Ssa
during the past season, for whicii I am very nuch obliged.

(Dictated)

KespectfuUy,

10

^

Soverrber 10, 3.891 •

The Honorabla

The Secretary of State,

Wa$hin^Hcn, D.

Sir:

In partial comp3iance with ray rgqueat for copies of the 'seal
logs* of tha several naval vessels cruisirv? In Beri!^ Sea during
the pa^t aeaaon, I }ia7e just received from the Navy Department seven
original reports with tha request that Utey be returned. Shall I
send these to the State Department to be copied or will you
authorise us to have them copied outside?

I shoxxld like to be authoriascJ to have enlarged bromide prints
made of about a dozen photographs of seal rookeries, taken by me
at the Pribiiof Islands. Tliese photo/^i-aphs are likely to be of
considerable importance as evidence and the originals are too sjmall
to show clearly the points involved.

Respectfully,

(Dictated)

t ■

1

November 11, 1891.

Deal' Dr. Dawson:

Your letter of the 7th instant has just reached

me. I have now received copies of all the track charts of our

vessels cruising in Berin,^ Sea during]: the past season, accompanied

hy the original records which T must return as promptly as possible.

I will have these copied at once and will send you the track charts

ana 'seal logs' as soon as possible, probably within a few days.

I think you will find the meteorological data you desire in these

reports, but in several instances the data relating to the seals are

not so full and explicit as they should bo. We shall doubtless be

able to secure the information necessary to discriminate day tracks

M from niglvt tracks later on.

Very truly yours

(Dictated)

11

I

I>r« Ceot M* Datir8on»

Director, Geological Survey of Canada,

Ottaira, Canada •

I

h

'I

12

December S, 1891 •

Lieut* Blchardftcn Clovc^r,

Hydrcgr'aphic Office, U. H, Navy,

Sir:-

I }ia\rs the honor 60 .^ekno^^lsdg6? (he rsc^oipi or your ^iOrnrr-uni cation
of NovfiTiibe ■ 30, enclosing; two charts showlrif^ tho tr^aok of the U. S. S.
^ Alert/, with wind, fore?? and fc^, froni Unalaska, Alaska, to and
below Pertopaulskoi, Kcuudiatka; ancl frorrt the vicinity of Cixpo Lepatka^
Kamchatka, to Latltudo 41'^' N., Lom'iitade 146^ Etiot,

T ajn very nvach obi:p;^id for these cthacU and will return i^liern as

soon as T Jjn dono w^ith them*

R5&pectfuliy»

.^uii^^

Chief of DiviHicn of

Ornitholopry and Mammal o><?v.

(Dictated)

poor Innprint

\

13

December 3, 1891.

Dr. Q^or^e IL Dawson,

I?t3ar Dr. Dawson: -

T ^snt yo^j yesierof.y by express, pro-aid, ^:;e'/eri

track charts of United istates vessels cruisir^ in Bering Sea ciuritjg

the I'ast i,>3a8on, togeth^^ with copief. of tiie "seal lo;?r>* of tho sajr.a

vessolu,

l^egrattim the deXvi in ..^^.ettin^- thla off, and trusting you have

not been inconvenirinced, T remain,

Very tmly yours,

{Dlct.£i9d)

■ mt *«l^r«MM4p«>« ' i^^i ■

Track ChartsSent.
Corwin

Thetio

Alert

Mohicsn

Marion

Allieu Fleet, (not complete)

14

December 4^ 1891 •

Dlsbtirsiiig Officer,

U, S • Depajrtmen t of State .

Sir:

Bnclosed is a bill from A^ B^ Gross of $39,00 for copying the
•Seal logs' and meteorological reports of the Naval and Revenue Ves-
sels cruisiiig in Bering Sea during the past season^

This copying was done under authorisation dated November 12,

X89U

The check may be sent direct to B* A. Gross, 1079— 32d St,,N,W,,

Washington,

Respectfully,

15

Decsmber 4, 1891

Hon. Col. Marshn.ll MftDona}.?!,

U. ?.. GoR;rrir,3ion^p Pish and Fifiheriss.

Vv'ashinp,ton, Tj. C.

Sir:- .

I havn the honor to roquest. a cooy of the track chert of tha
cruise of the 'Albatrosir In Be-in/^ Sea in .mly £ir,d August last.
top«th-:r v..-. In u copy of tnat portion of th. lo- rolating to the
n^r^uer and position of th. .eal. observed. I sho'.lo hr. very ^^lad nlso
if you '.vornd let me have copies of the photographs of tho Seal

Inlands ia^en durlTV'- tho ssne '/ruise.

Feapectfully.

!

poor imprint

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D^ Cumber 14, IBOl*

16

DsfO" Dr, Paws on:-

Your letter of the 101,li Inst, came Satc.>'aay and tiie

maps and 'soal lo^^ arrived this mornV.Tg. for ^^lich I .;m much obliged*

V i-oams.to me that it will be -v5:'-y difficult to arrange the

disoo-dflvit facts in our possession i-. snoh a way as to pUB a general

view of the whole.

- Hopi?i/s that mutters :!!ay bs so no;:
and fi-.lah our part of th.e •m7\ ^soon, T ^eviiin.

ic-.asted that -.ve may gc\> top.ettisr

Vrt'y truly yours,

x..>jo:bc v^Alg>>^^»^^'^

Dt\ Geoi^^e M, Dawson,

Ass't Director. Zoological Survey,

Ottawa, Canada.

poor imprint

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17

I

i

December 21, 1891.

Col. Marshall McDonald^

U. S. CoraniBsioner, Pish & Fisheries,

Washington, D. G.

Dear Slr:^

Yoxir letter of the *19th Inst, has just been delivered to me
by me88Gr;:;er^ together with a package of photographs printed from
negatives taken by officers of the •Albatross* when at the Seal
Islands in July and August last. I am very much obliged fo^ these
prints and shall be still further indebted when yet send m^^ the
remainder of the series on receipt of the negatives fi ^ . Captain

Tanner.

Thanking you for your courtesy in the matter I regain.

Very respectfully.

(Dictated)

■^•PS|[»^»*iW«IP"">M"<. I "111 ijji ■*■ .,

i:

18

December iJ6» 1891 •

The Honorable

The Secretary of the Treasury.

Slr:-

There have been several notices In the newspapers recently
respecting statements alleged to have been made by officers of the
Revenue Cutter •Bxish* on tlieir arrival in San Francisco, relatirv? to
large niinbers of youro? seals found dead on the rookeries* These
statements are of the greatest interest and I have the honor to
request a copy of such portions of Captain Coulson's report of his
recent cruise in Bei^ir^ Sea as relate to the Seal Fisheries and the
condition of the rookeries on the islands of St* Paul and St* George.

Respectfullyt

Chief of Division of

Ornithology and Mamnalogj^

(Dictated)

I

19

December 23, 1891.

Capi. L. G. Shepard,

Ohief, Revenue Marine Division,

Treesury Depc-.i-'tment.

Sir:-

I have the honor to aoknowledg. f,ha .sc.ipt of your ccn,m.nicat.ion
of the ^6th inst., together with e copy of the track chart of ths

Revenue Steadier •Bqa-r'» in Lhp vi^.n. ;>., ^-p ^^ o » * ,

n one /iciraty of tiie Seal Islands, for vhich

I eyn very much obligsd.

Respectfully,

(Dictated)

Chief of Division of

Ornithology' and Hiaimalog}; ,

i

41

Pe^JO'Tiber 31, 1891.

Hon. 0. L. Spauldlr^,

Acting Secretary of the Trsasur

J"

Sir:-

I hnvo the honor to acknoft'l edge the receipt of your contma>3ioation
of the 29th inst. t-ansmlttir-g a copy of a i9tter from Captsin
Coulson, U.S.R.M. , accom{.tmylr^ a copj of the evidence rG^^&rdir^
pelagic sealing in Bering'; Sea, t.aken before LiGutenants Nf^wcomb and
Quinan, for which T Dsn very much obli,f!:ed.

I should be still further indobied if you will he.ve copit^d for
me that portion of the log of the 'Bea'-' relating to the seal
fisheries and to seals obi:jerved in Bering Sea durin^r the past season.

The document sent in response to my request of the 2t;th Inst,
consists wholly of testimony of tmtives and Company employees taken
by tho officers of the •Hush* and does not contain any statemont made
by the officers themselv.^s, I'he nev/spaper clipping referred to in ^j
former letter stated that the officers repoilad seeing enoiinciis
numbers of dead pups on the rookeries after the old seals i^ad gonoo A
statement to this effect ft^cm the commanding officer of the *Rjsh'*
would be of much importance «

R«8p8ct.l\Uly,

(Dictated)

20

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Decsr^ber vil, 1891 •

Capt* L. G. Shepard,

Chief, Revonue Marine Division,

U« S. 'Treasury Depart ^ont.

Sir:-

In aeknowladging the receipt of th?5 track chart of the Revenue
Steamer 'Bear* yesterday I omitted to obsfirve that the chart received
relates exclusively to tihe iirmediate vicinity of the Pribilof Islands
and does not shov the positions and ruTibers of seals observed in
Boring Sea during tho past season. It therefore is of no value to us
for the purpose for v^hich it was desired* I have the honor to
request therefore a copy of the track chart of the Revenue Stearrar
•Bear* covering the whole of Bering Sea from Unalaska to the northern-
most point at which fur seals we^e observed, showing the positions arri
numbers of seals observed dui-in^^ each ^vatch, and discriminating
between rlay runs and nin-'ht runs. Similar track charts are now in my
possession showiag the niovements of all the other United States and
British vessels cruising in Beririg Sea during', the past season.

Respectfully,

ifNo^^J^ v^^^^kk!^^

(Dictated)

;a)

22

nsoember SI, isai

^

Prof. S. r. Smith,

New 'faven. Conn.
My r-ear Prof. Smith:-

By this mail I ssnd yon m Isopod taken from tha
stomach of a soal at St. ?mi TsiancL, Bsrin^ Sea. Will '-ou be k-:r.d
enoriph to let me know •/i'hat it is ae nearly ss may be practi cable from
80 imperfect a specimen.

Will you be kind enoagl-i to ask Prof. Verrili if he will
identify for ms a leech coliectod by our Death Valley expedition in
Eoulhern Nevada last winter.

(Dictated)

Very t-f.7ly ycu:'£,

fW

)

1

23

January 6, 18G2.,

1

Capt, L, 0. Shepard,

Chief Revenue Marino rivlsion,

U. S. T^Gasury PeparU-.ent.
Si":-

T have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your c-ommni
cation of the 4th Inst, and a,n .^lad to kr,ow that you have taken
means to secure the desired data ir> relation to Berinp; Sya.

Respectfully,

(dictated)

January 11, 1892.

24

Hon* J. M* Rusk,

\\

Secretary of Ap^ri culture .

Sir:

I

The accompanying letter has jixst boen received from Sir George
Baden-Powell i who, it appears, is likely to arrive from London in a
day or two.

He comes, as you -vill see froni his letter, in the hope of pro-
ceeding inr.ediately to the pr-^paration of a joint report on the Ber-
lin Sea matter, ^vhich it is earnestly hoped may be finally settled
before the sealing industry becomes a thing of the past.

Store seals ^.'er- killed by pelfi^r^ic sealers last season than ever
before, notwithstanding the modus vivendi. which it should be reinem-
bsred does not prohibit sealing in Pacific waters south of the Aleu-
tian Islands, where so many female seals heavy with youiTg have been
killed annually for .-he past few years j.hat if the killing is con-
tinued I have no doubt ho rookeries aL the Pribilof Islands tIIi
soon be ruined, even if no seals are killed in Bering Sea. This
sealing in the North Pacific begins off the Striits of Puoa in Janua-
ry or Fabruar-,', ana the sealc are followed thence northward to the
passes in the Al^uti^n Chain, the killing bo ir^g kept xip well into
June. Lart. year 18,000 skins of -id seals killed in theso waters

25

were shipped to Victoria fron. the Shum.^in Islands by one ver»sel(the
Danube), thia number represent. inp; the destruction, according to o\xr
estimate, of i80,000 seals; and there can be no reasonable doubt that
200,000 steals \rere destroyed south of Borin^^ Sea last vear~a munber
twice as great as tha largest number ever kiiled ab the Pribilof Is-
lands In any one year during the lease of Lhe Alaska Commercial Co.

According to the newspapers, the Vict-Tia sealing fleet is now
aliTiOst ready to sail, and it is stated that "fully fifty vessels 'viH

leave that place alone. ■

Respectfully,

%^^AW^

mm

•

J

26

Janugry 'Al, ]°Si2,

Hon. 0,

I

Sir;

Actln,-^ Sei-"eta"y of the T-'easi.vy.

I have th-3 honor to aokMCA-l-dge your communication of the
20th instant, t^'^n.nrlttin,, copies of letter, frorr, Capt.ln 'ff. C. Co'-l-
.cn anu otn.r offlc^^s of the Revonuc- Ste.^T.er 'Rush- re.pectln/^ th.
numbe^-a of oeaci pup .oaU found upon th. ^coK.3.^ie8 at St. Pa^,l and St.
Oeor^e Talands, B,v-lrv- Ssa. UuMr;,-. the Fall of 18D1, for -.vhich t b
ve"y nuch obli/tsc.

am

'•'htef of Division of

Ornithclo.f;y k Marrmlo/^y.

poor imprinf

JariMarv 15, xH92.

Sir Goorge Baden-Pcv U,

O-lawii, Caiiauf»»

Bea^' Sir Gecr^e:

I am pi 3^ta to l^?ar^i Iroiu your letiter oi bha first Ins-
tant l.hat matters arc: so nearly ai-ranged for our meeting tiiat ycu
W9ro about to ^stuni t*^ America- -aiuJ I assimie >ou tIII reaoh Otta^/a
about the time tuis i:t.ter gets Kh^^ra. I should Vxave replied to
voir foi^mer polity note had I k^"^-^ :'o^ir London addrcns* Porson-
^liy I am aiixici's to oompleta our ^ask at- the 3arlie3t possibid mo-
ment in order tc go b^iuk t'^ rr/ le>atir:atf^ work imd uirMih that we
may bo ponnitt'^'x = *^ b^gln at a verv ^rxrL. Uar^e.

Mrs. Merriojn 'oins ine i;*: ktndcrjjt r-

and :n .h? riupo that

, t 1 . >*> ,

4

shall Sfie

^• .'*' •-» '

ir "^ '^ •*''*' dri^^'f^e

27

oor inriDrint

_^y^

wTaiTiary 28, 1892.

28

f

Mr. Alfred Praser,

50 Wall Street,

Now York,

Dear Sir:

Will you havG tho kindness to send me a copy of C. M.

Lamp,

Respectfully,

Chief of Division of

Ornithology & iViaii^nalogy.

i

It

I

January 26, 18D2.

Mr. Alfred Prasar,

{)0 Wall Street, %v York.
Tear Sir;

Your favor of »,!i3 2/'.th instant is ^ociov-ci, to^,9thor ■.'/iih
the ozi&lofms end ^sports of C. M. Li-apaon ft. Cc. fo*- ths oast yea-,
for .-hlch T nja ve^-y /n-^Latiy nbii,?ȣ;d.

If ye--' fiavo on hand tno prices br-o .v?iU 'at the Sal'js of Salted
Fur 3oai Sklna* in pre^iou.s y^a-s, T ste.li bs gr^HX.ly obli^red for

I

cojji'.'a of t}i'3 5a^*c,

Po^jpoclT'Uly,

icA\

Chic^f of r-'ivision of

29

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30

January 27, 1802^

Hon. 0, L. Spa'olciing,

Acting Secretary of the T-easury,

Wasninf^ton, D, C^
Sir:

r have the hcnor to acknowledge your communi oat i en of the
26 th instant, t-ansmittinf; a copy of a letter from the Coinrr.andlrig
Officer of the Revenue Steamer •Bear" respeotirv^ seal life in Bering
Sea, to/?:ethcr with a revised track chart of the 'Bear*, for all of
'^hlch T am very much obliged.

Respectfully,

^

Chief of Division of

Ornithology h 'lairaalogy.

poor imprint

31

or.o

Febr\\ary 1/ 1 ^'*''-

Mr. Alf-od Frascr,

bO Wall Si-eet,

Nov Yoyk City

Dear Sir:

. H.^ of t,h.^ :^Oth ulilno i. at Mna. together
Your cor.mmication - ■ ^^^^ ,^,,3 ,.^

,vith Lsrnr-son Co.'. Reports 01 ^ - - ^^^^_^.^.^^, ^^^^ .,,,

1800 inclusive, for vhio.i

»^„^+oi;-' in this matiV^sr,
fo^' yo'jr courtebj i' ^

Chief of Division of

OrnitholoFj & MaTii^alogy.

January ;^7, V'^2.

30

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Hon. 0. L. Spaulding,

Acting Secretary of the T-easur;

Wasninp;t,on, D. C^

r have the hono^ to aoknowledge your comrnr^nicaticn of the
26th instant^ l-^-SLnsr^ittinf; a copy of a letter from the noi?i^r.aridlng
Officer of the Revenue Stoa^nor "Bear* "-^spectVi-r seal life in Be'^in/r
Sea, to/^ethr:r fl/ith a revised track chart of thn 'Bea^*, fo^- all of
ivhieh T arr very much obliged.

Respectfully, ^

^

Chi of of Division of

Orn i the 1 ory h .Mairnalosiv.

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The Hcno'-able

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^he Secretary of rotate

Sir:

T have trie honor ^o »-3-uost a citation that will enable
mr. to ^ef^^"^ to the treaty betvveen Gr-^^at B>^itain and Sweecien and Nor
way.respectir^ the protoction of the Nrvfoi;naland seal fishery.

\

Respectfully,

Chier of Division of

O'-nliholofty h Mammal ogj',

33

^ L-UI (-tax V r:^ l,Cr'^./^

Dear Doci.or Da?/i?on:

Mr, Mao:;ui- has ju^t haiiuod mr ;;our le5t';r of vosberdav
logetl^ov vath traciM^s of comtnned trnek charts and tho tvro prinood
rriap? cori^ainirg the ^-n-^disc^ re.rat;- of your study- of avaiiablo
U'ita, for all of v/hio'i I am y~rv Kuch. oliir ■:;(!!.

■ Very iniiy vows,

Arlinrt

iin^Lon lioora,

"A'ashi.n^uon D. C.

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Feb-uary 18, 1S92,

Tlie Hono'^able

The Sec^^etary cf the '^•^sss'^ry.

Sir:

I have the bono*' to request a chr^^t of Be^inp Sea showing
the posit ^'ons of Uio S8?.llrj^r schocne>"s 'vhen va^^ned or seized by our
unitea fleet du^'lnf^ the ^ast season, top':?the^ with a statement as to
'.vhethe*" or not such vessels vere actually en/^aged in takin/:?: seals at
the t-ime of 'verninp: or r;0i2U"'?, ana siKjh other* inl'onrtation as the
CepartiTtent may possess respecting tne )olnts at vhich seals we^^e
taken ty the sealing schooners. Tt is of much importance that this
information be fu^nisliea at as ea-^ly a dale as possible.

Hespectf^:dly,

Be^nng Sea Commissioner.

37

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Feb'^ua^'y iS, 1802.

T}ie Honorablo

Ths Secreusr:; of the %vy.

S

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T havs ths hcno^ to "s.^uest a cha'-t of Be^'inr^ Ses^ shovinp;
the positions of the sealing schoonor-s vh-n varne.i o>- seized by our
united fleet during the past ssason, topethe^ -vith a stafement. as to
whether or not such vessels 'ver-e actually en^ragod Iri takinr seals at
tlie time of -varninp or selr.u-e, and sT;ch othe- Infor-naLlon aj, the
Dei^aHment may poss-^ss ''"Speetinr tho points at yaicri seals vo^^e
taken r.y the sealing schoone-s. Tt is of r-.v.ch irrpo-tnnce that Uiis

information bo f'n'nisned at <=is ea^-ly a date as possible.

Respectf'illv,

^

Berin/^ Sea CoiTLnrission^r

38

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Feb-uary 18, 1802,

'^lie Honorabls

"^he Secretary of the "'^^oasiirv.

Sir:

T am informed that some months a^Ro the T -easu^^y Depa>"tment
myJeH.ook to collect irifonration on the 'acifie Coast '-^spoctinp; the
nmher of sodIs lost in r'dation to those secured by the pelagic
sealers, and othe^ information beri^^ln/T; upon pela/^ic 3e--lln/!:* Tt is
ve^y important tnat the infomation cnll^jcted by the repa-tmnnt be
placed at the aispossl of the United States Berin/r Sen Commissioners
at as ea^'ly a date e.s p>^octicnble.
T have the hono^ to remain.

Respectfully, ^

Be^'ln/T Sea CoruTilssione'^.'

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The Honorable

•^'he Secretary of iyho Navv.

Sir

T have the honor Lo acknowlod;:e the reeoipt of the oliart of
Periryf; Fea showl?ig the poiuticns of the v9j>.Ft\r 'varne^. tVid seised
durin^^ th-> seasc'n o^; lS?/U i^orether ^^•ith letters from the C^ommandinp;
officers of the ^^ohieari. "roti::', and varO-^^''» ^-^^ ^ tacular si.atoment
of vosc.ols Tamed, for ail of which . ai.; very mueii oblifred.

One important article of inforrriaL'ion asked for is not contained
151 these documents, riar.ely, "the statement as to whether or not the
vecr.el?/ v/arned or seized ^vere actuaily 3n.r:a^od in takiiif: seals at
the tin-e of wa^nin^. '')r ^:^*^i!^ure. and :^\u^h other information ar> the

*

I'ep'irti?^vnt tnay pof^s^i^r: roepectim': the points at which seals voc:^

taken l^y the sealln-^ schooners."

•■'esDecifuliy,

erliv^ ■>oa Oo'"^;>*3sioner.

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Tlie Honorable

'''he "ocreoary of ;;ho Nav^'.

it*t

J have the honor to acKnowlou/^c the rej^o ipb of the chart of
rerim :'ea showifi^ the po:5it:ens r£ ^he ^'er.ftl^ -varne^ ^jid seised
during- tho ^^oasc^n oC IS?/L i^Cf^eOjier -"iU^ lett^ers fron. the noniinandi>ig
officers cf the ^-ohican. "hc^ti^, and :'ai'0-^^^s ^^d a Uibulc^r si^atoment
of vossc^ls ''^rnod, fo^^ all of which . ^.: very much ohiif^ed.

^ne important article of inforrrai.ion risked for is not contained
in these docnmonts, nar-^ely/the staternont as to whether or not tho

vGcJ^eJn ^^arned o^' r^ei;^ed 'vero actually 3nr;:iA'on in r.aklrir' sea

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the tin-e of warning or f5^^i!2nnj. risic G-ich oohor inf onriaU on a^ the

I'ep'xrtin^;:)t inay pGf>£eso roepooi, .m:
taken hy the sealin.-': sch.oonarri . '"

oolp.f.s a', '^''nah yeais "vor:!

'esDecii'nliy,

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MBMOPMDIW FOE MAJOP WILLIAMS.

Send min to San Disf^o to oolloct affidavits from fomer pelagic
sealers.

In addition to usual (pesfcions, ask hoiy far south fseals are fcvmX
as a rula (in ordinan^ years) ar.d how far in exceptional years by
vesRfilc sailirig frcn: Sar. Diego, and at what dates.

Tnqrdre at San Die.eo also about old rookeries on Guadalupe Is-
land: when last occupied, etc.

Go or send man to Neah Bay to question Makah Indians as to dates
vhen seals are present in .; trait of Fuca and off mouth of Strait.
Are the different categoriesd.s. different sexes and a^es) fo^>nd
tCR;ether or at different dates and in separate herds ?

It has been clairr.ed that ne-viy born pups have been r-peatedlv
found alonf; the coast. At what time of year and in what numbers
have pup seals been found in or near the Strait of Fuca or on neigh-
boring coasts ? Can evidence bo had as to v/here such pups were
bci-n ? If so, can it bo sho^rn thai, pups hav? boon bo^-n in sajr.3 lo-
cality several successive -ears ?

Questions to ask sssaiers:

(NOHTH PACIFIC)

1. Kow far so^ibh as a rale are ;,oalt f ■ und in -.vintner off the
coast of Calirc.rnii: ho- far off shore, and at '-Yhal dat:^s '

2. %at va»'itt.'-:LOIi»> ave h^;en obosrvod in .ho so^u.hotT' limi:. of

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the herd in different vears ?

S. To v/hat category (i. 9., ^7hat sex and age) do those seals at
the southern end of r.ho herd belon/^ ?

4. How lonp: do they remain at their southernmost cbserved'
point ?(Give inciusivo dates if poBsihle)

• C. Are they found in distinct herds or as scattered individuals?

6^ Ai*e those fir^t observ^ed replaced by others at a l-iter date?
If so, do the latter- belong to the same category (i^e., are they

«

of the same sex and a^^e?).

7. About ^hat percentage of set\B killed in the North Pacific
are females ?

8» About what porconta^^'e of the cows are barren ? Are the
latter taken in greatest nunbers at any particular place or time ?

9. Are yoxxm seals (yearlinrs or under) often killed in the
North Pacific ? If so, ^^here, and at 'vhat dates ? Is it known
^vhothor these young are cbiefly males or females ?

10. Are ba35heio^ seals (hoUusohickie) ever killed in the
North Pacific in any numbers ? If so, ^^here, and at what dates ?
Do they mix with the cows or do they herd by themselves ?

11. How early in spring do seals appear in the neighborhood of
the Fairveather banks ? And how lon^ do they remain off this part
of the coast ?

12. To '^rhat catep-ory or cate^^'ories do such seals belcn,s»: ?(Are
barren cows or bachelor seals more abundant here thaii elsewhere ?)

44

(BgRINS SEA.)

is. At Hrhat distance from ths PfiKii^p t i j

•^ irom Lne iribilof Islands are most of the

seals klUad ?

14. About .h.t proportion of th, total pei^i„ „,,„h „, ^^.
and what females '^

ir^ What propnr.-ion of seals killed at aea in «hi.

n-ii-ieu ai:, sea lo miles awav from

the Islands are nursing cows (i.e., giving n.ilk)?
16, What proportion at 20 miles ?
y^. What proportion at 80 miles ?

18. What proportion at 60 rollea ?

19. What proportion at 100 miles ?

20. What proportion at 150 miles ?

21. Are barren co.s ever killed in Barir. sea In any consider-

able mmhBTs ? It so, in what part of t^e sea .'wh«f .. .

t"^ o oi one sea iwhat distance and

<llr..tic„ fro. the S.al Isi^ds. otc), ^a at .hat dat,. ?

a', no .»ch barren «o,s h.rd by tho^^lvas or i, they' .4. .
H'ith other seals ?

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR THB 'ALBATROSS'.

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In relation to the reruiations necessary for the proper protec-
tion and preservation of Seal life in Berin/?; Sea, concerning Thich
the rrovemments of the United States and Great Britain are about to

appeal to arbitration, the follo^in^^ propositions, aiTiOri^ others,

are contended for by the United States:

(i) The great majority of seals taken in poia'-^ic sealing are female

Seals, and of these by far the greater part are capable of hearing

young,

(2) All methods of takir^g Seals at Sea (pelar-ic sealinr) are ^^aste-
ful because: (a) it is impossible? to exercise any selection as to
tJ age, and hence skins are taken which cx\ account of being too young
or too old have little market value, and (b) a considerable percent-
Bf^e of Seals killed in the water, or w unded beyond ^-ecovery are lost.

For Lho purpose of obtainlr.g evidence in support of these pro-
positions, you are directed to carry out the folio-an^ instruc-
tions, and, in addition, yon will take every opportujiity that is
offered for gaining information which, in your judgment, tends
to establish the fact that pelagic s-aling should be prohibited.

n^

48

lViwlK<Jk» W%W1L

ALBATROSS.

Get a native nunle*- at \'eah Bay. if possible, to tako to Cook
Tnlet ss inte'p"eter. H' native csnnot be obtained, p-et a vliite mnn
(seal hunte" if jracti cable) 'vho talks Chinook.

Voceed at once i-o Cook Tnl^;l. fo^ the p^j^pose of asce'taininp,
r>^om natives an* by obse^'vat^ O'' alorip; shore all fact.s bearin/^ upon
follo^vtnf^ points. It has been allsreu thai the so'^ls attempted to
establish a ^^ooker-y the^e, but -ve^-e driven off by the Indians. "A^e
iiO])e to p>"ove either tnat fu^ seals have neve^ Rone asho^"^ t}ie^'e,
o*^ if the fact of landing is established, that a fnw non-b-eedln/3^
seals have hauled the^e durin^^ rd/^^vition, Tf it is found that fur
seals have 'haUed' in Cook Tnlet, o>' at any othe^' points nlon^r the
coast, ascertain the p-^esice spot o^ spots and coil'^ct evidence as to
n^jrnbe^s ana dates. Tt is important to slio-v that the alle/?ed 'haul-
i^if out* hts not b-en ^epea-^ed in the sanne spot ysa"* afte^ yea^.

The cruise f^om Po^'t Tovnsona f o Cook Tnlet and 'et:^':n to Sit.kri
should be ma^ e in th^ee 'v^eks if p^^acticable, and ^rust no^. exc^^ed
fou^ veeks. Tt should ^je so ar^^anrrj as to catch mail stear^-^'^ at

rt • 1 t

TntKa,

Sone seals should i^e bt^cu^^a on t,he vay '^p, and the no'^tne"*n limit of
the he 'd nt the date of i.he cruise sho'.ild be detentiined if nossibie.
Tf seals a-^e encounte^-'^a on i-he >'etu^-n t'M^j, the no^'thenf-ost :..cint

at yhich thev a^^-^ s^^on siiould be ^*'r;o*"d^a» -md sueci?r:ens sho'*ld be
seeu^'^d if possible to det^'*"'-:ine ^^^x ^na ap^e.

A-vait fu^tne^' inst^'ucti^'^s at Sitku, and viiiio 'he*'^ obtrin

8ffiar;\'ity

'^oio nati^-e^^ '=^e".l :.U!U^

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points on 'vhich evichnee Is aesi'^ed

'SM

A s,)ecial ' se-.i lor' s>ionld be kepi. 1n vhich -hguld be "eoo--u
tne positions and -laUve abundance of seals seen at successive
hcviT oach day.

A s. eoial l^ack -aa-t shouia be us-o fo- plattin^^ ihe posiiio-s
of seals olse-vcu i'-ur. cfxy to dsy, and th^ -esltive s'.rndance sho^ild
be indic'H,ed by the V0-U8, "s: vindanf . 'co-i-pon' . ' so?rce* .

a

A -ec:0!-d should b- kept of all neali-,r ve'--^ls --.c^u-to-d., nnd
.ote sp.ould be !-,pds as to V-.ethe- s-'ch vessels ve-e enra^r^e-

,' t >-

tak1n/T seels vhen Kee'i. _

Tn connection vith yoiv vesthe- -'-o-d, state the n^jjnb-- of
d«y«. i- eacn veek a'i>-in;r -vhich pel'.^-ic sealinr -nn be ca-i'^u o=-.

50

Investigations should be made TJtha view to ascertainjng;:--

1. The proportion of gravid females tn tho total number of

fur seals killed in the North Pacific.

'\ The proportion of seals lost to those 'vounded at sea.

3, The distribution of seals alonp the coast at different datos
Under this head sb.ould be recorded all facts obtained
respRctiiag the dates at which seals occ^r off successive
points 2uid at different distances from land; and if Uie
sever -1 classes or cate^^oriesd.e. , different sexes and
ages) herd independently, limiting dates and distrinces
should bo ,r:iven for eacli '^hen knc-m.

4, The food liabits and character of feeding grounds of the
fur seal*

In the case- of s^iaLs Kili^Hi at sea, it. is im;;o>'tant to lijsce^-

t:^

(2) p^ono'^tTons of sexo*: and af^es b/ d'.f Cedent localities BXid

JO

(b)

(c)
(ci)

(e)

pr»ono^'tlo>"' Of ^^ravld co^vs to b>x*^en covs anu vi^'.ci!*] covs.
If'uoubt ovists as to 'vhet.ne^" nori-];^'ernr.nt covs are vv"-
f^i*^ 0^ ba^""-'';^i, + he uto^'us sh'')*vlri ho ls:!;el«c vi^.;i PAl
data and p""^B':-'"ved in alcohol.

proport^'on of sei^ls 'Voundeu to seals secr^ed;

j^'o^o^-tion ol' :3eal3 tna* sink vn^^n killed aaa let alone;

cna^actc'- of i'ood
As many stomachs as possible sno^ld be ox'i/r-inoa fo-^ food,
anu hll stof^aoh-contonts sho'-ld bo oa^-^ef^vllv p'":?-^e^ved
and b^'oumit back, '^he contents of each stomach snouiu bo
Q'"5^-d (onleirS corn,.:^! s'^np^ too ^■''i^ch flesoy matto'^, in vhich
cyise it sho'Uo b^' p^^ese^vod in alcohoJ.;. ^od ^>'jonio
be label ea vitn locality, aat^, anu sex of seal. C^>^s
^h0''ld be taken rici.- to ov^--look ^q^-'Td's oeaks, f:no oth^^
.3m all ob"» ocl.^:.

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Secure affidavits from seal hunters W'^enover practicable • Such
affidavits should covor the foiiowin.c^ points:

EESPECTING PELAGIC SEALING IN THE NOET^l PACIFIC,

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1. How far south and how far north are fur seals kno^vn to oc-

cur.

2. About what proportion of se-iis wounded are lost ?

?. About what proportion of seals killed in the North Pacific

are fomales ?

A. About what percentage of i-he cows are barren ? Are the lat-
ter taken in greatest nurbers at any particular place or time ?

5; Are young seals (yearling.s or under) often killed in the
North Pacific ? If so, where, and at what dates ? In it kno^m
'Another these young are chiefly males or females ?

8. Are bachelor seals (holluschickie) ever killed in the North
Pacific in any numbers ? If so, ^here, and at what dates ? Do they
mix with the cows or do they herd by themselves ?

7, How early in spririg d'-; seals appear 1^ the neighborhood oi
the Fairweather bank.s ? And how long do they remain off this part

of the -^oast ?

8 To what catof^'orv or cate^'-orie,'^: do euch seals belong "^ u^')

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52

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l.arren zo^'z or bachelor seals more abundant here than elsewhere ?)

RESPECTING PiiLAGIC SEALING IN BERING SKA.

9. At what dintanco fro/r. tho Pritilof Islands are most of the
seals killed ?

10, Ahout what proportion of l2\e total pel.ap-ic catch aro maler
and what; females ?

11, Wliat proportion of seals killed at sea 10 miles away from
the Inlands are nurrin^ cows (i .e. ,'~-iving milk) ?

12, What proporLion are nursing cown at 20, HO, I 0, LOO, arid irO
miles ?

i

1:^. Are barren cc^s ever Killed In Bering sea in any cv^nsiaera-
hle nnmhers ? If so, in what part of the j^ea ('^/hat distance and
direction from the Seal Island.-., etc.), and at 'viiat dates ?

14# Do such barren cows herd by ohemselves or do they mix ^'ith
cipher seal;. ?

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T?ISTRUCTIO'\.S FOR THE 'COFiWTN'.

In re If. {, 1 <'>>-i to the "orrjlations nece'ssn^v fo" +>i'^ v>fo;-f.y ->
f-ection H^d p-ese^^vation of 3--.1 lifo in Be^'lnn- Sea, concer^niar
^vhich i,he Oove-^nnien^s of ^ne I'ni^'oa States and G^'ea' K^n^/ in a^-'^
aboMt to* appeal to a^blt 'ation» the rollovinr pro'-)osltlons a:-^^:%«y
other's, a*'9 contended for by the Unit'^c States:

(1) 'Hie preat majority of seals taken in pela,p:ic sealing, a-e le-
inale Seals, and of t.ie^?e by fa>' the ^^-eator part are caj^able of
bearing yo^mfr.

(2) All methods of takinr J^eals at Sea (pelapic sealin/r) a-^o
vasteful because: (a) It is Impossible to e:ercise any selection
as ho a.^e, ana hence skins are taken -vhich on account of bein.c^ too
youn.f^ 0- too old have little na^-ket val\>e, and (b) a considerable
pe'"contap:e of Seals killed in the 'vnte^, o^ "/ounded beyond ^ecove^y
a>'e lost.

c tne purpose of obtaining evidence in suppo>'t of those
P'^oposi tions, you a^e di'^ected ^o ca^'^^v or^t the follo^vin'^ i'^ist'^uc-
tions, ^^nd, in addition, you vili take evev^y opportunity that is
offe-^od for ,q:ainin.<^ infonr.ation vhich, in yo^^^^ iuarment, tends t-o
est»hbiish the fac^- tnat pelaf^ic sealinr sho'^ld be p^ohi-^ted.

"^ne i'oUovinr inst'-^jcti'jns '^eplace those ■^e^^iously sent, vhich
latter- a^*e hereby a^^.n^illed.

An inte^^p^ete'", or some one vno can s^.eak 'Cninook' nU\ tiie
natives, should be +ak:^rj o:, bof.>»c.

A^^ea to be covered by the Tnvestif^etion.

i^ii* ■ ..»»o.

Leaving Pri/set Sound and prissin/:^ out of the St>-nit of Jnan de
Fuca, you vill proceed by an outsicie ;;assa/Te, b-:^ not f-^' f>^orn the

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59

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Coast, to rixon RnL>mnce. vhe-o yon viU snte- fai^-ly upon yon-
vorkin/T Frovnd. Yovir w^^k will then consist of as ca^^oful an
examination as is possible of the interior waters of Sonth-East
Alaska, including!: tie princi jal channels and straits and of the
outside vate^^s vithin fifty miles of the Coast line and not fuHher
north than Yakutat Bay,

^lethods of makin/t the Tnvestif:ation>

"^vo p^'incipal methods may ho nsod in obtainin/^ the desi^'ed

e^ndence.

1. Bv actnsllv hnntinp and takinfr sesls by the methods o-aina^i-
ly riseu in pela^^lc sealing, combined with a ca^^'if-il exaininstion
' f the -esults of the catch -vith all the incidents pe^tainin^
the-eto vnioh may ne in any vay "elated to the questions unde"
consideration. Fo** this pvT*pose you will employ and eqnip a crev
of experienced hunter's, especially such ss employ the -ifle or
shot Fun. You vill Pi^e them every opportunity fo" seal hunting
particularly in the outside waters, making careful and accurate
notes and reco^us of the results, as to sex, condition, time and
place of taking, condition of stomach as to food and /^ene^ally all
facts bearing on the ,:ropo8itions stated above. '^h'= hunt! i/? cew
should be accompanied on thei" excursion by some sellable person,
competent to make the necessary observations and rnco^u'^.
2. By obtainia*^ such evidence of seal hunters, native and ■vhite,
whose testimony you may be able to secu^^e. For this . u^pose you
•vill be accompanied by an office^ 5uthorized to administer oaths
and by sone^able to act as an interpreter m your dealings
vith the natives. Yo'^ viU visit the va-ious towns and villages

60

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in Alaska, inakinf^ diligent inquiry as to 'vhe^e these soal rmnte^^s
may be found, anri endeavo>' to put yourself in such relations vith
tnem as to secure thei" testimony f^-ee I'^orn pe^'sonal bias.

You will info>Ti yourself as to the dat^^s of the s^^.ilinf^ of
the ^"epular mail st^^ame^*" f^'om Alaskan po>^ts, and afte^ you hnvfB
be;crijn vou>' To^k you -/ill send a full ^'epo^^t of you^ ope^^ations
and tnei^ results by each mail. Tt is understood that Seal hunting
*ail be ca>">ned on du^in^ the outside psss.i/re f^om P'j/^et
Sound to Tixon Ent'^ance, and in o^^de^ that h^mting may lot inte^-
fe^e too mu'^tn vith the p^or-^ess of the ship, \l 'vill ^P'ene'^'^lly Ve
desi^^able to keep unde^^ p-ooo headvay du^'infT the nicrht. that ^he
hunters rnay be able to utilize the day fo^ thei"^ 'vork.

Very much must be left to you^ o'vn discretion, and you vill
be expected 1^0 deviate f^orn these instructions m^in^v^.r, in vou^*
judprneni., such a 'ourse 'vould fu^tne^^ the interests involved,
keeping: constantly befo^'e you the fundamental propositions, to the
sup-;oH of vhich it is hoped you^ cruise vill largely cont^ib -te.
You vill so conauct the c^-'ise t.nat you vill retu^^n to ^o^t

•V *«.^, V

Fo^nse'ici not i^iis than six veeks afte^ you sail I'o^' Alaskan vate^s.
You vill teler^n h your ^et^i^n and a'vait fu^the^ inst-^ictions.

A special 'seal Iof* should be kept, in vnicii should be -^eco "deci
the positions and -^elaMve abunaance of se^^ls seen at successive
hou^s each day.

A special t^ack chart, should be used fo^ platting the positions
of seals observed f'^om day to day, and the relative abundance shonld
be indicated r^y ^he ^vo^ds, 'ab^m^^ant*, 'common', 'scarce*.

61

-4-
A record should be kept of all sealing vessels encountered, and
a note should ^e made as to vhethe*" such vessels ^e^e en^Ra/yed in
taKinfr seals when seen.

Tn connection ^\th your v/eathe*- reco^^d, state the number of days
in oacn v^ek du>"la^ ^^hich pelagic sealing can be ca'">^ied on.

A special effoH should be made to leorn as much as possible
concerning the facts (as to places, dates, etc.Jin all cases vhe^e
jieals a^e alleged to have landed o^ 'hauled out* south of the Alaska
Peninsula*

An attempt should be mnUe to ascertain '^hat, "inland passa/res*,
'channels', and 'sounas* a^e f^^equented by seals.

Tn connection '¥ith the weathe^ ^eco^d. It should be stated ho'v
many days in each 'veek ve'^e fit fo^ pelap-lc sealing.

Tn the case of seals killed at sea. It is impoHant to asco^-

tain:

(a) proportions of sexes and ages ?t different localities and
dates;

(b) proportion of H^avld co'vs to bar^-en co^s and vi^^/^in covs.

Tf doubt exists as to .'lethe^ non-prer^iant co^s a^'e 'nr-
frin 0^ barren, the uterus should be labeled vith full
data ana p^^ese^ved in alcohol.

(c) ;j»"opoH,ion of seals 'vounded to seals secured;

(d) propoHion of se^-ds that sink vhen killed and let alone;

I

62

-.-(-

(e) character of food

Jn/^^' ^^''^■'"achs as 'Osslble should be exmimd rn^- fonri
and all stomach-contents should be ca-efuUv D^osor-v^d '
bS riiro^'^?-' ^''^- /'-^e <2ont,ent,s of each sti?h1hould

b1\°^bell^ i if S^l?(/l|?r«^,J%«J%ohJl and should

- S^fefec^S!" "°^ ^'°^^^''^'^ ^^'^"' be'a^r^and'ltL.

i'

p 1

* I

INSTRUCT I OHS POf THl, STEAMER ALBATROSS.

63

"— "•O*"'-"'- —

m

I

1. In relation to the regulationp necessary for the

proper protection and pre^^ervat 1 on of B^rI life In Berini
Sea, concerriin^r which the G-^verra.ieats- of the United Statea
ftnd Great Britain ar^ abuut to appeal l-) arbitration, the
foil iwiag rroro : 1 1 ion^ ^ ainong oti^er-c.^ ar^ contended for Ly
the Unite:i Stat-- :

&• The great majority oC Sials taken in pejagtc
••aiing are ferrale 5^ea:s, anu of these by far the g-^i^ater
port are curable of hf^^rin^ young.

3c All net hods of taking Stmli "^t Sea (pelagic seal-
ing) are wasteful becaus-: (a) it is imrosslblo to exercise

any selection nn to ai?:6, hu-S Iv^nce skins are taken which

r-* »«»

* •.1 i^ O /"ii t "i *^ f <•"» ■f" »- -;

:if^ too young o>- too old have little mark-

et value, and (b) a con:^l derable percentage .^f Seals iciLUd
in th« water, or m)una#« bsyond recover:/ iire lost.

4. Fur tile ])urpo3e of obtaining evidence in 8U|:port
of in^ee f ropo-si t lona, you are directed vo car-y out tiie
followlni^ met ructions, and, in addition, yo . ^;il tmke
every opportunity that is offerQd for gaming inf^i-rna. .n
which, in yo.K' ju.ij-^- v, i .naa to t^stabllah tho fact that
pol-tg;o a'?al^njp should bo prohibit fed.

64

5, Get a native hunter at Neah Bay^ if possible,
to take to Cook Inlet as interpreter. If a native cannot
be obtained, get a white man (aoal hunter if practicable)
Who talks Chinook.

6. Proceed at once to Cook Inlet for the purpose
of ascertaining from native.- and by obs?rvotiGn along shore
all facts bearing upon the follo^'ing pointe. It has been
alleged that the seals attempted to establish a rookery
there, but were driven off by the In-liai.a* We hope to
prove either that fur seals have never gone ashore there
or, if the fact oi' lanllng i ^. established, that a few non-
breeding seals have <^cn- "liauic^d* there during migration.
If It is found that fur seals have "hauled* in Cook Inlet,
or at any other points along the coast, ascertain the pre-
cise spot or spots and collect evidence as to numbers and
dates. It is important to show that the alleged 'hauling
out' has not been repeated in the same spot year after year.

7, The cruise from Fort Townsend to Cook Inlet and
return to Sitka should be made in three weeks if practicable,
and must not exceed four weeks. It should be so arvf^nzed

as to catch the mail steanier at "itka.

8. Somp seal^ shouli be ^^ecnred on the ray \i^ , and
the northern 11-it of the h^ird ^t the date of the cruise
should be ietermmea i^ possible. If seaJs are encounter^
ed on the relurxi trip, the x.ovt-evnrno3t poi-.t at wiuch they
^r^ Been ^.hoxilA be rar^orded , and spcclmer?^ should be se-ur*

A

I

poor imprint

64

'

5. Get a native hunte;' at Neah Bay, if possible,
to take to Cook Inlet as Interpreter. If a native cannot
be obtained, get a white man (aoal hunter if practicable
who talks ChinooK.

6, Proceod at once to Cook Inlet for the purpose

of ascertaining from native^! and by observation along shore
all facts bearing upon the foll^^wliig points. It has been
alleged that the seals attemptei to establish a rookery
there, but were driven off by the IniiaLS. We hope to
prove either that fur seals have never gone ashore tliere
or, if the fact of lanllng i ?^. established, that a few non-
breedir^ seals have <^^ti^ "h.auled* there during migrationo
If it is found tliat fur seals have "hauled* in Cooii Inlet,
or at any other points along the coast, ascertain the pre-
cise spot or spots and collect evidence as to numbers and
dates. It is important to show that the alleged *haulin;?
out has not been repeated in the same spot year after year«

7o The cr^Jiise frorr. Port Townser^ to Cook Inlet and
return to Sitka should be made in three weeks if practicable
and must not exceed four weeks. It should be so ^rrnnpiet^
as to catch the mail p,tearner at "Itka*

B- ^ome sealB should be secured on the way up, and
the northern limit of the h3rd at the iate of the cruise
Should be ietermi-ei i^ possible. If seals are er^^oM^itc-r^

\i

A

d on the return trip, the northernrnest poi^t at vrhlch they
a-e seen $=^hould be recorded, and speclmerA shoui - h^ ^^rur-

iM
m

65

Hi

if

■I

-ed if possible to deter tie ?et and af^«e».

9* Await furthe'' * ^t - ions at SitkB, '.nd ^^(.-xr.
there obtc-in .ffidavllo mm n?>tive8, t<ea! -luntv^rR. an ^
others respecting: the points oa wh^ch evidence ir> desired.

10« A special 't^:?el lofr* shoul. be kept, in. which
*houid be r^- rd-'^ the poslti n:. and re?«^ii^e pourvianoe of
seals seen at succ ••asiv?!- hniir« -"^^^ch I'^iy,

II. A sptfv'jiftl tracK ch irt should he uj-ed for plat-
ting the positions of se^I5^ ob:.ervnd fi'orn ciny to u^iy, t
the relative abuu^iaric^ :>iVouli be Iridlcatod by th^^ ^
abundant * 5 *coninon\ * scarce?*.

!£• A record shoul:i be kept of all seal..., vessels
encountered, and a not :^ she- t ' by made a^^^ to ■ ther such

ami

ti^^

vessel, we-e oi.gag'^d in taking -'-als when 3ec-n,

13. In oonneetlon with your wsat: or record ^tuto
the number of days lu ^^oh ^e-k darinr; which pelagi
lag can be carried on*

'«,' w* '"w- \*% ^,

^Notv.. -> Nos. 10 and II 3ho>^7d be included in -rie r.f^orn
8tate>^erit. Noo .:> should - ut- a 5>epor?.tL -tatementj

66

I

^''

m .?;

^.m

. A \.a "h^ mftdc. with a view to^ asce^'lBiH-'
'\X^r: proportion of eravid females to the total
, . .' .-^ seals killed in the llorth Pacific Ocean.

15, The proportion of sea

is lost to those wounded at

sea

16. The dis

tribution of seals along the coast at

different dates.

under this ^-d should be recorded an facts
obtained respecting the dates^^ at different
occur off 9""«^^^^® 1°. if the several clas-

17. The food habits and c.-.,ra.V.- =r "«""« e'""^'
if the fur seal.

In

; V •' c 'f nortant to asj
t he ca8e_ of, jegiJUL^i -^ - ^- -^ - - - — *

certain**^
18*

Proportions of sexes anu ages at .. ^

calitles and dates;

19. Proportion of gra

, , ., -^ bftr>^*en cows and

virgin cow8%

hould

n

alcohol.

20. Proportion of seals wounded to seals secured:

21. Proportion of seals ttxat sink when killed and

let alone;

67

'I J

22. Character of food

As many stomachs as possible should he examin-
ed for food, and all stomach- contents should
be carefully preserved and brought back. The
contents of each stomach should be dried (un-
less comprising too much fleshy matter, in
which case it should be preseinred in alcohol),
and should be labeled with locality, date, and
sex of seal. Care should be taken not to ov-
erlook squid's beaks and other small objects.

1

I.

Mote, of Explanation reapeoting AffidavltB relative
tc_ the forego iiy Instruct lona .

The affidavits made by Lieut. Coinnander Z. L. Tan-
ner and Prof. B. ▼. Evermann, to be forwarded to Washington,
should be in four sets, as follows:

To comprise results of your own observations
on points covered by paragraphs 2, 3, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20
and 21.

II. To cover seal log and track chart, paragraphs
10 and II •

III. To comprise results of scientific observa-
tions specified in paragraphs 16, 17 and 22,

IV. To cover record of sealing vessels encoun-
tered, paragraph 12.

The affidavits of seal hunters and natives are
independent of the above, and will be attended to by the
special officer detailed for that purpose.

68

'm

69

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M:

S

¥4

You will be accompanied by an officer authorized to

administer oaths.

secure affidavits from seal hunters whenever practi-
cable. Such affidavits should cover, as far as practica-
ble, the following points:

RE3P1CTIKG PELAGIC SEALING IN THE NORTH PACIFIC.
1. How far south and how far north are fur seals

known to occur in winter?

About what proportion of seals wounded are lost?
About What proportion of seals killed in the

2.
3.

Horth Pacific are females?

4. About What percentage of the cows are barren?
Are the latter taken in greatest numbers at any particular

place or time?

9. Are young seals (yearlings or under) often kil-
led in the Horth Pacific? If so, where, and at what dates?
18 it known Whether these young are chiefly males or fomal-

es?

6.

Are bachelor seals (holluechlckie) ever killed
in the North Pacific in any numbers? If bo, whore, and at
What dates? Do they mix with the cows or do they herd by

themselves?

V 1-. •■>

7. How early

ly in the spring do sealn arpeax' m .ci.

» H

neighborhood of the Falrreather bank3<? And ao'v lor.r do
they remain off this part of the coast?

8. To What category or categories do such seals
belong? (Are barren cows or bachelor seals more abundant
there than elsewhere?)

RESPECTING PELAGIC SEALING IN BERING SEA.

9.

At What distance from the Pribilof Islands are

most of the seals icilled?

10. About What proportion of the total pelagic catch

are males and what females?

11. What proportion of seals killed at sea 10 miles
away from the Islands are nursing cows (I.e., giving milk)?

12.

▼liat proportion are nursing cows at 20, 30, 50,

100, and 150 miles?

13. Are barren cows ever killed In Bering Sea in any
considerable numbers? If so, in what part of the sea (what
distance and direction from the Seal Islands, etc.). and at

what datesf

14. Do such barren cows herd by themselves or do

they mix with other seals?

70

i

h"

Disbu^siry?; Officer,

Cepar'tmon+. of Staf,e.
J^ear Sir:

T transmit he.'s.ith -^eceiptea vouche-s f^om the East>r,an Co
fo'' l;. enlargements of photo^aohs of seals and Seal Islands autho^--
.zed by letter of M^. ^.^on. ^he photo^.phs have been ^..civ.d
ano T shall be obli^eu if ,.ou vill sono the check ai-^ect to the
Eastman Co.

Respeciiully,

Be*-inF Sea Com»> issione^.

The Bastman Company

Rochester, New York*

63

March 14. 12 bromide enlargements of photographs

(20 ^ IS) a 2.00 QkaU.V hX kl^sLiJ^

2A

•3r--'^-

"/

.A^

\

J

t

63

ii

The Bastman Company

Rochester, New York.

Warch 14. 12 bromide enlargements of photographs

(20 > 18) va 2.00 QUlijLV 4ju1 ^mLX^

24

*^-.

f • *

/^"

Ii

Retake of Preceding Frame

v

73

■4

1

«#

^?

w

Vasninx^ton, D. £.. Ap-ii £, i.-'^^:j.

P^of. Dr, Wilhslm BlasiMS,

Dv^ector Bruns-vick Museum ^i Botanical Garden,

Brun sw i ck , Ge ^^many .

D9a>- Si-:

The Goveninient of the United Staios having selected me as a

naturalist lo investifate and ^epoH. upon the condition of the Fur
Seal rookeries on the P>*ibilof Tslanus in Bering Sea, vith special
^efe^ence to the causes of decrease and the measures necessary for
the restoration and permanent preservation of the seal he>"d, T
visited the Pribilof Islands and made an extended investigation of

the subject, the results of which a^^e he^e b**iefly oMtlined.

FACTS IN THE LIFE HTS'^ORY OF 'I^HB NORTHERN FUR SRAL (CAlLORHT'a^S URST^Sj

i

1. The Fu>" Seal is an inhabitant of Be^in^, Sea and the Sea of
Okhotsk, ^he^e it breeds on rocky islands. But four breeding? colo-
nies a>^e kno'vn, namely, (l) the P'^ibilof Islands belon/^ing to tiie
United States; (2) the Commander Islands belonging: to Russia;
(3) Robben Reef belonpin,^ to Russia; and (4) the Kuril Islands belor^
in;^ to Japan. The Pribilof and Commander Islands a -e in Bo'^'in^ Sea;
Hobben Reef in the Sea of Okhotsk near the Island of Sa^^halien, and
the Ku^'il Islands betveen Yeso and Kanitchatka. ^he species is not
kno-m to b^^eed in any othe^ part of the vo^ld.

2# In v/inte'" the Fur Seal mi/^^ates into the '^lorth Pacific

Ocean.

74

-2-

The he^ds from the Commander Tsla-ds, Robben Keef, and the K^^^'il

Islands move south along the Japan coast. *^e Pribilof Islands he^d

moves south thro^j^h the passes in the Aleutian Chain* The old breed-

inft males are not knovn to ran^e much south of these Islands. The

«
females and young ^-each the American coasf. as f^r south as Cali-

fornia.

S. Hetu^ning,the he 'ds of females move no>'th''Vard alon^i' tne
coast of California, Oref?;on, Washi f^ton, and British Col^jrnbia in
January, February, and Ma^'ch, occiurrin/^ at va^^ying distances from
shore. Follovinp the Alaska coast north^vard anci *vest'va^d they lea^'e
the North Pacific Ocean in June, t^avo^^sin/^ the passes in the Aleu-
tian Chain, and p^'oceed at once to the Pribilof Islands.

4. The old (breeding) males ^eaeh the Islands much earlier,
the first coming the last veek in Ap^il or early in May. They at
once land and take stands on the cookeries vhe^^e they avait the
arrival of the females. Each male (called a bull) selects a la^ge
rock on or near "Vhich he remains, ^Jinless driven off by st^on^re^
bulls, until August, neve>* leaving for a single instant ni^ht or day,
and taking neither food nor wate^. Before the a^^^ival of the females
(called cows) the bulls fi^-ht sava^-^ly among themselves for positions
on the rookeries, and many a^e severely wounded% All the bulls are
located by J^:ine 20.

o. "^e pregnant covs be^-in a^^riving e^irly in Ju^^e, and sooTi
ap-)ear in lar^e schools o^ droves, immense n^ombe^s taking thei^
places on the rookeries eacli dny between June 12 and the end of the

p,^l-^»^j»«_ III ^ >nnr-t

74

'

'M}^

■2-

The he'-ds from ths Commander Tsia-'ds, Robbsn Reef, and the Ku-il
Islands <nov8 souih along the Japan coast. 'Tie Pribiiof Islands h? 'd
moves south thro'j^h the passes in the Aleutian Chain, '''he old breod-
inp males are not knovn to range much south of these Islands. The
femfides and young '^•each the Ame^'ican coasf. as f'lr south as Cali-
fornia.

.S. Retu»'ning,the he -da of females wove no>'thvard along tie
coast of California, Oregon, Washi gton, and Br-itish Col-mbia in
January, Febnjary, and Ma^-ch, occurring at varying distances from
shore. Following the Alaska coast north-vard anci ^estva'-d they leave
the North Pacific Ocean in June, t'-ave^sing the passes in the Aleu-
tian Chain, and proceed at once to the Pribiiof Islands.

4. The old (breeding) males ''each the Islands much ea''li9>-,
the first coming the last 'veek In Ap'-il or early in May. They at
once land and take stands on the »'ookerles vhe-'e they avalt the
a-rival of the females. Rach male (called a bull) selects a la*-ge
rock on or near Jirhich he remains, tmless driven off by st^on^e'^
bulls, until Aijg^ast, neve^ leaving for a single instant ni^ht or day,
ana taking neither food nor water. Before the ar'-ival of the females
(called cows) the bulls fi^ht sava.-^ly among themselves for positions
on the rookeries, and many are severely "vounded. All the bulls are
located by J'jne 20.

5. ''Tie pregnant covs be^in aTivlng e?irly in Ju-e, and sooti
api^ear in large schools o"" droves, immense n':»nbe^8 ta-king thei"
places on the rookeries eao!i dny bet'voen June 12 and the end of tlie"

-8-

month, varyinf^ vlih the vveath^r, '^hey assemble abou^ the eld >}ul?.s
in compact f!:^oups called ha>^-e?as. '^he ha^-ems a -e complete ea^'ly in
July, at which time tne b^eeciin,/^ -ooke>n^s attain their maxi^^-ivirn size

and compactness •

6, '^he covs ^ive bi^th to thei*" yo^jn^ soon afte^* taking their
places on the ha'^ems. '^he pe^^ioa of testation is betveen eleven and
tvelve months.

7. A sin;:le yoan/^ is born in each instance, "^he youn^r at birth
a>-e ab^\it eqtmlly divided as to sex*

S. The act of nu^sin^ is performed on land--never in the vater.
Tt is necessary, the^efo^e, for tlie co^vs to remain at the Islands
until the younf^ a^-e weaned, 'vhich is vhen they are four o^ five
months old.

9, The Fur Seal is poly^cramous and the male is at least th^ee
times as larpe as the female. Each male se^'ves In to 2n females.

10. Copulation takes place on land. Most of the covs a^e
served by the middle of July, or soon afte^ the bi^th of thei^ pups%
Thev then t^ke the *vater and come and ro fo^ food '^hile nu*-sinp^*

75

11. The pups huddle ioReih^^ in sniall groups called 'pods*.
at some distance from the water. When six or eirfit 'v^eks old they
tnovo dowi to the vatsr's edre and Igam to s-virr. "he pups are not
)t9im it ist, and if toon afte" birth t ley a^e vashed into the sea,
they *»*• dPo«m«»u»

.4-
!£• The eo'vs are believed to take the bull first wh'^n t^/o
yeav-s old, and deliver thei^ fl^st p^jp ^hen three yea-s old.

l;^. Bvlls fi*^st take stands on the breeding ^ooke^^ies vhen six
or seven yea^-s old. Before this they a-e not pove^ful enouf^h to
fl;0-ht the older bulls for positions on the harems.

14. Cows when nu^sir^, and the non-breoding seals, ^e^ularly
t 'avel lonr distances to feed, '^hey a^s cofnn^only found 100 or IbO
miles from the Islands and sometimes at f^reate*^ distances.

7(>

15. The food of the Fur Seal consists of fish, squids, c>-usta-
ceans, and probably othe»" fonns of m<^>"lne life also.

i

Id, The great majority of cows, pups, and such of the b^eedin/?
bulls as have not already /^one, leave the Islands about the middle
of November, the date varying' considerably with the season.

17» The non-b^eedinp; r^ale 8eals( 'holluschickie' ), together
with a few old bulls, remain until Jariuary, and in ra^e instances
even until February.

m

m

' ' 18. The Fur Seal as a species is p^^esent at the Pribllof Islands
eight 0^ nine months of the year, o^ from two-thirds to three -fou^'ths
of the time, and in mild winters sometimes during the entire yea>".
The breeding bulls arrive earliest and ^emain continuously on the
Islands about four months; the breeding cows remain about six months,
ana tne non-b^'eoding male seal^s about eight or nine months, and sc^iio-
tifiSf during the en^.ire year.

v^

77

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s

I

SEALS KTLLEL ON "HK P^TBTLOK TSLA?10S.

10. -The only seals killed for commercial purposes ai. t,he Seal
Tslanus a- non-breedi.;^ n)ala8 (unde- Tive or six year's of a,^e,
called •hoiluschiekie'). They come up on the rookeries apa^i fom
the bv-eeding seals, and la-T^e n^:«nbo-s a^-e i.-.s->t by the laV er paH.
of May. They constantly pass back and fo^-th f^'om the ^vate^ to the
hauling grounds. These animals a»e d^nven by the nati'^es (Aleuts)
from the hanllng .^rounds to the killing gv-o-^ds. vhe>.e they a-e
divided up into little groups, -hose selected as of suitable si^e
a.o killed vith a olub by a blo^v on the head; the oth.rs .0 into the
^ter and soon reappear on the haulinp, g-o^mds. Tn this vay about
100.000 young males have beon killed annually on the PKMlof Tslanas
fo»* 20 yes^s.

20. Tn addition to the com^'.e-cial killing above deso-ibed.
a n^ombe^ of male pups -ve'e fonne^ly killed each yea^' to fu>'nish f^od
for the natives, but the killing of pups is no-v prohibited by the
Goverraneni*

V

' PRESENT NUMBERS COMPARED IVTTH FORMER ABUNDA^O,

The rooke-ies on both St. Paul and St. George T.la).ds tear
unmistakable evidence of having undergone ^reat reduction in size
during the past few years. This evidence consists (l) in the ant-
versal testimony of all .ho sav tnem .t an earlie^' period, and (2) m .
presence upon the back pa^'t of each rookery of a ^ell-ma^ked

r.

78

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Btrip or zone of grass -cove-ed land, varying from one hund-ed to
five hundred feet in ^vldth, on which the stonfis and boulders a'-e
fUpper-wrn and polished by the former movements of the seals, end
the grass is yellovish-^een in color and of a diffe-ent rrenris
(Olycev-ia anOTstata) f-om the rank, iUrh /r-ass usually ^o'vln/^ im-
mediately benind it inmnB mollis). In many places the /^ound be-
tween the tussocks and h'wmocks of ,=rra8S is cove-ed with a thin
layer of felting, composed of the shed hal-s of the seals matted
dow and mixed Mrith exc--t«ent. urine, and surface soil, '^he exact
year vhen this yellow grass zone was last oco^jpied by sesls is dif-
ficult to ascertain, but the bulk of testimony points to l^HG or
1BS7. -me RpVe^te sivse of the a-eas fomr^-ly occupied is at least
four times as rreat as that of the p-ssent rookeries.

CAUSES WHICH Itt' TO THE CE^LriON OF THE ROOKKi^TES.

The seals vh^ch move north vard alon/^ the co-^st of the N'orth-
^stem United States, British Ool^Jmbia, and southeastern Alaska
from January until late in June are chiefly p-ef-^ant females, and
about ninety percent of the .eals .iUed by pelagic sealc-s in the
North Pacific are females heavy with youn^. For obvious reasons
manv mo-e seels a-e wounded than killed out-i.^ht, and many mo- that
are killed sink befo-e they can bo reached, and consequently a^-e
lost. As each of these contains a yow„ it is evident that sevo>'al
a-e destroyed to every one secured.

For aeve-ai yea-s the pelagic seale-s we-e content to pursue
their cestructive work in the North Pacific, but of late they have
entered Bering Sea where they continue to captu-e seels in the mte-

m

79

.»».

^

1

ih-onphoni in'? entire suongr. -^hs females killed during l.his pe-ioc.
a^-e ^ivin/^ mtlk and are a?/ay f-o'^ the Islands in s-arch of foo^l.
Their young starve to death on the rooks'-ies. t s^^v vast na-bcT. of
such dead pups on the Island of St. Paul last- s'jrn-e- (l^Ol) ana tha
total numbe- of their csrcas^s remaining on the Pribilof Islands at
the end of the season of 1^91 has been estimated by the 'Jnited Ststcs
Treas'iry Ai»ent8 at not less than tventy thousand.

The number of seal skinr, actually secu^-eu and sola ss a "esult
of pelagic seaiinf^ is shorn in the follovi>ip table:

Y« ar . WojOfskins .

1872
187«
1874
1875
1876
1.877
1878
1870
1880

Xft31

1.020
-— ?

4,9-1:0

1,646

2.042

— ?

.264
lE.iOO^
18,600
XP.Ml

If O P >'

II n I m—mm'^

1 8^2
1 HB'^

N'o. of skins.

1884
1 S8o
1886
1887

18^8
18^;0

i«4o

1891

17.700
0,1 Hh
? 14 ''00
13,000
38,907
88 , 800
86,818

M,404
62,h00

Tna«Duoh as the nmber of seals ami^jally secu-ed by pelagic
eealivv* !*^p"eflents but a f-aotlon of the total number killed, a
rXa-ncs at Lhe abov? firJ-^e is enough to sho'v that the dest-Jction of
eeal life th-js produced 18 alone sufficient to explain tho p-esent
depleted condition of the rookeries.

Polaoic sealing aa no^ conducted Is ca^^ied on in the J^o-th
Pacific Ocean from Janua-y until late in June, and in Bering Sea in
July, Au^st, and September. Som€ sealing s'-hoone-s -enialn as late
M Nevwber, but they do so for the purpose of rMding the -ooke-i-^s.

Tl hi« bMn allofted that overkill Inf^ of young males at the
fiiflrtQ* it 6 pKnclpal ca.ui« of the depleted oondttion of the rookor-

i4#t

80

P

«M r^ MM

Tn r^epi^' to this contention it is only necessBry to be^^r in
minci that tho nambe^ of m^le and female Fur Seals is sjual rit bi^-th,
that the species is polyr^amous, and that o^ch male, selves on an
average at least 1^> to 2n females. Tt is eviaent, the^^efore, that
the^e '*u8t be a ^eat superabundance of males, o^' 'vhich a la^'jqG oo^*-
centsge may be killed ann^mlly forever* without in the slipjitest de-
cree enciange^ing the productiveness of the he>*d* Fiirthermo^^, it
has been shovvn that tho killin/> of seals at the "^^nbilof Islands is
completely under the control of men and is '^est^'ictea to the supe^-
fluoi^a males, for selection as to f-^ex and ai=re can be and is exe^^cisoa
so that neither females no^ b**o*?ciin;:: males a^e killed. Ti is evident
tiiat this killin/r of non-b^eedinp males ooald In no vay affect U\^
Bize or annual product of the hreoainfr ^ooke^ies unless the number
killed iras so preat that enouf^h males were not left to mature for
b^eedinf^ purposes* The^*e is no evidence that this has e'^er been the
case* Moreover, all se^lt killed or wounded a>*e inva'^iably secured
and their skins ma>"keted--in othe^' vords the^^e is neither- vyaste of
tne seal h9,^"d> nor, impairment of tJhe productiveness, of the b^^eeding

Pelagic sealing, on the other hand^ is ^vasteful in the extreme
and is directed to the fo\intain head or sou>*ce of supply. From the
ir€ry nature of the case selection cannot be exercised, and a lar/^e
p6^anta/?a of seals wounded a^e lost* Owin^ to the peculiar move-
feints of the seal herds It so happens that about ninety percent of
ihe seal! killed in the North Pacific a^'o females heavy with younp',
mtxdlintp u destruotipn of two seal lives for ave^y adult seal kill-
Hk^ t^ ^rirw Z^n nlto, Itxrf^ n^be^'s of feiwilaa a>*e taken; these
f#iil» i^# tn ttlUr ano ihiif' f(t#VC dt^ <^f iisi^atlto on the '^ooker-

v^

. »!«■■-■ WM.-JJ. VJ^ « -■'- -»-— - ..ijuDt.^ . .!.■(,

81

II

^eHBgio Maliiv; nn tun indu^t'^y it of recent orip^in^ and m?iy be
Wtd to d«ie f^om 1879, '^e ni:»mber of vssSaU '•^n^i<?eci h&H steadily
inor^AB^a^ feft ha« Ui^ mmh^^ of snale killed, until it app^sa^^s that
imlfls* ch6ck0<i by International le^ielatlon the comrnoreial sxte^ina
t4on of tie 8^al in only a matter of a fev yea>-R^ Tt soems a f^iir
infe'-dr^ce, t>?ie^6fn^^, that ih9 only iray to restore the depleted
rookeries to th^tr forme'* cof^dition Is to stop takin/r. seal 3 at s^a^
and not oftly in Sa!*tnf?; Sea, but in the North Pacific as 'veil.

HaviiUFr iX^^n selected by my Go>re>*nment solely as a natvr'alist,
and havif^ ilifestt^ted the troi^ anci a^^^lved at the abotre conclu-
sions mOi recotanienaationft from tho standpoint of a nat^jralist. T
A«*»ii^d to kft<5» If you ^^e^ 0^ dtffe^* ^Ith me in conside^-inp these
e^«wlu5jiw8 am rr>ccfnmendatlona .lustifled and neceBsitated by the
fact^ In ths ctrse-

1 Shall h^ greatly obliged if yon 'fill fftvo'- -e 'vith s reply.

''^ry truly your^^

^ •'^^•A;^ \V^KK^l^Ja^^

1

April 8, 189;?.

Pres. r, S. Jordan,

Leiana Stunford, Jr., University,

Wfinlc Park, Cslif. •

My dear SlrJ

Have you cvsr published anyihinp; r^latlnp to the Fur Seal?
You havo been repsatedly qucted by Judge Ja-nos G. S-^/an as exp^'ossing
the opinion that Fur Seals are born in the nelgliborhood of Capo
Flattery and that you do not believ^e the female soals killed in that
POnenal region in May (1880) could travorse the distance from Cape
Klatte*-;/ to the P-ibilof Tslanda bafors thei- yoang -ouid have been
Vom» '^he record kept by the Governwent Afronts at the Pribilof
Islands shovs that anrxm the past ;:iO yes-s the date of bi-th of the
first pup ha« varied from May 21 to Ju'ie 2h, the nverafte date being
about June 12. Many of the females do not ;^lvG bifth to the!" young
b9fo'*e the latter .:)art of July, and ^xnusually belated individuals
hare been kno-vn to whel.. in August. I do not suppoeo thst a seal
ATould have any diffiuulty in covering the distance from Cap^ Flattery
to tlie Pribilof Islands in a veek. ■

It is of course probable, if not absolutely certain, thaf a f2>v
emonf; the many thGu.8ands of /^-ivid f'jmalgs that a-^ •vounood oao.i
sprlrj^ elonf, the north-vest coast of i^ashi'-vrton. British Col^JJTibla, and
southeastern Alaska r.^st ;-:ive bl-th to their yoan.fr before -(iacMng
the passes in the Aloutiw- Chain, if ind-ed th<;y a-o able to ret r>c
far north ni all. This vo-;id explain the occasional finain^ of

82

83

Jordan 2,

oup8 nXon^r tho nor^h'vest cto?isl.

SlncG yo'i have b'-^on quoted In Bnppo^^t oV the viev iha^. Ine Fur
Seal b^-eeds in the n'3if,hborhood of Cape Flatta^y, -^nd sinc?5 this
expression of opinion Is likely to be vsoa to oor disadv:mtage, T
Bhall be obliged if you '^viU favor me with a statement embodyinp yoi^r

pr*eyent vievs on the svib.iect.

Vsry ti"uly 'you»"s.

»%X*^^^^^^^'^'^ ' *■■

Be''inp^ Sea Cofrmissione^.

» ^

84

April 15, 1892.

A^r. J, Stanl ay-Brown,

Dspartment of State,

Washin^.on, D. C.
My dear Stanley-Bro'.vn:

Glad to see the clipping ^^aspectin^ Te^retmeier's paj>jphlet on
saals, and. hope you ^vill succeed in pettlnr severpl copies of the
document.

Tef^etmeie^ is a -vell-kno'vn naturalist 'jvho has devoted most of
his life to the study of doniosticated animals, and is the leading
sutho-ity in the '^ro^ld on breeds of poultry, kc. Ha has '^>^itten the
standard 'forks on poultry, ^ith large colored^jj^s, and has a 20
pBfe article in a recent number of the London ^H|f the leading
ornithological journal of the world.

The clipping is here'^irlth returned.

Very t^'uly you^s.

m

"^^jiJ^^^^^ —

.r*'

Original Defective

85

»

April 15, 19/32.

Wr, William B. Te^otxneier. V. Z. 5., he.

U Alsxenara-Grova, Morth Finch! sy, n.,

Dean Sir:

Havir^R Uarned by the ne^apap^^s that you have rgosntly ;v-ltt0n
a p«npMet on^Seal Life in Bering Sea', T tak. the liberty of ...siting
dii'9Cii.y to a*k if yon nn be good 2no'«.h to send r^ a copy.

t send you by this mall a copy of my p>-ssidentUl address befora
the Biolc^ioai Society.

Very truly you^-s.

Chief of Division of

Ornithology ft fAnrmidoffj.

I

86

T fl B B E R I N r, S E A F U R-S E A L
GALLORHTMUS URSTSUS (Liniwjs)

The Norihe-n o- Bering Sea Fur-Seal o- Sea Bea- (Callo^-hinus .
ffiSinujL) belongs to the amphibious group of Eared-Seals and Sea-
Lions (family O^ar^tcto), «rhich is inte-mediate in zoclo/rical posi-
tion bet^reen the terrestrial carnivorous mammals, as do^s, oats, and
bears, and the aquatic o- t^-ue Seals, usually ;iqno'vn as Hair Seals
(family Phocidjs). .' .

The Northern Fur-Seal is here discussed ande-- five heads, as
foUoivs:

(1) P-incipal facts in the life history of the Fnr-Ssal

(2) Present numbe^-s compar-^d with former ab-mdance

(3) The Fur-Seal Fisheries

a. Seal killing at the Pribtlof Islands

D. beai killing at Sea or Pelagic Sealing "

(4) Causes ^rhich have led to the depletion of the rooko -ies

(5) Measu^^es necessary for the resto^-ation cf tiie depisted

rookeries and for the permanent protection and ■-'"ess'-vatic;)
of the Fur-Seal.

\

f

87

4

I

J94

1! J

-2-
PRINCrPAL PACTS IN THE LIFE HTST'ORY OP the Fl'R-SEAL.

1. The Fur-Seai is an Inhabitant of Berir^ Sea and the Sea of
(Wu>t8k, .he^e it breeds on rocky IslaaUs. Only fou>. breodu^ colo-
ntas are kno^, nmely, (l) the Prlbilof Islands belon^i^ to the
Ontted Stat.,; (2) the Ca„.ander Islands belonging to Hussia; <3)
Robbaa Reef belonging to Russia; and (4) the Kuril Islands belnn,.in^
to Japa.... The Prlbilof and Co^nmande^- Islands a^e in Be>'inp Sea- ^
mUn Reef is in th= lea of Okhotsk near the Island of Sa^halien
and the Kuril Islands a^e between Yezo and Kan,tchatka. -n,. ^pec 's
i. not knovn to bree^^ m any othe^- pa^t of the world, [Tn. %r-S. .1,
of Lobos Island and t.. South Seas belong to widely diffo^ent so..-..
«d are placed m different genera fron, the North.^-n Fur-S.al.j'

t

2. In winter the F.^.Seal migrates into the North Pacific 0..^
f^« herd* f.'om the Corm,ander Telanders. Robben Reef, and the Knrii
rslanda move south along th. Japan coast. The Pribilof Islands

herd moves eouth throw^h th.-~ nassas In the Aleutian Chain. The old

breeding max.. c^e not k ,o.^, to ^ang. much so.th of these Islands.

The fe««at, and yomg reach Lhs A«,erican coast as far south as

California.

am

S. Returning, the he-ds r- fema.3. ^^. northward along the
coasts Of California. Oregon, Washington, ana British Cob:m,bia in
January. February, arj March, occurring at varying distances from
shore. Following the Alaska coast northward and westward th^y
leav. ...e North Pacific Ocean in Ju.e. t^ave>^sin^ the passes \n -.e
Aleutian Chain, and proceed at once to the Pribilof Islands.

-3-

88

4. The old (b^eodin^) males reach the Islands much earlier,
the first coming the last week in April or early in May* They at
once land and take stands on the rookeries whe^e they await the ar-
rival of the females. Bach male (called a bull) selects a la^ge ^cck
on or near which he remains, unless d>^iven off by stronp;er bulls,
until ATj^p^jstp ney^r leaving for a single instant night or day, and
taking neither food nor water* Before the arrival of the females
(called cows) the bulls fi^ht savagely among themselves fo>* posi-
tions on the rookeries, and many are severely wounded. All the bulls
are located by June 20.

<■

5, The pregnant cows be.<^tn arriving early In June, and soon
appear in large schools or droves, ininense numbers taking their
places on the rookeries each day between the middle and end of the
month, the precise dates varying with the weather, '^hey assemble
about the old bulls in compact groups called harems , The harems are
complete early in July, at which time the breeding >*ooke^ies attain
their maximum siee and canpactness. .

6* *nie cows give birth to their young soon after taking their
places on the harems in the latter part of June and in July, but a
few are delayed until August. The pe^^iod of gestation is between
eleven and twelve months.

•/

7. A slnf^le yourjg is born in each instance, '^he young at bi^th
a^-3 about equally divided as to sex.

I

89

'4"

8, The act of nursing is ijerformed on land—never in the watev.
It li necessary, the»*efore, for the covs to remain at the Islands
until th« young ore weaned, when they a»-e four or five months old.

9. The pups huddle together In small ^oupa called 'pods^

at sotie distance from the water^ Hfhen six or eight veeka old they frove
down to the water's edge and learn to swim* Not only are the young
not bom at sea^ but if soon after birth they a^e washed into the
«ea, they are drowned.

10. The Pur-Seal is polygamous and the male is at least five
tlmea as large as the female. Each male serves f^^om 15 to 2n females.

11* The act of copulation takes place on land and lasts frc»n
f> to 10 minutes. Most of the cows are served by the middle of July,
or soon after the birth of tneir pups. They then take the wate^ and
come and ^o for food while nursing*

.12. Many young bulls succeed in securir^ a few cows and estab-
lishing small harems behind or away f^om the breeding harems, partic-
ularly late in the season (after the middle of July, at which time
the regular harems begin to break up). Tt is almost certain that
many, if not most, of the young cows are served for the fl^st time
by these young bulls, either on the hauling g^'ounds or along the
water front.

IS. The cows are believed to take the bull first jrhen two
years old, and deliver thei*- fi'-st pup when three ys'^^s old.

90

14. Bulla first take stands on the breeding rookeries Then
six or sev^ years old. Before tnis they a**e not po^ve^ful eno^crh to
fl^t the older bulls for positions on the harems.

15. Cows when nursln^^ and the non-breeding seals, reg^ilarly
travel long distances to feed* They a>*e commonly formd 100 or 150
miles frow the Islands and sOTetimee at presLie"^ distances*

M

16# The food of the Fur-Seal consists of fish, squids, crMsta-

ceans, and probably other forms of marine life also.

One h':?ndred and ei/srhteen stomachs of Fur-Seals we^e exainined ,

jointly by the United States and British Bering Sea Commissioner's
at St. Paul and St. George Islands Aug^ist 1 and Aog^jst 3, 1891,
with the following results;

All of the stomaoha we^e opened immediately afto'* the seals
we^e killed. Ninety-three out of the 118 were empty, except for
the presence of a little mucus, bile, frothy slime, dark -brownish
bloody and parasitic worms. Blood in some rorm was present in
five stomacns, and Nematode worms about three inches in length
were foiind in most of the stomachs opened.

Twenty contained pebbles, ot pebbles and beach-wom shells
either alone or in connection with other content**, the quantity
varying fran a sirigle small pebble to a handful.

P^tnr containea beaks of squid or cuttle-fish (identified by
Br. ffllliaro H. Ball as Ronatu» fabrlciil, of which three sets we^e
In one stomcah. two sets In another, and one each in the ^-emaining
two.

Two oontalned fish bones, of which one consisted of the yeri-B-
br® and a few other bones of a Cod (Gadduimorrhua;; the other the

ear bones of a similar flshi , ^ ^

9d by P>'of ♦

a genus ve'^v

ear bones of a similar fish, ,

One contained a large Isopod c*nastacean (identifi
Sidney T* ^S^i^ »» 'apparently a species of Roclnela.
close to A^a!)*

17^ the great majority of cows, pups, and such of the b-*eeding
brails as havd not already gone, leave the Islands about the middle
of November ^ the date varyli^ considerably with the season*

91

!'■. ^» non-brwding male seals CHoUusohickie*), together
with ft tBif old bulls, remain until Janua.-y, and in rare instances
even until February.

19. The Par-Seal as a species is present at the Pribllof T el-
ands el^t or nine months of fJie year, or from two-thi-^s to three-
fourths Of the time, and In mild winters sometimes during the entire
year. The breeding bulls arrive earliest and remain continuo-.sly on
tha Islanda about four months; the b-oeding co^s remain about six
■onths, and th« non-breeding male seals about eight or nine months,
and soBiatlmes during the entire year.

20. is has been stated, the last of the body or herd of Fur-
Seals leave the North Pacific and enter Be-in^ Sea in the latter
part of June. A few scattered individuals, however, are seen di^-ing
the 8iw«er at various points along the northwest coast; these a-e

SO

probably seals that we-e^badly wundea by pelarlc sealo-s that they
could not travel with the rest of the he^d to the Pribilof Islands,
rt has been alleged that young Pur-Seals have been found In ear-ly
s'^er on several oocasions along the coasts of British Columbia and
Southeast Alaska, This woitld be expected from the large nijnbe- of
cows that a-e wunded each -winter and spring along these coasts and
are thereby rendered unable to reach the breedir,g rook'?-iss and mngt
perforce give birth to thei- young -pa t-haps p-ematu-ely-^he-ev-
they may be at the time.

•I.

92

PRESENT NW:RERS COMPARED WIT!! POl^lR ABUNDAIICE.

All the rookorlee on both islands (St. Paul and Si. neorge)
bear unmistakable ovidenc© of having undorfi:one ^reat reduction in
site during the past few years. This evidenco is of two kinds: (i)
Mlejioe of ?ia yfltnesses. and (2) Intrinsic evidence afforded by
UlS. n?okerles themselves.

(l) Rv^denj^e of eve wltaessfjs.

fhe imiversal testimony of all'rho say the ■f-ookorie.'j a fe^
years a^o, and af;ain in 1890 or 1891, is tlmt they have ftuff ered. a
p;reat and ala-minf; decrease within the past six or seven yoara, rn
the case of North Bast Point Rooker%'— the largest sin^^ie rookery
kno-Ti and one from which about ."^O.OOO-SG.OOO non-breedinF male B'ur-
Seals were taken annually for 20 years— the evidence is unequivocal
and concluaive. This great rookery Is several miies in lenrth and
its former bc.mdaries can bo distl ctly seen, as "ill bo described
in detail presently. [See also accompany in- photo/j^raphs and map.]
The aretoocupiad by breeding seals in 1891 was a narrow strip along
shore, while the zone of fom(?r occupancy varies from 100 to f300
fnet in Tldth. K'r. C. K. Tcmsend, resident naturalist of the U.S.
Fish Coramlssion Steamship 'Albatross' visited North Bast Point. Kook-
evy in company with the British ard U.S. Bering Sea Cotnr.Lssioner.s
August b, 1891 » and stated tJiat when he visited the same rook'^rv in
the latter part of June, if8f?, the broad zone here referred to "was

i

93

.-i!

41

eorared mlii with breodirv, seals.* Lioutanant John 0. Cantwoil of
m U. S. Rffvonue Steamship 'Rusli • , Dr. H. H. l^icrnLyre, Capt. Daniel
lM>«tep, Vlr, 3, C. Redpath, and Mr, Goorre K. Tingle corroberats
nr. Towsend'p statement Uiat the yellow-grass aone, or zone of for-
Mftr ooQupanoy was densely covered with breeding seals in 1885.

•^e testlittony of nativet and others In r^ard to other rookei-
Ift. 4gra«8 very well with the above, or places the time of abandon-
Bent at a still later date, some of the nativei maintaining that the
yellow-grasfi zone v&6 covered wioh seals as recently as 18S?. It is
evident tlierefore that the extensive area here deseribeti as the
yeUo--^raeK zo-a behind the na-rov strip at presnnt occuplsd by the
sp4is on the variouE rookeries, -vas thickly covered not lon^r^er a^^o
than 1885 or '86 and in some cases perhaps as late ajs 1887.

(S) iCi£ias.i£ gviden(?£ af.fordea la t^ i-cokeries themselves.

Behind each rooker}- is a moro or less sharr^iy defined strip or
belt varying frwn 100 to COO feet in width, -hich differs conspiov.-
ously in appearance frotr the j:^round on either Hdo. jt is covered
vith a short and rather fine /^rass of a yellowlsh-f^reen color (Glv-
cgsiA aSeaiaia) ^"Q or less mixed with tufts of a coarser species
(Dfiiglsgascjaij^osHEitaga) , both differing strikingly from the tali a>ui
rank rye eirass (g^ywug. mqU.i^) usually ,«rrowijig inimediatoly behind/
In many places the around between the tussocks and hupjnooks of
^rass ii covered vith a thin layer of feltlnp;, oojr.posod nf the shed
hain of the seaU matted dow and mixed v^th sxcren^ent, urine, and

94

5«

t

ftiirfaea soil. This felMn^ could not have been formed otherwise
thaw by the movemGnts of bbUXb back and forth ovor the t^round for
many years, yn the rame zone tbs rough upper surfaces and angular
projeotione of the rocks have been rounded off and polished by the
former movements of the seals. This polishing, though now partly
hidden by -.voatherinp; and the growth of lichens, is still conspicuous
and can be attributed to no other cause than to the movements of the
seals on the rookeries during a lon^ period of years* The fact that
the sides of these same rooks remain in their original ^condition is
sufficient proof that the smoot/h upper surf acet could not have been
produced by sand-polish.

In some of the rookeries aiiother zone mav bo discerned behind
the yellow-grass isone, indicating the extent of the rookery at some
still more remote period, ♦"ha grass on this area is bunch-grass
(Deschampsia ca?spitfflsa)i the lichen-^growth on the rocks is heavier
than on the end jUst dascribed, and the polished surfaces of the
rocks show more ureathering. This latter zone abuts ap:ainst the
more elevated turf bsari^g the characteristic tall grass of the
Islands, and marks tlw period of maximtan almndance of the seals ^

l^e aggregate size of the areas formerly occupied is at
least four tlm«s as great as that of the present rookeries.

95

It

ti

■i

T H e F 0 B-S B A L *? I S H B K I E S'.
the ^j?^S«al 'Fisheries*, socaUed, may Ib considered under two

$eal

Tf

(a.) S?al killing on the PribUpf Iff^^da.

The only 86&1» killed for coraneroial purposes at the Seal Is-
XtiM» teen non-hreedinK males (under five or six y-ars of age, callec
*holiufl6hicRIe'). They come tap on tiiQ wokories apart from the
bw^dlng &ealt, and large numliers are present "by the latter part of
Vay» aft,er wlifch they constantl?^ pass back ard ■'crth from the ^ater
to the baulirtat grounds. These animal are driven by the natives
(Aleuts) from the hauling grounds to the killing, ^rounds, whero the:
&i»e divided into llttio ftroups. Those selected as of suitable size
are killed hv a blo^y on the head ^viih ft club; the others are allowed
to e,o into ih« ^tar and soon reaj^pear on the haul in?- grounds. In
ihte w%5' about 100,000 young maJes have been killed annually on the

Prlbilof Islands for 20 years.

In addition to the com$TCieX klllim', above described, a nur.bsr
of male p jit e were formerly killed each year to furnish food for tho
nntsvds* but the killir^^, of pups is no'- prohibited hy th"; Govornment.

(b.) goal kil^ng I

PelTjgid Jeallnf, Is carried on chiefly by means of rchoone-n.
tjaoh of ♦hioK 18 provided »ith a crew <?f 20 to 2£i men and several

96

u

Binall boaU for hunting. When seals are encovmtored tho huntws
put oot in lh« Msall boats and approach them as (juieiiy as possiMe,
•ncl nfber ntar entn^h shoot thorn with the shot gun or rifle. When a
«eaJ is woundaft th* oarsmen pull toward it as r«q)Idly as possibio in
the hOi>« of reaching it bofore it sinks. Py the aid of an iron hook
pn the end of ft lv:ht pole many seals are secured after they have
•unlc below the surface but have not yat passed out of reach. Some
of the 8ealit^5 yeff^els use steam povdr, but raost of then dopond on

V

7orB«rly, Indian crows were taken almost exclusively, and tho
•pdar was ussd inntead of f iroama in order nr t to frighten the
seals. This method had the ^dat advantage of securing, nearly all
seals Ttunddd. 'low Tx>th Indian and white huntors are employed and
the use of tha spear has be -en almost "vlioUy superseded by the use
of firoarmB. tho shot gun is more used tha- the rifle for the rsa-
son that fe^er -rounded seals are lost thereby.

In addition i/O the destruction wrought by tho seaiin^r schooners,
pelagic sealing Is stiU carried on idong shore by the native In-
dians in their canoes, but the number of Pur-Seals Uius killed is

Pelafilo sealing ha3 been carried on fortuitfusly and on a small
scale for many years, hut it was not until the presont decade that
numerous vessels engs^ed systematically in the enterprise, f-he pro-
fits are so ,?reat in cofftparison ^ith Uie coital invested that, as
the results of the annual catoh became knovn each year, a const-antly

97

1

I

luflrfaMliy; nvwrt)#r ot vessels iras led to en^s^e in the industr^%
^rtth a corT<rtp<niding inoreatc in the ntimber of seals killed In the
<^«ii sea, th0 Fur-SosLlfi which movo northward axong the qoa£l of tho
Sorih^estmrti United States^ Prltish Coiumbiaj and southeastern Alaska
froTv Jammry until Ifltt^ In June are ohiefly pregnant females, and
$hoat ninety pcfdaot of thft seals killed by pel^,lc sealers in the
Worth Paalf ie are famaiaa heavy with your«, For obvioiis reasons
ttny ff»W seals are w^vmded than killed outright, and many that are
Icilled sink before they cmn be reached ^ and consequently are lost*
M eadi female cKm tains a youngt it Is evident that several seals
ars destroyed to weiry one seo^^red.

For Mvfijcal years the pelajc^ic sealers were content to pursue
their deatruotiTe work in the North Pacific, but of late they have
entered Berii^ Sea where tbey continue to capture seaLs in the water
tlmju^hout the entire simmer. The females killed diiring this period
are i^iviT^ milk and are away frcmi the Islands in search of food*
Tt^elr youas^ starve to death on the rookeries* I saw vast numbers of
such dead pups on the Island of St* Paul last summer (l89l) and the
total number af their carcasses remaining on the Pribilof Islands
at the end of the season of 1891 has been estimated by the United
States Treasury Agents at not leas than twenty thour^and.

Pelagic sealing U n(m carried on In the North Pacific Ocean
from January until late In Jime, and in Berir^g Se^a in July, Au^^st*
and S0pt«Jiber* i^ome sealiip^ schooners remain as late as Novsnher ,
but Lhey do so for the purnrse of raiding the rookeries.

97

h

number

isfiih a correipontiing Increase in the number of seals killed in the
<^«n sea. the Fur^Soais which move northward along bhe ooBMi of Uio
Rorth^dstOTti Unftdd States^ Prltish Columbia^ and southeastern Alaska
froTi Jam»ry vsntil IttU Jn Juno are oliiefly pregnant females, and
about ninety pereeot erf thb seals killed by pel^,ic sealerc in the
Jfortb Paalf ifi are fenaiea h^jax^ with youne;^ For obvious reasons
isany ff»W seals ard wrvmded than killed outright, and many that are
killod sink befor© they <mn be reached, and consequently aro lost*
JU aadji fomalQ cojitalns a younR^ it Is evident that several seals
ane das troy ed to <>Tery one secured.

?or savexaal years the pelagic sealers were content to pursue
their destructive work in the North Pacific, but of late thoy have
entered B&rir^ Sea where they continue to capture seals in the wator
tJmjivjhout tlie entire sumner. The females killed duritue; this period
are slviif^ milk and are away from the Islands in search of food^
TJ^elr yotU!v^ starve to death on the rookeries* I saw vast numbers of
such dead pups on the Island of St* Paul last sa^mner (l89l) and the
total nunQ)er of their carcasses remainlr^ on the Pribilof Islands
at the f^nd of the season of 1891 has been estimated by the United
States Treasury Agents at not leas than twenty thour.and.

Pela/3;ic sealing Is Ww carried on in the North Pacific Ocean
from Janimry until late in June, and in Bering Sea in July, August,
and September* Some sealing schooners remain as late as November ,
but t/hey do so for the purnrse of raiding the rookeries •

ki

98

h

Tha ntiAbcrlf ot swd skins actually seein^d mid sold as a result

of polartio tf^ftljnf is shon in the following tatle:

Yflj^y

^t.ot ?Hips.

Yesy.

iia

t Pt ?Un8'

1872

1.029

1882

17,700

isrz

— ?

188S

9,105

1874

4,949

1884

?

14,000

i875

1.646

1886

13,000

I67S

2,042

1886

38,907

1S77

— ?

1887

5a,800

i878

264

1888

36,818

I87P

12,500*

1889

39 , 5Gii

1880

ia»i?0O

1890

•

51,404.

1881

13,E41

1891

62,500

H

CAUSK WHICH LBD TO THE DEPLETION OF THE ROOKERIES.

99

^^^n

tmuwuch as the number of seals annually secured by pelagic
6Mlirfr rgpresenU but a fraction of the total number killed, a
glanae at the flares contained in the above table is eno^j/rh to show
that the deatnaotion of seal life thus produced is alone sufficient
to eiplain the present depleted condition of the rookeries.

H has been alleged thai overkilling of younp; males at the
Islands is a prinoipal cause of the present scarcity of seals.

In reply to this contention it is only necessary to bear in mind
that tl» number of male and female Fu>» -Seals is equal at birth, that
the species Is polygamous^ and that each male serves on an average at
least 16 to 2ft females* Tt is evident, therefore, that the^e must be
a great superabundance of males, of ^hich a large percentage may be
killed annually forever without in the sli/^test ilegree endangering
the productiveness of the he^d» Furthermore, it has been shown that
tha killing of seals at the Pribilof Islands is completely under the
control of man and is restricted to the superfluous males, for
selectjlo!! as to sex and age can be and is exercised so that neither
females nor breeding males are killed. U is evident that this kill-
ing of non-breeding males could in no way affect the size or annual
product of the breeding rookeries iinless the number killed was so
g^at that eno'jgh males were not left to matn^e for breeding purposes
The^-e is no evidence that this has ever been the case* Moreo^'o^,
all seals killed or wounded a>*e Invariaoly secured and thei^^ skins
marketed--in other words there is neithe- waste of th? seal, horcL..

^"^i^^T^nV ^^ ^^ p>-Qdt^?t'^VQne8B of the breeding stock,

PollMBjte sealing, on the othe^ hand. Is wasteful in the ext>*emo

100

1r

and iB dlrtoLed to the fountain head or source of supply. F-om the
very nature of the case selection cannot be exercised, and a large
parcentai^e of seals wounded are lost. Ovinp: to the peculiar* move-
«ie!sta of the aeal herds it so happens that about ninety percent of
tha teals klUad in the North Pacific are females heavy with youn^,
entailing ft daatnaotlon of two seal lives for every adult seal kill-
ad« Tn Berif^ Sta also/ lar^ numbers of females are t3ken; these
females are in milk and their young die of starvation on the rooker-
ies.

PelSfic sealing as an industry is of reoent origin, and may be
said to date from 1879, Tn 1880, acco>*dlng to the official ^epon
of ihe Canadian Minister of Marine and Fisheries, seven vessels and
Z\B men were enga^d in pelagic sealing; in the NoHh Pacific, so-

■w

curing 18^ 600 skins valued at $163,200. Ilie same autho^'iiy states
that in 1866 t'^enty vessels and 459 men secu^'ed 38, 907 skins valued
at $889^070* In 1891 the number of vessels had increased io about
100; upwards of 2000 men were en^etaged, and more than o2,000 skins

were secured.

Thus it api^ars that for ten yea^s afte>- the Alaska Purchase
the Fur-Seal5 of the Pribilof Islands ve^*e practically undisturbed
in passing to cuid from their breeding grounds; that in 1879 seven
vQssela and 218 men attacked them in the sea along the northwest
coast securing 18,600 skins; that the industry proved so remunerative
that in twelve years the nimber of vessels had increased f^'om seven
to one hundred; the msn from 213 to upwards of 2,000; and the skins
secured from 13,600 to mo^e than 62,000! When it is remembered
that this nranber is but a fraction of the numbe>* of seals dest>'o.;eci
it beoiwes evident that unless checked by International legislation^

101

U,. oo-^rcl^ «Unnlnat.lo« of the »ea is only a ».tt<.r ot a tow

years

Fo

W ye»ra «f Ur tho Ua«ka P«rch..9 about lOO.OOO taoholor
.e^. «« =«u«d «»».^ly without dxKloultj and without iMpairinR
,^, pn^otlvonos. of t1« brooding rookerla.. but *, doorease
bn,>^ht at.ut by psla^ic seall... »ado It »tr»=lj difficult to ob-
tain thi. n-^ier after 1887. and the standard of ri.e -= lo«r=d
,„<•«! ti.as in ordor to obtain tho ft.H ,uota. In 1S«, the rook-
„ies «vd haulirv. ground, had fallen off to such ar. nl^m e«tent
that the Trea..r, fc^ent In oha:^,e ordered the killing U stop on
Julv 20. at .hioh date only 81.000 seals had been e«urad-and ,t
^v" ^ 3dded ttat Ws n..ber was taken only after the .greatest ex-
orttcn on U,o part of the Company' » te.nts. ^e young »ales were
arl-en end re-driren day after day fro. the sane hauling grounds.
»d the peroentege of .»l/.klUabl. si.o m.e so s.,all [lB-20 X]
co^ared witl, tho fer,en-.a,e ot yaarli^s, that it is not surprisiv^
tot the Treasun ««',»te on the Islands were impressed with m
scarcity of y ung, males, and being new »on. Inoxperienced in mue,

1 !«■« «««= easilY lad to Mistake ^tSssk f°^ 2aji£2,
relating to seal lire, wero oasiij ^au t~

^.a attributed the deoraaee U «,e kllUn. of too .any young »al,s
at the islands in previous -ears-instead of V, the destruction of

w r,«-i«ai/. <?6al9rs— an error they wero quick
the mothers and yoking ^y pelagic seaisrs

to correct after a.nothfir year's oxperiance.

1^. „u.l>er of o^al3 HiUed each da, duri^ t^e kilUn.. s.ason
.a, be t^en as a r.u,^ index t. t^o rapidity of tho decline of .ne

102

i\

r»o<iH6J*ia» in the past few x-sars. Trdafixiry Agont Charipe J. Goff, In
ofrarge ©f tha Saal Islands in i880-18D0, statoB in his official re-
port that the ».T<^r3r/6 daily killing in 1800 ww 022, "/hile in 1889
it vas l»P'?4 for th^ gswis period.

In his r«fort f<:>r 1880, Troa*ur>' A^ant Goff states .' *Tli$
aiarmir^ 4e<jreasd in th<j d^iiy, tsfcyii(l,v, and aionthly receipts of
fskins by] tha Alaska CJownerciai Company, and aa a dernier rssd|.
Ly said oorapai^y to aacuro their 100,000 skins, the killing of eaiall-
-r seeds than -sa* eustnjriary, att««t oonolusively that Mr. J. P.
Manchester* a obaarvations ^toto undoubtedly corrftct, that there is a
scarcity of seals and that "vithin the last year or eo they are,

>

from soma cajise* cf^cMacing fw beyond the incrascse.* He states
farth^T: *! r0f:ar(i It absolutely oss^ntiai, fox* the future of the
rocker iee, that pi^ompt actions fee taken l>y Uid Departnent for tha
suppre^aioK of ills^al killittg of sdals in Bering Sc^a, ond that
the ittmofit eoDDwny be ol^serv^ In takin*^ tho saals allowed by ia^ar.'

l4hitMak*i!dhi

•i».»4flM».<alk»<.<»-'^<<t,»r.

~md^-

.*A.m..

-If.

1

103

I

msimas mbcsssary m m kestomtiom op ths deplctsd rookbrirs

AND POR THS PftJU^HgHf PT^^^SBRVATIOM OP ?^'E PIJR-SEAL.

■oftfiy

m

"I

So

U>« decreaw of Q^. Fw^Soai .'ind the derUtior. of the rookeriss.
Ifrt^ 0* Viis iealt^^ .cliooners are psnnitted to oontinuo the destr^ar-
Uon cf w«^«nl ^fl nursln,; e«:ial«s. not only '.viil it be inpos- bie
to in<»^a»t tb& ««*^ of Heals en the rookeries, but it will ho
i^ot^tble t<y pr«a^nre the nvu.^ sra now there preseiiV even if no
9eal« ar^ UlloA at th« Islands, the rer.toration and permanent p -9-
carvatmn of thf» rooktrlas. therefore, d.jmanar. th* perpetual prohiM

Uon of pelagic eealing.

^e mmhBT of non-hret^dlnr males that may he safely killed ■'^t
the islands vill ver.' frorr, year to year, and should be determined
=-)^ch season by cowpot'jnt Government a;rents on uhs ^,roxmd.

Original Defective

1^01

**

April 22, 1392,

The ffonorable

JoluT W. Foster,

State Departeent.

% d:-ir Sir:

I'^'en-in, t. cu. conver.,ti»n cf tht, ,o..,.«. i ,^ ^^ ^

»a«U

raven an. Ulled fro. the various roo.erios or. St. Paul ar. St.
Oeo..e lslan.3 Tro. IB.O to :e9I. A statement o. tMs .ir. To^ laso
you Will find h^ the Sonato Bx-Doc .o r.,, ,
,r ,, , • -^' ^-^"^ Congress. 2d Session.

-^■-'^ "-^ ^^■■n"mon or f.Ho k..^] T^i^.n. ^. .. , .

F. . -i^' i... her cur purposof; u io v.^+
,.>! , ' ■ ^'' ''"^ necessary that th««*

tables s.hould be so full as tvp ^.n ^

i^ui as the oablas pubifsn'-d in -h;o „«„ * ♦

fxc+ •;}.' Too. 1 ^^^ report. In

^-°«. .h« Ust coL..:n aions (comi...sinr a sia .mm' f - .
ni.'T.ber of seals killod dailv a^ ... ,, . ^

siifficir.nt. ^®

you Will find Palmer's L-ctrr- , v, .ip

r!m:i2£ in Forest •-• <!f„„ ^ -i:i~^eai_in

in t^^^e .^.. i3suo an editorial (p p.., li ' ' ''^ ""'"'''^ -^

^ ^P. 2^. ) whi.h contains an erroneous

105

Foster £,

statoraert concomii^g r'^marks made by Br, Dail. The next is^un (Nov,

1891, p. 307) contains iiri iiT.portant letter from Dall in oontra-

dietion of the orronecus statemrint contained in tho editorial refer-
red to. Bail's letter, in turn, is criticised by Her-rv W. Elliott in
Forest ^ Stream, for Movemher 19, 1B91, pD. :<A7--MS.

Palnor's lecture contain'^ the rollo'JV'ing lir^portant statenient
respecting dead pups: "Tho nu'-ber.<: of dead pups about tho shores of
St. Paiil':> hwan to attract my atten-.ion about the irlddl^ of July
last yoar. On August 2.(1, J. r^tcod on Zoltoi boaeh and counted 17
dead pups within 10 foot, of me, iind n lino of thorn strotched the
whole length of the beach. Mar;y of tiiem starvad to death on tho
rookeries, but by far the gr'^-ater nurrsbor suxik in deep water along the
margin of the rookeries.* The lecture contains other statemonts not
so f'^vorable to our side.

The article to which I particv.larly referred in Petei^xmn's
Mitheilungen is by Capt. Molsor, and is entitled: 'Der Seehundsfanr,
im nordlichen Bismeer* (lS?i, pp. 'Ml-^'MS) . Other references I will

send later.

Respectfully, .

'^^^^■^'•'^'^'-^

ill

)

I 5

April 25, 1892.

. *\

v. I.

The Honorable

John W. Foster,

State Department.

Dear Sir:

T have the honor to request that a statement be sent me showing
the first and all subsequent dates at which the size of sklna taken
by the Alaska Commercial Co, was lowered in orde^ to secure the full
quota, together ^Ith the minimum weight fixed for each lowering^

Respectfully,

m

s

Procoad westerly from Qnoon Gha-lottG Sound to longitude IDOt
latitude i5^ll, for bho pun:)OHe of finding the herd of old bull seals
or r>uch part of this herd as has not already passed into Bering Sea,
If successful, ascertain the easten;, ^^estem, and southern lirrdta of
the herd, and the passes throuf-h which they enter Berin^p; Sea,

Visit Attoo Island; and prooeod thence al(^m^ the nouth side of
the Aleutian Chain to Jnalaska. stoppin/r; at all settlements on the
Aleutian Islands for the purp.oso of questioning natives rith a view
to asoertaininf?; the "^hereahoutn and limits of distribution of old
male Pur-Geals in 'vint/or and sprin/^. We dosiro to show tl'at the
ijZa hulls spend the ^rintor in the neighborhood of the Aleutian Is-
lands, and t'at tho'^^ do not. f^o far enough west to nix 'vith the Ccm-
tnander Island ^erd.

Ascertain '.he ^este"?*n^:x)5t and easternmost passes throui!;h which
these seals move, ajid •vhether in migration or 7;inter t^ey ever mix
with females or yoim.'-e^- males.

107

X
^

Preserve in rl^ohol tlie ovaries of the female seals secured*

V 4^>>mVX ^^^ ^ I ^ vi

■'(

'

N

SllPPLEMRKTARY INSTFUGTIO.^IS FOP THE 'ALBATROSS
TiSSPKCTING PELAGIC SKALING IN BBRING SEA.

O »

At ^hat distance from the PriLilof TKlguids aro most of the

seals killed ?

About what proporti. on of the total pelcu^ic catch are malas and

what feir.ales ?

What proportion of seals killoci at sea 10 miles away from the
Islands are nursing co^s (i.e. .p-iviTip; milk) ?

?,Tiat proportion aro nursing cows at ?.0,30,f;0,l00, and VcO

TTiiles ?

Are barren cows ever killed in Bering Sea in any considerable
numbers ? If so, in "'hat part of the S'^a (what distance and direc-
tion fx'on. the Seal Isiands, etc.), and at "hat dates?

I'o such barren c^m^ herd by themselves or do they mix with
other seals.

a|vd..'^3\\'bi'j

\

April 26, 1R92.

Mr, P.iohard Rathbun,

tJ. S. Fish Commission.
My dsar Rathbun:

T hand you he'-ewith a draft of a letter to Tovnsend, and shall
be greatly obliged if you will incorpo>-9i9 the substance of it 'vith
tMOh modification as you see fit, or as Col. Mc Donald may sngp;eBt.
to a letter* addressed to him at Port Tovnsend. "^his letter should

*

U mailed as early as possible, as the 'Albatross' is due at Port
Toimsenci the last of this ^eek,

Ve^y t.>^uly yours,

9

109

^¥

110

»aahi>vrt,o>), D. C, ApHl 26, iK2

Mr. C. H. Townsend, Reaident %tu^ali8t,

U.S. F.C, S.S, Albatross.
Sir:

You are he-eby Instructed to proceed at ones to San Die^o by
rail. At San Diego, you vill endeavo- to hi-e a small schoone- for a
six ^eeke cruise to Guaualoupe and San Benito Tslands. and Elephant
Beach on the coast of Love- California, touching at othe- points on
the Lower California coast -^he-e seals a-e likely to be found.

•^a special object of this c-uise is to secu-e specimens of the
Fur Seal that breeds on Guadeloupe Island, and is repo-tsd to have
bred recently on San Benito Islands. Tt is important also to secure
specimens of all species of Fur and Hai^ Seals, Sea Lions, and Sea
Klephan^.8 frequentln;^ these coasts, though it is distinctly under-
stood that special effort •vill be made to secu-e the so-called Fur
Seal of Guadaloupe Tsl.nnd. this bein^ t.'ie mosf important and prin-
cipal object of the trip.

Prom your former expedience in collecting Sea Elephants in this
general region, it is believed that you «»ill kno-A- just -vhat locali-
ties to visit, and that you ^riU be more likely to succeed than any
other man who could be aent on this mission. Tt is of the utmost
importance that the Guadaloupe Fur Seal bo secured, ano if possible.
that both younp and old and both sexes be obtained. You are expected
to learn as much as possible concerning the habits and p-asent haunts
of these animais and to repo'-t in full respecting same irnmediatelv

Ill

#^

fp

ovnsend ^.

upon your return.

Your expenses vui Ka ^A^ri i .v ,^

T«i. u "^ ^^ ^^® Department of Stat«

telegraph the probable date of you^ arrival To

-unt Of cae. yo. .ui nee. the. beZ 2u '^^'^^ ^" ^
transportation from Pu^et Sound. ^' *"*^^^^^^^ •>'°^^

Respectfully,

Commissioner.

112

INSTRUCTIONS ?0R niE 'ALBATROSS'
RESPECTIMCr PKLACIC SEALING I.I fHRING SEA.

Detailed instnictions will be sent by r:ail to Unala.ka at, a
later date, but the general plan and obtecL of the inves.iKHions in
Bering Sea is here outlined. :•/. desire to knc^ at ^hat distance .-c
the Pribii.r I«la.,ds :.08t of ,ho seal, are' killed; an:l about ^hat
proportion of the tola ,,eia.ie catch are .ales and what r..alos.
Infonnation -nder these heads .vill have been obtained from persons

You are expected to traverse Beri-. Sea in various direct ons
U^onf^, linos radiatn :; from the P-ifcilof T«?innri, i-^ii-
minus distar:ces up .0 200 miles or ^.ore, for the purpose- of ac .er-
tainlrvr positively the sex and ^e of seals occurrinp; at such lis-

tances; the food of such seal.. ( -o r^et,r-- in^rt r>,r «vo ■ * •

\ .... L.LU:.,dnea by exa'iiination of

stomach contents); and ir hh-- '«^5<;o r.^ p~^.,i« , ,,

/, oiiu i.. ^n, .P.S9 o; fcialss, vheJ-her virgin, bar-
ren, or nvrsin^: (i.e., in r.ilk'.

It is i>nnortant to a.cer;.ain ;.Vether seal^ aro found in anv
partic-dar local ibies or spots rrore fr.'^--2P-M- ^^-o.. ,• ^u
of the S8a at -cpal di-taiice fro^ the i<.band<^.

It is desirable to kno- if :,hn r^i q^ •.ri,,^-!,., r.

^..lu li ^,,Q aist i»:utior' of seals v/hnr- a^/n^'

fmr. the Islands hears .ny relation to the fishing banks, or whether
feodin. s^a7s folio, schools of surface fish. ...ids. or crustaceans.
It is hoped that your investirat^ons mil '>^,nhi.e you to ans^ver

poor imprint

m

113

mi

the following quostions:

'^at proportion of seals killed at r.sa 10 miler, away from the
Islands are nursing oows (i.e.^fcivinp; nilk)?

'Vhat prop, rtion ar^? nurshig ocws at 20,30.r;0,100,lf.O, and 200
milos ?

Are barren cows pvor kiUod in Bsrin^c. Sea in any considerable
mmbers . If so. In w>.at part of the sea (n-hat distance and direo-
tion from the Seal Iclmids. etc.), and at •vhat dates ?

Dc such barren co^rr. hf>rd • y therr.selves or do they .Tiix TJth

«

other seals?

rt is possible that you wiU be infi^ructod to visit t}:s Com-
mander Islands later in the season, for the purpose of obtaining
specimens of Fur-Seals from that herd.

K

April 26. 1892

t^m

\f.

tif

r

Act

ear fv'r-.

J. o

• • • k

^'ai

o'lal

^■»n

ase'vn

Tt

>*1

le

*^iil

you have the klnOne

S3 to InJor^ me

skins of seals in I

^hel ler ihero a>"e s

an

\r

114

le %tional Muse^ir^ f

T<

om

'./

adal

A anas, a'-id if so wnat

'upe or San Bo nil

o

rs o ?

Species

^vo-e take^-i by To^vnsend at

Can yo\i teil me fu-t

■ie

Y»

■'Vha!, seals

-f l.A r^-^ ■»

^j

rie 'AHat>-oss'?

" '^ ^^ ^.* V^ v^ . i .

Ot^M

ISC' of

o u

spec

-ill

%f

V

\

\

V

JL J.tJ

April 26, 1892.

Dear Profasaov Mendsnfiall:

T s%ncl you herewith a memorand^^on of instructions S'^^est^^d fo^

the 'Albatross' on her Beri.n^ Sea t^ip. ^iu you kindlu make any

S'og^estions and additions that occu»- to you and -etum to me?

•Mnce ther-e does not se.m to be any very pressing Tork fo-- the

•Albatross' du-ln^ a la-ge ^a^t of the month of June, vould it not b^
•*orth while to send h-ar to the Coa-r:ander Islands for the purpose of
securing a ;.ood series of specimens of the diffe^-ent cate^^ories of
seals from those Islands, so that she can return to Unal.ska and
ship the sa^e to ^;s before enterir^ upon her reg'ola^ work in Ber-inP
Sea? ^

Arrangements have beon completed for sending -i-ownsend to Guada-
loupe Island, and a letter of inst-actions was mailed to nim today.

Very fuly yours.

Prof. T. G. Mendeahali,

Supo>'int'Jndont. Coast Survey,

116

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THg 'ALBATROSS'
RESPECTING PELAGIC SEALING III BERING SEA.

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You are now so familiar with l>ha goneral plan and objects of
tho investigation that dotailod instractions" are not deemed necesaan-

Yonr original instructions remain in force except where clearly
inapplicable to Bering Sea,

The particular- objecjt of the investigation in Bering Sea is to
ar.certain what proper bion» of tho pelaf-ic catoh consist of males,
ban-en females, and females in rr.ilk at different distajioes from the
Pribilof Islands.

You are exported to traverse Berinc; Sea in various directions
along lines radiating from the Pribilof Islands, killing seals at
various distances up to 200 n^iles or more, for the purpose of ascer-
taining positively ths sex and age of seals occurring at such dis-
tances; the food of sue' ?.eals (ar, determined by examination of
stomach contents); and in the case of ferr^ales, whether virgin, bar-
ren, or nursing (i.e. .giving rr.ilk).

It is important to ascertain whether seals are foimd in any
particular localities or spots more frequently than in other parts
of the sea at equal distance* from the Islands.

It in dosi7-able to knc^ if tho distribution of seals when awav
from the Islands bears any rslation to the fishing banks, or whether
feo'^.ing s>-ialr. follow scboo-s of surface fish, sq^dds. or cnistaoeans.

It is honed that your investigations 'yiH enable you to a^nmov

th

3 follo^ving ^|uec;ti(;nr:

^lat proportion of seals kill-ci at ^^n in ^ro

i^i.x.d 3.h sea iO miles away from th9

v^Fiat proper Lion are nurs

Allies ?

in^ cows at 20,30,50.100,150, .and gOO

Are barren .o,s .«r klUed in Beri^, S,. ,„ ,.y oonaMerabU
nurter.. tf ,o, 1„ ,hat part of Iho s,a (*at diHano, and dir»c.
.ion fron the Se.l I.la„„s. oto.). and at *at dat,. ?

Do such barren .„,., herd b-.- the^^selvea or do they ,nix with

Other seals ?

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April 26, 1892.

1

Dear Doctor Dawson;

Th. negative., .hie. ,„„ ,,-e good ono.«, to return bv .-o^ute
.^d ,-ost. reached „, t„da,, fo. .h^oh I a. vo -, «o„ oUl^d. r .„
.Ud ,^J<^o,, t,,i ,„„ ,,„„„^„^, ,^, ^^,^^^^,^ sau,fao,.ory enlarge,
ments fSlhe same.

Very truly yours.

Dr. George M. Dawson,

Assistant Director, Ooolo^xical Survoy.

Ottawa, Canada,

^ % V*w«:;;;^- \\n.s,'

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April 26, 1892.

?/«

. '.1 chard Rat,hbun,

'-'. S. Fish ^'ioriirnission.
% -lear Rathbun:

The recent Pish Commission Report on the 'Fishe-ies of the
Paoific Coast* for 1S88, contains important information ^-especting
iho pelagic catch of Fur-Seals from San Francisco and Pupet Sound,
sho^in^ that O.SOu skins ve.-a brci^ht in by Ame-ican vessels from'
the ;.o-ts of San Francisco. ?ori Tovnsend. Seattle, and Dungeness.
Can the Fish Conwission supply si?nlar info>-mation for the yea-s
1>B0, nOO. and l'..)!? And also for previews ysa-s? Tf so. T shall
ba ve.:- elad io ^et, i.his information as ea^ly as may be.

kind?

is 11. at all likely that the Census office has any data of this

Ve"y t"uly you>*8.

120

April 27, l';92.

The Honorable

■^le Secretary of the Treasury.

Sir:

I have the honor to acknowledfe the receipt of your coimanl ca-
tion of the 25th inst-.nt, UmsmiUAm a copy of iho Repo-t of the
.Revenue Steamer 'Oorvin' for 183^1, and also a copy of tho Report fo-
18^0. thich letie" yo- vlsh -^tu-n^d. T have copied the £,oal matter
from this Report, and return it hs-o'vith vil-h many thanks.

Respcctruliy,

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BeriTi^^ Sea Oopm-iissione^.

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120

April 27,' 1>";02.

The flonorable

T>ie Secretary of the Treasury.

Sir:

T have the honor to ackno'vied^'e the receipt of your co,rm'-.n1 ca-
tion of the 25th inet-.nt. t-ansmittia? a copy of iho Repo-t of the
Revenue Steantor •Corvin* for 18M, and also a copy of tho Report fo-
18S0. .vMch letls- you vish -etu-nsd. T have copied the i^oal matter
from this Report, a^id return it he-o'vith vith many thanks.

Respectfully,

^

Berrn.g Sea Oormnsstone^.

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T e I e 1^ r a m*

Walter E. Bryant,

Ac-ndoiny of Sciences,

Sari Franc isoc, California

Will you take 3n;all schooner and ,^o to Guadalupe t.o Investigate,
neoure. .nd report upon Seals. I^otum in ono month. If so. will
vou start from So., Die.,o.. or .-here. Pay, one hundred dollars and all

CXpSilSOC. ,

(\VjjNK*0^rvx^*^

'•Vashinf^ton, D.C,

Ar.ril 27, iPOl-^

Ap^ll 21, 1892.

Dear Professor Mendenhali:

Many thanks for your .^omptne.::, .n -a .;ir;« my dra-'t. of in-
structions for -.'he 'Albatross' . r.spe.tin^o ,,,. ^,r^r, m Bering Sea.
•vith additional olai.-es vhich I -i?ve inrorp--:;ted.

' shall be /greatly obll^^ed If you viu return the draft of ny
pan .:■ the report T ieft ;vith you a few days a^o. makinr such mn-
rinal notes and ^np^t^^iions as occur to yon. Do not hesitat: to
mark up th'-' copy as f-eely as yu like.

I" you iiavo printed the new iisn of the Frib'^
r-'--^ pai-r. ! should be obligee, for one copy ; ..rder to cut it
out s pa5,t9 in my note-book.

I should b^ obl-i*Ted also, if you vill kinc]-
Survey chart of Lovor Ohlifornia.

f :.iands on

end ms the C cast

Ve-'-y truly your; ,

V\v

•^*'%#"4^%^ .

^vc!:, T. C. Mendenhall,

Superintendent, Coast Surv /.

1 99

Original Defective

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THE BERING SEA '^UR-SEAL
CALLORHINUS URSINUS (Lina^ur,)

The Northern or Bering Soa PW-Seal or Sea^Bear (Oallorhinus
ursimis) belongs to the amphibious group of Rared-Seals .^nd Sea-
Lions (fanily qtarii^). .hi^h u intermediate in zoological posi-
tion between th.e terrestrial carnivorous .a^,als. as do^s, cats, and
hears, and the aquatic or true Seals, usually ia.own as Hair Seals
(family Phoci^). ^, distin;:uishod Director of the British /.luneurr,.
Professor Hower. states : -^.e Pur-Seals or Sea-Bears . . . fonr. '
a transition from the Pissiped [terrestrial] Camivora to the Seals.
. . When on land the hind feot are turned forwards under the

body

. and aid in support ng and n-ovinr r^he tr-unk as in ordinary
ma^.als ..... As rr.i.ht be inferred fro. their po..er of walking
on all fours, they spend .ore of their tir^.e on shore, and range in-
land to greater distances, than .he true Seals, espocially at the
breodin., time, though r^hey are nJ-.ays obliged to return to the'wa.or

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m^ a^j^ ^WUict..:id( L

THE BERING S B A FUR-SEAL
CALLORHINUS URSINUS (Linnaeus)

The Northern or Bering Sea Pur-Seal or Sea^Bear (CaIXorhinu«
iiGliS) belor^s to the amphibious gro-^ of gared-Seals and Sea-
I-lons (family ot^^ii^), .hioh is Intermediate in zoological posi-
tlon between U.e terrestrial can^lvorous ma^nals. as dogs, cats, and
bears, and the aquatic or tn.e Seals, usually known as Hair Seals
(family PhocidjB). The distinguished Director of the British Museum.
Professor Flower, states : 'THb F«ur-Seals or Sea-Bears . . . fom
a transition from the Pissiped [terrestrdal] Oamivora to the Seals.
..... When on land the hind feot are turned forwards under the
body, and aid in supporting and .ovin^ the trunk as in ordinary

"^"'^ ^' ^-^^^^ ^« -f«-«cl from their power of walking

on all fours, they spend more of their time on shore, and range in-
land to greater distances, than Oie true Seals, especially at the
breodln, time, though they are always obliged to return to the wa.er

Retake of Preceding From

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to aeok ijtxeb^ food, Tliey a^e f^re^^arious and polygamous, and the
males are usually much larger than the fonales*** He states further:
*tha resemblances bet'^^'nen the skull and other parts of the body of
%^ Fur-.Soals and the Ursoid [i.e-, Fear-like] Carnivora is Eupge^-
tivQ of some genetic relationship l^etween Uie t^ro nroups, and Pro-
f^sor Mivart expresses the opinion Uiat the one group is the direct
descendant of the other.* It r.ay be added that the Pur-Seals

ti^avGl on land wit^! considei^blo facility and speed, the body being
lifted hi^h abo\^e t*^e f;round and the r-ait su^e;eBting the arribling
fiee of th^ bear. On the contrary, the trae Hair Seals cannot turn
ti:^lr stiff hind flippors fonvard to aid in prop.rossion on land,
but Crap- their bodies heavily over the ^roimd, moving by a series of
vwtiaaj cmnratureB and extensions of the spine which suggests the
mat^iod of locomotion of the measure worm^ accompanied by a slight
lateral Trrigpcllng/

'^he Fur-Seals spend fully half of their lives on land while the
F%ir Seals spend most of the time in water, and some species hardly
Vi^jt the shore at all.

Article f/ammalia In the Encyclop^Bdia Brie,tanica (1883, p, 44.?),
and arrain in his most- recent ^vork on Maninals (Flower and Lydekkei",
Introd'otion to tlio Study of hionmals, London, IPPl, p. J:P;V.594).

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The Northern Fur-Seal is here discussed under five heads, as

follows J

(1) Principal facts in the life historj' of Lhe Fur-Seal

(2) Present numljers compared with fomer abv.ndance

(8) The Fur-Seal ' Fisheries' •

a. Seal killing, at the Prihilof Islands
"b. Seal killinr; at Sea or Pelagic Sealing

(4) Causes T^dch have led uo the depletion of the rool.erios

»

(5) Nieaaures necessary for the restoration of the depleted

rookeries and for the permanent protection a-^d preserva-
tion of the Fur-Seal,

Til* terr. 'fishen^' ^r, applied to the industry of taking seals
is strictly speaking incorrect and ob.iectionabl^. the Fur-beal being
in no sense a fish but a warm-blooded maitniai. '^'he term_ is here
used because of its general acceptation as applied to tne business
or taking any foi^n of animal life of con-jnercial impc-La^ico from

waters o- coasts, and to place, wh.re such ^ri^^^'r^^'J^^t^' ^
:u'. the 'Pearl Fisheries', the 'Oyster Fisheries , L. 'st. - Fisherio ■ .

'Whale Fis'isriesi and so on.

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Ap>nl 29, 18>K.

JjBhv Professor Mendenhail:

Tn compliancG with you^ sup^/^'^stion, T r«itu^n hft»"ewith my paH
of tiie repo^^t vhich yo a were goocl enough to send me last evening* so
that yon can inco^pornie with your ovn part the matter subsequent to

paR9 6. •

Yon vill notice th*at I have ^e^rltten f>h^ fl>*st three pa/^jes
in orcier to incorporate ?rof. Flower's ^eme^^ks respecting the re*
Xation8hip3 of the Fur Seals, which you will remember you thought
ourht to oore in at the beplnnin^ of the natu^^al history paH, of the
ropo^t. A few sli/^ht chanftQS in the text have been made at General
Foster's s^og^estion. He has made one or two othe^ su^.^estions,
concerning which I would like your judgment.

In our inetructions for the wo^k of the 'Albatross* in Bering
Sea you added the folloving clause: 'What is the claBsiflcation of
all steals taken in Bering' Sea as to sex alone?* '^he Cleaning of the
w-d classification he'-e troubled me at fi'^st, and in lookin/r at it
again it seems to me that you must mean : What is the percentage of
males or females to the total n^jinber of seals taken in Rering Sea?
Arr. T right in this? lought we to say anything about the Pribilof
Islands in the introductory paH of the report-*as to thei^ position,
nuTFber, sise, and so on?

Very truly you^s, .

P^of. "^. C, Mendenhall,

Superintendent, Coast Survey,

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SUPPLBfv;B?rrARY I^.'S1^?U(;TI0^JS rOR THE 'ALBATROSS*.

Aleutian Islands.
Proceed westerly from Queen Cha>'lotie Sound along latitude 52^N,
for the purpose of finding the he^^d of old bull seals or- such part of
this herd as has not already pass^/i into Be^nn/? Sea. Tf successful,
aHce^.ain the eastern, r^j stern, and southern limits of the herd, and
the passes throu/?h vhlch they enter Bering Sea. Stop at Unalaska for
interp>*etsr.

Visit all native settlements on the Aleutian Islands f>-o- Atk-.
•7est-vard, ineludinf; Attu, for the purpose of questionln.^ natives 'vith
a vle^ to ascertaining the ^he^^e^abouts and limits of distribution of
old male Fur-Seals in wlnte^^ and sp>*lnF. We desire to sho'^ that the
old bulls spend the winter in the nei,o:hbo>-hood of the Aleutian
Islands, and that they do not go far enoup:h west to mix with the
Commander Islamiiherd.

Asce^'Lain the westernmost a-nd east.er'-nost passes through -fhich
these seals move, and whether in migration o^ winter they eve*^ 'nix
with females o*^ yoiin/^er males,

Preserve in alcohol the ovaries of the female seals seciv^ed.

AsceHain if any sasls rest on the ^:hor9S of the Aleutian Chain
in the Bouthvm>*d jou>-ney in the fall, tt is said that n^^-v pups a^e
killed in the pasj^es and on the sho^^s in the fall especially ^hen
they a'6 resting; f^^orn the eff^'^ls of a severe sto^-m. A<oce^t^:in
whether they habitually heu] ont at well aefined localities o'j ^.^:^
A^-^'jJiipela/^o year after year. I'y means of the p-ene^-al l^-tte>^ to the

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mw .' tmt

Alsaka Corrpaay's Ar^enti; at the viriai?:BB you may be able to asce^^tain
the ap-9. condition and p?*opo*^*tion of the t^exoe of any seals taken in
the passes.

&nploy inte>Tprete>* at Unalaska; if possible same one employed by
th# British Commissioner's on the ^Danube* 1 ast year.

*e believe that you will find that no seals a>*e seen vest of
Four Mountain Islands and Amritka Pass. This^ if true, will suppoH
ou.r contention that the Pribilof herd do^^ot go far ^est and mv^r
mix vith the Commander* Islands he^d. i

In visiting the native settlements p>-ocu^e affidavits vhe^ever
yoii can to siipport the position of our Gov^^-nmert, as indicated in
ths enclosed memorandum.

I, To in3U>*e a frienaly reception by a.c^onts, t^-ade-^s and natives, a
request will be sent by tele/^raph to the Alaska Commercial Company in
San Franci8<!0, to send to Capt* '^Bime-^ at Port To\vnsend a gene^-al
letter to ih^ir various stations, asking their agents to facilitate
his inquiries.

The affidavits taken can be ^'^'orr. to before Capt. Tanner as an
officer of the Navy, affixing his officl^.l title, His ovn reports of
the results of the investigations of the 'Albatross* need not be
Bw^rn to. bait merely signed by hirn attaching his official tmm. All
paper? and affidavits should, if possible, be taken in duplicate, and
forwarded to Wa8hingt>on by two dlfie'^ent methods o** times of trans-
mission.

All repoHs Bud affidavits should he in the hand$« of the T>-eas-
ury A^ent at Unalaska on or before June at ^vhlch date it is
expected a vessel vlll leave that place for Port "^ownsend or San
Franc! 0Co#

IWSJi^*"

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Determine, so far* ai* you have time, by killing soals in iho
water, the dates at ^liich the varicms categories be^in to f.o th>^on.eh
the paseeSt espeolally tne holluscliickie or killable males.

Tt is not positively known ^^'hether the hollu^^chickie, yearlings,
t#o year olds, and pregnant cows ente'" Bering Sea by the saiie passes
and at the 3ame time, by the sarr.e passes at different times, o^- by
different paesee. Information as to these points Is desirable.

On leaving Att^J (not earlier than May 2S) proceed di-oct to the
Commander Islands for the purpose of obtaining? specimens of the
different categories of seals, and of learning as much as practicable
concerning the rookeries. Tt Is desirable to b^^in^ back several
ipecimens of each kind {sex and a^e) of seal from the^^^e Islands.
Photo^^raphs of the rookeries are desi^-able if no obiection is made by

the Governor,

^ Retumihg from the Commander Islands yon should reach Unalaska
not later than June in order to connect with stear^er sailing for
Port Townsend on that date. Ship by this steamer all specimens of
all kind^, odlected to that date (including skins, skulls, stomachs,

uteris ovaries, fec»).

In maklnit the >-etu^'n t^'ip from the Ccnmander Islands to Unalaska,
and in subsequani -vork in Bering Sea, it is important to record
observations shcwiniR; the easl'vard limit of distribution of the Com-
mander Islands herd and tne -vest^'-n limit of tho f'-ibilof herd.

[Tnst'-uction? for Be^inp; Ssa follorj.

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lHS7R!J(rrjONS TO C01^.VIM,

Visit native BeLtLwiente at Omnak, K.eshe^a, Chamofaky, Makushiv,.
«md A!:ircan for the purpose of soc-rinj. affidavits fror. natives res-
poctincr. tho present? and raovwents of the diffgrent cate.^orios of
P'ur-Seals in the vicinity of tho Aientiaii Islands, ^ith special
referenoe to ascertainirw*;:

■V, .

1. 'T-he wher-aVouts and limits of distribution of the old maUs

nw-SoaU in vfinU-i- and spring, and the passes by -;hich such ssals

letavo Boring Sea in fail ar.d ratum in Gprin,t, r/ith inclusive dates
if nosaible.

3. The passea throur;h which the brooding oows sntsr and ieava
Bering Sea, with Ir.craBiv© datss,

S. 'The passes tliromh whicli oh& •hoilunchiokie' enter and
leare Bering Sea, with Inclusive dates.

4. The passes through which yearlln<^s leave and outer Borinj?
Sea» with inclusive dates.

5. The paBFes tlirou^h ?;Mch pupa leave ?>Brinp, Sea in fall
(with inclweive dates), and 'vh-'her tliese pups are alone or in com-
pany with older seals. ?f -.^it-) obhsr seals, state category.

3. Do pJips etop tx) rest on shore on any of the Alcxatian If-

lands in fall ?
year ?

If GO, do ihoy Iiaul out In the can:e places ea.'.h.

W.< X ! '2 ^

April 30, 1S82.

131

Mr. F. W. Urm,

Acting Director,

U. S* National Muee'^m.

l^ar Mr» True:

Your letter of yesterday har. lust come to hand. I am very
much obll^d for the iiiformaLion it contains respecting the seals
and Sea-lions from th*^ Galapa^^os Islands obtained durin^r the cruise
of the *Albatro88' in 1837-'RS^ Since the Muse^jm has no specimens
from Quadaloupv^ Island I shall make a special effo'^t to secure spe-
cimene from that Island during the next month or six weeks.

Respectfully,

Bering 5ea Cofrmilssioner.

May 3, 1S92»

132

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Prof. T. C. Mendenhall,

Suporlntondent, Coast Survey.
Deer Professor Mendeahrill:

Can you send me a chart Of the Saiita Barba-a Islands? If so,
I should be greatly obliged for two eoplea-^one to retain in this
office, the other to seno' to our Field A^ent who is ncv at ^o^-k on
these Islands,

Vory truly yours.

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May 3, 1R<)2.

TiiO Honorable

Coloml Marshall McDonald,

n.S. Commissioner of Pish & Plahories,
I^ear Sir:

Your lattar of April 30 has this moment reached me. T an very
FUa to know that you have the rifnx-oB -.homing Uj9 pelagic catch
of San Francisco vessels in 1^59, and shall be greatly otliged If you
will kindly «end me a copy of the sane. Do you kno>v if any part of
this catch -^as sold in Victoria? T have the total n^^ber of skins
sold in VlotoHa by Canadian and American vessels In in^O, bnt have
no record of the number sold In San Francisco.

T am obliged for your courtesy in writing to the *est Coast
to secur--^ the information desired for l^^O and 1«5D1.

Respectfully,

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Bering Sea Ccwmissioner.

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5 O .r

May 3, 1892.

Lieut. Coranandor Richardson Clover,

U. S. Hydrpftraphic Office.

Sir:

rill you hava the kindnoss to send me one copy eaoh of the
Hydrcgn^hic Office aart. of tower Oallfon^ia. Cuadaloupe Island.
and the Santa Barbara Islands.

Respectfully,

^- V <_

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BeriiTg Sea Comnissioner

186

Way S, 1392.

i?r. Richard Rathbun,

^. S. Pish Canmlssion.
% dear Rathbun;

Many thanks for yo,«. promptness In a^^m Ui tin. . >,
Canadian Pish Con^U.ion Repona ^ 1 ^ ' '''

Bive) were delivered lod->v bv m«<,«. t "^^"'

^■or your oallin. . . ^'''* "" PaHlorlarly indebted

yur calling .,y attention to the e..at. on p. m of tV vM
for 1SS3. h'* i -jj 01 t-rte volume

He\fe you any means of flndtnrr ,^„+ < ■

the years In .m \ .. ^ '''"''^ '^^^^/^^ ^^' l^^st

the years, in *ich the several voL^^s of ihe qy«.^o F <,. . .

-- actually i3euea! r.e ciates on the (in ^''''^^

<^<^im fr«n the Public P.^-,,,. , " '^'^''^ °' ^^--^"^«

confidence o=„ be placed o. th , ""'^ *'"' '*^"»

iJ-iacea on them unless b'=i^kod ,,-, u

In Section 3 of the.o R« . ' ' ''^^''' ^^^^^^cs.

<^i irHObo Heports, dated iqp^ t ^

b"- or t^eal .Hn. taken -, wlu ' " *'"'' *''» "'"'-

^*'*^ *n washinpton as ppcfi t» ^x

tho3-a fi^^uros -ef-^r in fH« , '^ certain '^hethor

.. ""^ -ei^i Lo the year 1^70 ^k. 4>,^
r •'""^ ^^'•^ or tha year 1R80'

*n the same RAn^rf Tif r«-^ ^ . /

•■^ ^^''^^s (P- Q-'O) that M7i^n
8Kins vvor^e taken ir. ;,,^„,„ .,^ ^^^ ^^^'^"^ S'^al

♦ K V ^^^'''*' ''■'^'^'^^' '"entionin^ thP vfi«r t

the .a.e I^.port ^iv.. the n-omber ^s 1..7.0 "^ '* ''''"'^" ^"

^ear (.. 502). ^,., ,.„,. . [ - ■^^l71S,pre..,ably for the aa^o .

the yea^s to .hi., ^^i: ^ " '''' '' ''^''^'^ «t.ate.ent as to

••uf-n t,ne ^'Qturns relate in fr^..« -r

fv -Jn o n.v.. • -. * ^t.taoa thf^m with ^..,.4,,..

ir

5ry tr-ily yo,jv.g^

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May 8, Um,

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Prof, Dnvid S. Jordan,

Prejddent, Leland Stanford Junior University.

Manlo Park, California.
Dear Sir:

Since vrltlng you respectirig tho birth of Fur-Sea3s at %ah Bay,
I hs-/9 disoovflred what I believe to be the ori^inel sorrce of the
oft published statement that you are authority for the b^'sedin/^ of
the Fur-Seal in that vicinity. TJie record referred to is in Appendix
B to Allen's rnono^^rsph of North American Pinnipeds, X8^, page 773,
and reads as foUcvs: 'Prof. D. S. Jordan, the -^'ell-know Ichthyolo-
gist, to whom the letter [frcsn Judge Sysji] w^ia addressed, adds: *I
cay remark that I saw a live Pttr Seal p^ip Juno I [1880], at Gape
Flatt?^y, taken froni an old sea! .just killed, s^homm that the time
of brin^ring forth -/as just at. hnnd."

Respectfully,

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^wvV^x^J^.

Eerin,q: Sea Corrtrniss toner.

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o5

May 3, 1892.

Prof. David S. Jordan,

Prosldant, Lsland Stanford Junior University

%

Menlo Park, California.

Doa

r Sir:

Sine.-) vn-i;ang you t-h's morning, I havs rocaived your letter of
^ril 26th, and air. very much obliged for what you say respecting my
^ett«r of April 2d.

Owing to .ny official connection with tho Bering Sea controversy,
I am not p.^nnitLed to raalce public any statement until after tho Boa:'d
of Arbitration meets in Paris. I must ask you, therefore, not to
publish ih3 latter referred i,o, sine- its publication might be con-
siderod as tepiyirij^ a braaoh of fai-^h on my part. I sont a similar
ietljr to Bliuichard of Paris, who cabled for ponr.jssion to prssant
St befor:; the Zoolosicsl Sociot.v of Paris. TJie Departm-nt of Stato,
vhUa sxcBodir^Iy arjcious to secuj-o the opinion of this sociei'-
felt obiig..-a Lo dc-riy the veqw^n. U ..na of the public ity t);at wuid
cortarrly follow the ccur;j3 .r'f;r^.-stcd.

Vo:'7 triUv 701! rs.

3dring Sea Coords sioner.

BRITISH CONTHSn-lDNS RBSPKCTIIiG SSALS AN0 SEALIHa.

139

1' OS oenn slloffid:

1. rhat the .-vinual kiUiiv^ of <yOo larra a niunber of youni;
Kal3tj at f.he Fribilof Islands, to.rcther with frsquent redriviup;,
overdrivliu';, and faulty methods of driving, have resulted not only
reducDvt the niH.er of breediiig males helo-v ths raquiT'aments of rMc
females on the rookeries, hut also in injuring and rendering iimpo-
lent a confildsrallo poroantage of those rerraining,

3. That thia insufficiency and Ininotenoe:; of brooding males
on tin rcoksrlea has resulted in such an increase in tha mmber of
cows; on each harom ihat tho bidla cannot fortilize than ail. Those
r»«t fertilized go off to sea and never rotm-n— becomin/' barren,
Por bhie raasoft the nimber of barren cows is abnormally f^reat at
thr^ present tiMe.

-'. Th*t a lar^o psrttontagf? of the seals killed in Bering Sea
at a dlstanos fr<.r. the Pribilof Islands are s-.^ch barren cows.

H, That a la3:^e perocntare of the ferxlr, killed in Eerinp; Sea
at a distance from the Pribiiof Islands. In addition to the barren
covz just mentioned* are other non-hrg^dii^ seala, ahlefly young,

6. That neitihdr of th^se oatef,ort<j« fool the byeedlns? impuiae
or desire and aonaeqnently ramain at eea, not, vl$it>ir\g the Islands
at all durin- the entire Bdason, aj)A Bot /?6lng aahore anywhere. In
oiAm- "-ordz ^ha ?^!r«'J«*l v'an not i65)oU«d by thd br»wlif»> inatinct
If r T ely aoufttic animal.

14

G. ThAt the old -bulla in Ukln?; their stands on the rookeries
in spring do not f ip:ht so ranch as formerly, because they are not so
crowded, being much fewer in nifuber.

7. That nureinf! cows do not go far from the islands to feed,
f^eldom more than in' wiles.

danf?9

the ^ibilof Islands altogother and forcing them to seek new breedir^
groimds-

9, That the effects of raidirv? the rookeries are most disas*
trou8» disturbing, Lho breeding neals which o'jght never to be molest-
ad, and tending to drive them frorr, the Islands.

10, That the passes in the Aleutian Chain should bo guarded
Curing the spring migration to prevent worrying the seals when they
are trying to enter Bering Sea, Ifarassing them at this tiine is
likely to oa.a60 them to r,o elseirfiore to breed.

li. That evldanos exists of fomor rookeries on the Aleutian

I

Islands and at various points south to the islands off Lowe'- Cali-
fornia.

12. That Pur-Seals are found along the coasts of British Colum-
Via and South Eastern Alaska all summer, and young pupa are oooas ion-
ally found with them.

1^^. ThAt the greatest iniun^ inflicted upon the seal herd
by pslagi<J seali^ is done by killing rravid females on their vay
to the rookeries in April, N5ay, and the early part of June,

14

*.

.14. '^hat if no seals were killod at the IslandB, pelagic seal-
ing could not possibly result in oosnmercial extermination 6 the F^r-
Soal*

15. That pelagic sealing formerly was much more wasteful than
now. Rj^fles are more wasteful than 8hotg\m8. The latter have now
largely superseded the former. 'I'he hunters are more careful now
than formerly •

16. That seals kill?d in the water rarely sink,

17. That the annual killing of a •roasonable m^m.ber' of females
ii^ not more destructivo to the herd than the killing of males ex-
clusively^ That normal reproduction results in an excess of both

or

exes, and that in poult 17 and stock raising the surplus of both

sexes are killed,

Ifi* That the most destructive killing: of Pur-Seals, so far as

t

he future of the herd is concerned, has been and may continue to be

at uhe Pribilof Islands,

19. That if it is agreed to kill annually a certain specified
nurrJ:3r of males, why not kill part of them in the \mter as well as

ail on land?

P.O. That tho number of seals on the Pribilof Islands is in-
creasing, tho nurJ er in 1891 being much greater than in 1890. This
is the natural res -it of checkitv^ the excessive killing!; en the Is-
lands that continued tlu^oughout the entire lease of the Alaska Commtr-
cial Compajiy (lo I'^89)^

21. Tliat secret killing is done to a^ imknomi extent by the

142

1

22, Tliat the- daad pups on bhe Islands in 1891 did not die of
sts^^vation^bi.tr of pnevsncnla anc^ot^or causes.

p.3* Tliat unborn pupti out out of thoir mothers and thrown into
Vm saa 6Wiri freqly.

P4, ThAt the intrinsic-evidenco of tha formar ejctent of the
rokeriOB (polished stones, felting, &j on the yellow-grass sone)
dees not prove that therJ^ere ever more bree41.ng; seals on the rook-
eries thajn now, the yellow-grase 2ono showing: merely the limita of
miip-e of the holluschlckie and of other seals after the rap;ular
breeding harems break up late in July. In August and Sapteicber
lai^e groups or *p"ds' of Seals wander over this area, and there is
no evidence that it was over covered at eu^v one time*
' g5. That, a large peroentar^e of tho reals killed on the Pair-
father ^ro^^ds tho latter part of Juno are holluschickie*

26. That thore is no record in thG hif uory of the world of the
ceetinxetion or even serious irounr of breedin;^ i^okeries of <^eal8
•<5 a result of pelafUc sealing. On the o^^her hand, all the now
rainod breodirv?; f^rounds ii the South Seas and elsewhere owe their
present condition to wanto>-^ dostruotion on lap^d*

143

May 9, 1802 •

Tl le HonoT^abie

■I

I'

General John W. Poster,

Dopartment of State

D» ?ar Sir:

At tho time of my visit to the Newfoimdland and Iiabrador seal
f isheries in ISSSjand for many years previously, th^ vessels ervra^ed
i]i these fisheries habit-aaily made uwo trips to tho ice. On the
f irst trip the s-als were killed with ciubs on the ioo floe, and in
. tlie case of Harp Seals consisted chiefly of young, called'White
Oaats/ In tho case of th^Hoods", the catch consisted of both old
and young, the sials being foimd on the ice in families, each family

V

consisting of a male, fomale, and young.

On the ^second trip the catch consisted mainly of fullgro^Am
Harp Seals, most of which had not yet assumed ihe adult pelade, but
were m the spotted coat worn by this spocies for several years, and
in Lhis condition they were knomi as 'bediimers.' The mothcd of
taking these seals diffn-s radically f-^oiri t:e method employed on the
f irst -.rip, for the reason -hat the seals have now taken to tho wator
and cnnnot be killed w^'Ji el-.bs on the ice. ' They are shot both in

Original Defective

Illl

*•

'

/«

■'If

Postor 2.

cciTectly informed, are shot from "boats manned by the ship s crew*
It is evident, therefore, thai the •second trip* at tho Newfoimdland
and Labrador seal fisheries is a species of pelagic sealing. I am
not a?fare that any other case of pelagic sealing on so large a scale
Is to be found anywhere in the world*

IVhon I v/as in ?Je'*^foundland, it was pretty g3nerally conceded
by those enga^^sd in seal fisheries that the second trip was most
pomicious and was causing a rapid decline in the industry ,jJL ike ly to
commorcially exterminate the seals. For this reason, it was urged
by many that tho second trip be abandoned. I am not positive, but ar.
of the opinion that this trip has been abandoned. It occurs to me
that it is of importance in our case to ascertain the facts respect-
ing this matter from our representative at St. Johns, Ne^yfoundland^
We should like to obtain from him also a list of the seals killed
each year since 1883 ♦

He could easily obtain amy amount of information from the seal-
ers themselves, the soaling season for this year beiiig over, and thn
sealors fairly swanr.ing in the town of St. Johns. By conversation
vrith these £(;al9rs, he should bo able to draw up a brief description
of the second trip, c^overing as far as possible tho percentages of
the seals taken, by sex and ap;o, and stat-jng also what pereonta^^e
sink -/hon killed in the water. It ?/ould be of ranch value if wo co^'ld
establish tliat tho Newfov,ndiand and Labrador seal fisheries were de-
plei.-ed by peia;P;ic seaiinr airing Lhe so-called'second trip, for the

145

fcsinr .'•?.

».

i

reason ohat adiiil., or ncailv adult seals, constituted Lhe main part
of the catch, aiid that a la^-a norc^TiLa/^e oi* them were females •

It would be dosirablo for our rep>*esentativo at New^foundland
to make special of fort to socure comparativG statistics showing the
mimbn>-a of seals killed annually on the ^second tri|), as compared
with th'^ nuiribers killed on tlie ^Irst trip for a number of years.

Kespectfuliy,

II

j

\

46

iAHfta, ^ ^u *^y ^» i^^2

?/.r. Charles !I. T<r«ftsenfl,

.'Oaav Sir:

r«)?i?rl

laland nate-^y 4lw«e »eefc» in Jtin» 188t an& vore iakeu on board tho
♦(Jorwi^* J\ui« JJ2« homA for the north.

Tfljwn you vl$it«<J «»rUj«a»t Point rookalry o» S*. foul Ai««»t 6,

«

iBfll, in «<««WRy VJt3i this lirerloan and Britltb Bwiug ^»» t>j(«xiB»ii>i>

!»•» ytm »t*t8ii Ckkt th9 roUow gf«wl^o!», foittsrls «»M^i»^ Vt

ri>rri«B. r ^Wi ^ dliligtft it yv^ wili nwk^ ^ffi^vit, Ort thi»
pholfl^-^^Ti t* the «/f«»tr ^ir^l hi ^Jm> latter h&U <^t 3\\t\b^e^n aw tlvi#

imt >r*e odg* l^k to ths i^rk ^j-^ (tip lrT«?^lar «^ of ^U«Si ic

ghovn bftl.«an A and B In th"; j^\oU«^aph), tor«rod unit^OWiy *it*

except, along the Tratci' frcmt^ ^ «hD?« &» tii« photoitT^yii.

I should bo oblii^M f arttttr it >tni irill O^k^ » 5&'pM^w A^rta*^
it covering as jnany pclntfi Ir tiie tso»(»p«wvto^ 8Ugf^««U!** a» :•'«-"*

71

feci swe about

V «

l^&sp^ctfyUy.

Original Defective

I

I

^-o?-

r^t^c^lve ton schocn^t

/

0? for

0.

-. u

\

napLha ensvlri

ortati

and from Giakdalo

\

Claf«k--Ri

TELECRMi.

147

Washington, D. C, May 7, 18924

Hi

Clark P* Streator,

Sam Diego, CaXifoiTiia,
Caun vou charter sehoon^r to visit Gusidaloupa Island for six

^veoks? If 30, a^ what price?

M

. H x»C7^" \\ VO

.N^^.'V-

f'o^'5 (-''M ''i>^ f.f'i" "

^^i'Pi.V. San Piepp. Calif., May 7. 1893.

ton sonoor^ ■' v^ith nnptha enrino for six

w^eka at ^600. or f r

- « I : ;"•

an.'i fi*0!!! ni'adraoupe at dates

C

Urk i»l ^ifrti^iii

Original Defective

m

A-i

148

TELEGRAM.

Washington, D. C,, May 8, 1892.

Clark P. Streator,

San Diogo, California.
Price too high. Can you not gat sailing schoonert

^w. ^ t'v-iX

\

VVVX.'

s,./s,j/«»... • V

HBPLY.

*=.,
*'

San Diego, Calif., May 8, 1892,
Can charter sloop of eight tons for six weeks at $3C0. Lowest
figures to be paid.

Clark ?• Streator.

■p^

*;

149

TELEGRAM.

Wash

iiTf^ton, D. C., K^y 9, 1892.

Clar!-c P. Streator,

San Diego, California.

per

Can you charter naptha 3choon,r for three weeks at one hundred
,eek for you and Towneend. If so, ho. mueh cash do you need an

advc: ince.

Vt v^*-^'^V VVV'v.'Ov

REPLY.

San Diogo, Calif., May 9, 1892.

Yes. One himdred and fifty dollars in advance.

Clark P. Streator.

I J

'il

149

TELEGRAM.

Washiix^ton, D. C., toy 9, 1892.

■M|

Clarl'^ P. Streator,

San Diego, California,
can vou .hartor naplha schocn,r for three «oks at ona hundred

per

„,k for you and Townsend. It so, ho. »ch cash do you need in

advr: mc8.

c\: \

\*, ^ Vjk*C\ \vvk.v^Njk'

REPLY.

San DiQgo, Calif., May 9, 1892.

Yes. One hundred and fifty dollars in advance.

Clark P. Streator.

I

"i

150

.

TELEGRAM.

Waslilrvrton, D. C, Iv^ay 10, l[:f;2

Clg trk P. Stroabor,

San Diego, California.
Positively onp;af;e naptha schooner at one hundred per week.
Tov msend of Albatross will join you tororrow. Help him carry out
inr. structions and spend spare time collectirjg. Money will bo sent
yoi X or To'^sond ])y telegraph today. Start tomorrov/ if possible.

«.

Ai^v^ \

\vV

)

I

151

T e 1 0 g r a m^

Bohofnlaii Club» San Praj'iaisco, California.

Proceed by first train to San Diego where you wlli meat Clark
P. Streator ^/ho hai> secured sc^^oonor. Telegraphic instruotions ^iU
h^ sent vcu at San Picr'o*

^by 10. 1892.

4

I

152

T 0 1 e g r a m^

San Diero, Ccaifornia,

Prooeod direct to Cniaaali^G, Stay ten daye or tvo weeks if
a^TOBsary to a^jcowpiish object of trip na per letter dated April 27^
It mt successful ^0 to San Benito Islands but retuiti to San Diego
in thn^ weeks*

ll(rf\ir^on^ P. C.

I n

i

I »

152

Tolegraa.

San Diero, California,

Prooaed diroct to auadahipG. Stay ten days or Wo weeks if
nseeesarv to accontpiish object of trip as per letter dated April 27.
If rtiit snccessful /^o to San Benito Islands but retui-n to San Diego
in thriie veeks.

%0^in|^ton, I). C.

153

I

t

^

JJr. Tarl<)ton {!, Bean,

May 10, 1892.

tf, S. Pis)! CJotrwiission.

% dear Doctor Bean:

In an article on the Fieliery Rosouroes of Alaska, pubiiBliod
in the (juarto Pisherlss Heports, See. 3, you atat©; "Quito a nan-ber
of yoiUTS f-ar-8!9:)Xs are cau,;]it hy natives of Uir.nak, as th'>y travel
southvatM from Boring Sea. ?}io poopls of Makushin, too, eecurn be-
i-^n OK- thous.-ind smd thirieon hundrt^d of these animals yearly on
their way through Ifemak Str.itr. in tho fail. The inhabitant^ of
•brka ftapture from t'^elvo hundred to fo-urtesn Jitindrod young fur-SGai
i« favorable seasons as they r,o bhrouph Ooncd^a Pass."

Oan you give me -my dates to ecnnect with ^ho above statements?
I am aaxioiis to find out when tho young fi^-seals appear along Uie
Aleutian I«lands in f<'ai; how far vest they extend; and how long tbr
etay. and find it vo^-y diffiouU to aocui-e reliable infomatlon
tmdor this h^ad. AnytHirvp; you may bo able to contribute ^viil be
fl^3atfuliy roMlVed.

N*-

■■''. -'-J#!-«J|

I

154

m

#1

\

If

May 11, 1892.

Dr. John G. Anes,

Superintendent of Documents,

Department of the Interior.
Sir;

T have the honor to request for use in connection '"Vith the
Report of the Berin/^ Sea Commission a copy of the RepoH on Relations
with Canada, forming VoVjirr.e 10, No. l,h80,PaH T and IT of the
Senate Reports of Com^nttees, ^M^st Session of the Fiftv-fi^^st

Congress.

Respectfully,

JVsfcii^ ^^

Berin/!^ Sea Commissioner.

■ ^^^ ^'fc^.'-

^M*

lltvv^

155

'

May 12, 1892.

V. S» Fish Co^.misslon,
% de-r •'athbiin:

Waiiy thanks for the list you ve^e ,^o(i enouf^h to have copied
for me of the seals taken at the Ne^vf oundl nnrt Sertl Fisheries during
the pasL few ye?irs, and also for the list of photo/?>*sphs taken by
ihd 'Albat'-osQ* at the Prlbilof TeLnnds last srF^ime^.

Very t^^aly yo^:i^8,

156

May 14, 1S92.

.1 i

iVir. Amzi Smith,

Siiporint indent, Senate Document Rooms*

Sir:

Can you send me tho followii^g documents, ail of which contain

important matter relatirv^^ to Bering Sea and the Seal Fisheries?

Report on Relations with Canada ''cc. (Senate Reports of Commit-
tsea, Vol. X, No. Itj^O, Part I ind II, Fifty-^first Congross, 1st
Session).

Quarto Fisheries Reports, published by tho U. S. Pish Goiranission
(except Sec* II and. tho plates of See. 5, which I have).

Bulletins of tho IK S. Fish Gonmssion (except VoLs. VII and
VTII, which I have) .

I have the hon ur u^ remain.

Very truly you^^s,

Beririg Sea Coirinrilssionor,

^i

157

f^y 14, 1^02.

"Hie HonorabZi

Colonel Ma>*snaU McDonald,

l\ S, Oorwiissloner of Klsh Sc Flsherids.
Dear Sir:

Your oomreunication of th« l?.t,h Instant U at hand, tOfr«th6r with
tJjfl copy of notes on tha Pinnipeds of L<y»ftr California by Mr. C. H.
T»m«wd, for nhich T m y«ry mdx obll/^d. ^Hidse notes contain
nWJh Infomntion of intereet and impoH/«no«^ and thair arrival .ttiat
not is vary opporttma*

Thanking you for your proraptness In tranamit^it^ tham, T rsoialn,

^6r}f truly you***, ^

Bering Sea Commissione

158

May 14. 1892.

.

Dr. John G. Anes,

Superintendent of Documents »

Department of the Tnterior.

Sir:

Your oomi^anlcation of the 12th Instant is befo^'e me, and T am
oUip:od for the Infomatlon respecting the documents asked for.

Very t**uly yours, ^ ^

» Bering Sea Commiseioner

159

May 16, 1892.

I^r. T, H. Bean,

U.S. Fish Commission.
Dear Doctor Bean;

Many thanks for your latter of the 15th Inst-nt, respecting the
dates at which Fur-Seala have been seen along the Aleutian Chain.
Should you learn any additional facts concerning this matter, T shall
be greatly indebted if you will let me know.

Very truly yours.

'I

U:xy SI. 1P02.

/SfM

jr,^.' W. Fosters

T)n 'art;!>tent of StHo.

At the ^<>«raos:t of T>, Vor^^iam, T send you he^emih lists of the

vesi^els en^o.^11 in s-^al fiah'^ry o^-evio^is to the year 18^6, T have
exarnlnea th'^ Reports of tne Canadian Dep?iH>r^9nt --^f Kisheries for
1874-1 >:^ i-c]ur>v-A (wiT.h tiie exception of the yea^s 1877 and 1878,
which Ti-e iOt at pre^'-"?^*! 1.-i thl^^ office), and have included in th^se
li^ts all ont?^ relitin^ to tris *^ubje^t« Yo^^ H^ill notice t-iat no
oet&ilr:. iit^t?; of vessele f^^e 'nven fo^ Ui^ 7ea>\s I'-^i and I'^Rh. I
have a] -^o :'0'-].l^t.ei; tie ta^-le shoYln^^ tie o^-t^^i of the British
S3?iiin/7 Fleet fo^' t!:e^>e ^^i^e ye-^ •^: l?^i74-l'^'8h': so far a? it is pos,
sible.

I'* the ah^i^^^^e of Br. Me^**l«^>s T tske th^ lihe^'ty of enclo^ln/^
he^e'vit.i '1 lette*^ adch-^ss^J to hirn by Colonel t<'8'-shall Mcr-onslcl.
t''*:^-n?Tni ttinr cer^t'V-n i'^^'^onrnation ^^espectin- the catch of Fu>---Se%ls
in tr-e ^^o^'th Pacific Ocea:? ana Bering* ^5ea du^"ln<^ the seasons c?
1^*90 an(i 1891, tnini-'in;^ tnat poHsibly it r.ny be d^^si^vf-ble to "ttili:^
t!]l5^» u^t^a L-3for'a D>-*. K'e^riaT^ ^eturns.

Hespectfnlly,

r»

Actin.'^ Chief of r/ivi<>ion of
0>*nitholo,c^y *': •%nrrial0:^'y.

i

ii

160

Telegram

-^

Co R* Towis/^nd,

San JHeG^, naiifo'iiia.

Got. ?-''oni stabei?iai:1;r» from nn'^ o?* more .ifa^.ors about seals at
Giiaciainre ond Sa>i Benito^ ^r f.-c nurf-.orB, tin^.e of breji^ding, and
wh3th.or ivifr^vitory or re^sid-rit. Arrange for .^poeimens from San
l^^ritos, cost not :xcGcair^ one b\iiidred.

Jur,5 1, 1892.

i

i

161

Juns 6, 1S92.

n

\^ 7

'm

J #

O&neral .^ohn W, Por>i:ir,

Department- of State.

4.^0 a^ oir;

Your letiev ot tho 4th in^i- nl is at hand, top:ether vyith the
lettert* IVoni Stockhcim arid Pra/--ra3.

In compliance with yon^ ^^e^ueat, T submit the foilovlng list of
foreign naturalists frorr, vhm r'^plifiS have been received:-*-

Prof. Dr. Aifv-ed Non^infi;, Rerliri

Tr. Gustav Ha'^iiaub, iVerneri

Robert Ccllett, Chri^tlaniii

A, ^Vllne-Bdivards, Pari a

Cr. Loopold v'on Schronk^ St., P-;tav^bur/^h

Proi. T, Salvador;, Tiirln

Dr. rJaphall Biancha-^d, ^m-i^

Proi'. HeriTy H. Oi>jitcii, Flor'nice

Barcn A» E. NordonsKloici, Stcckliolra

Prof. W, Liilieh<^rjc^, Upi>?;Ia

Dr. Efnil Hol'A, Prajrij;.

I have ^1^0 cop-^-s of irtai-'Tionts fr-o^i^ Huxley anci Sclater, and a
prellrrjnbr^ iotter Tronn ?^v^<;f. Dr. ^Uheim lilasv-^s, of Brunsvick,
st--.tin^ that he Mrill scin f a^'nish the letter d'Bslr^rd.

^tHpeotiully,

(

.V;it\

4.

It I

#

:|.

[»

162

S

•"^une 8, 189;^.

-Hon. 'HhornGs \'. :v1ollov.

I'niled States Consul,

St. Jo; in 8, Mevfoundland.
Sir: .

Your letter of the Ist instant has ^ust come to hand, to^th^-i^
^v^th the two enclosu^-es.fo' vhlch T a-n exceedingly obll^red. T had
previously a complete list of the sealin.^^ returns f-om 180r,-18««. ■^^)
the matter you have kindly fo>-vrT,ded hrinps the statement dom to
date. 'Hie nev Itxv ;.,hicv. you A'ere food enoiP-h to enclose ve hao not
he'^'rt of. Can you /^ive me tho exact date of its passa/jQ?

Very "espectful ly yours.

BeWnp Sea Cormisslone".

a

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miimi-s.:./'.x'^;:mm&^

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June 11, 1SL2,

Prof. Kai-.>iaGl Blsnchard,
Rue du Luxemliourp SP

Paris, franco.

Dear Sir:

On returning frorr. a brief absenco in the West I find your lat.or
of May 3d a-aiting attention.

It is needless to say f.at I feel under ,,.oat obii^^atlons for
the trouble you have taken in preparin,^ such a cornprehensive and
excellent reply to ny communication respecting the Fur..^:eal of Perin,
Sea, and I ^ delighted to find that your vie^ respecting the
threatened con^ercial exterminHtion of the species, if pelagic seal-
ing continues, agree so fully -^ith my o-yn.

Again thanking you for your ^reat kindness m this matter, I
have the honor to remain, with expressions of estee...

Very truly yours,

'snntrS^T'i

^>V^K

i

fi

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#

164

June 10, 1892.

Dr. Leopold von Schrenck,

Ttnpertal AcaOemy of Science^
8tt Petersbur/pr, Russia,
taer Sir:

Your much valued reply to my cornm-mloatlon -espectln^ the Fur-
Seal of the North Pacific and Bering. Sea Is before me and T hasten
to thank you for the promptness and character of you»- -eply. Tt la
rratifjrin/r to kno* that you ap-eg vlth me in the conclusion that
pela/ric sealing if continued must -esult in the coramer-cial exf.e'nnina-
tion of the Bpeciee.

Tf It Is not aekln/? too nrich, T should be mde^- ^reat obll|ratloi
ir you urill ha.rG the kindness to send me a photograph of yourself.

Very tnaly yours.

I

i

165

J me 10, 1802.

Dr. Guatav Hartlaub.

Bremen, Germany.
Psar Sir:

your letter of April 2.d,.hl.h you we^^e ^ood enough to s.nd In
reply to my communication respectirv, the Pur-Seal of BeMn^ Sea is

now before me and T desir-j to thar^ vou for vamv, .„„ , .' '

o-io,. . you lor you-- courtesy in sendin?'

m 80 valualils a "eply.

*'lth best -vishes. T remain,

^sry t"Uly you^^s,

,\»^*^***- ^

fy

166

'^me 10, 1802.

Prof. A, MUne-Bdwarda,

DirectoJ*, Muceum of .Vatu»*al History,
''s'-lB, FVnnc«
re«M* Sir;

On murnlr^ from a brief absenoe in the West. T find your
^Puneo^ .,pl^ t>o my con«,i«lcation re«pectln^ the Bering Sea h...

I daelr. to thank you both for your promptness in replying «,d
for the tro>.blfl you have taken in p.epn>'in^ so oxoellent a lettor
on tha •ab:fect»

»lt5> beat wl«heJ, I remain,'

Very t>nily yo-jr-s,

I

If

167

J-une 11, 1R02.

Dr. Henv'y H. Oiglioli.

Rl recto-. 2oolof,ical Wuseu-?,
Royal Supfirtor Instltuie,
Florence, Italy.

t)<sar Sir:

On returning from a brief absence In iho westem states and

ten-ttorios, I find yon^ letter of May 2d pvaitlnp attention.

I hardly kno-y ho-v to express my gratitude and the obll^tlon yo-.i
have placed me under in sending? so important and elaborate a -eply
to my corrtnunication respecting, the Fur-Seal of Bering Sea. You have
described the inevitF.ble consequences of pela/^ic sealing vith -uch

clearness and vigo".

In acknovl edging your cou'-tesy, I be? to thank you not only
personally, but in the name of my Oove^ment. for the t-oubl^ you
have taken in our behalf.

With best vlshes. believe me,

»

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J^^\.\^^j^\^ J'^ ^ ' ^ ^-sK^

A

168

.Tune 11, 1892

ill

r**. anil Holub. •

Swdaf rlkani 8che Ausstellnn^,
Pi*a/^, Austro-Hungary.
Pear Sir; .

Tt is -vith great pleasure that T hasten to acknowledge the
receipt of your interesting and impov-tant letter of Kay iSth in
reply to my coTmiMni cation of April 2d respectin/^ the Fur-Seal of
Bering Sea.

T an ^lad to find that you a^^ree with me in the conclnsion
r^-pectin^ the outcome of a continuance of pela^io eeallng. T am
obllp«d further for the trouble you have taken in su^/rostin^ a
numb«r of articles of a/^^r^ement for international adoption ivith a
vlo* to the preservation of the seal henl not only as a species, but
aa a source of commercial revenue and impo-tanotto the whole wrld.

In thankin^^ you for yr-ur valuable letter. T be/? t^ express the
hope that I may have the pleasure of seeing; you next year in Amn-ica
ciu-ln^ the Ohicapo Exposition.

Very t->^jly yours.

169

June 11. 1802.

'•**.|

I

^rof. r>r. Alfred \'eh^ing,

Invalldenstrasse, 42,

Ber'lln N., Cermany,
My dear Sir:

tovr esteemed oorTmnnication of the Slst Insiant in ^eply to my
letta^ respectlnf^ the Fur-Seal of Bering Sea, T found avaitinp;
attention on my ret^J^ frx>vo a brief t^p In the West.

I hasten to assure yo":i of my appreciation of your kind lette^
and to thank you fo^ the t^nnble yon have taken in preparing It*
It is very ^rt^tifyin/^ to ne to find th')t you apree ^vith rr^e so tho-
rtna^ly in the conclusion respectin/^ fiie inevitable fate of the Fur-
Seal if palsi^o sealing continuee as during the last fe^ yea^s.

With beat rlshes, T remain^

Very t'^Ay you^^s*

^ ii^^

^^f^y^^<K^ W'

\Iaa.n^ Vu^/>Jc

'^^»

k 1

^ f***^^ ^"^^^UV -^oJI?^

170

.Tune 11. 1S02.
Prof. Bar-on Adolph B. Momenskiold,

Stockholm, Sv«d9n,
Peer Sir:

The Uitef which you have been f,ood enough to prepfjra and for-
vard throuf^ our Consul , and to vhich you have taken the t-ouble to
secuj^ thtf additional sl^atu-e of Prof, Ltlljebor/^ of Up sal a, has
.1u«t reached me. and T hasten to express ry thanks and appreciation
fo>. the l>y>ubl9 you have taken in p-epe-ln^ so ImooHant a reply
to my cor^mnnlcailon respecti'-ifr the Fur-Seal of Berin/^ Scr.

T m sure that you Till be ^lad to know that I have just euc-
oeeded in obtaining skulls of the Pu-Seal that b-eds on Gmdaloupe
IsUad off the coast of lomr Cal i f oml a, and find that H Is not a
iiSUfldll'au 8t all, but a true Arctooephalns- -^he species Is now
nearly extinct* This discovery seems to m of much ImooHance as
«ho'^rv: that the Bering Sea Kur-Seal never did breed along the vest
co8«t of the United States, althou/rh in its v^inter ml.^-ations it
sonetimes »*9aohes very nenr to local itles whe-e the Arctocephalns
occurs as E permanent resident.

In closing, permit we to assnrjjof the very hiph val-je I plac^
upon you>> letter of S-'ay Uih^and to thank you ],oth fo- your pe-sonal
trouble in preparlnrr it. and also for your kindness in obtainiry?
Uie joint el^tnatu^e of Prof. Lilljebo"^,
t*ith ^reftt respect, believe me,

Very t"Uly yo^xr^^

■.jtM^sm^dm^'-

171

June 11, 1892.

^^, K. Th» von Mlddendorf ,

Rorpat, nellenorm,

Ltvland, Russia,
Wjr d^av Sir:

Your eeteemed leiler of May 18th in r*.T.l v <n ,
Of April 2d respecting the Bering Sea Pur-Seal Callnr-h.-n^o •

^ns I i-.sun to express to ,o„ „y fU...-. at ^ooeivl^ ,o v,l«,u,
. Uoc«„nt fr», your hand. b=l„,, ,eU a...« „f «„ aifc-t ,t, „„st

eoflt you ev-5n to dictate such nn -Smn^.^^ *

^^oabv sucn an important oanmunlcaticn In your

feebl. health. The parallels you <lra. ^,h the denn^otlon of the
^^^Mc^ Si«on and the O.at Rh:ctina are .o«t significant.

%aln thanking you for your great kindn.es m thia matte. T
have the hono. to remain, ^U. expressions of esteem.

\'Gry tfJly yours,

\

172

June U, 1892.

Prof. Vv, WUhelm Lill-febo>«fi-,

Upsala, Sweden.
C«aT* Sir:

The joint, reply of Ba-on Ncdftrisklola and yo'.i-3olf to my corr-
municatio?! of April 2(i rospectln/f the Kur-Seal of Bering Sea has
.fust been placad in my hands, and I riaalre to thank yotj y^ry sincerely
fo(* yoijr kindness In the matter.

With best rlahea, T remain,

i

Ve-'y trnily yonrs,

^

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^

\

^

173

.«
♦

'f^

June 10, 1S92.

Prof, Tdftmaso Salvadori,
Zoological Muse^r^.,

m

uHn, TtBly

Dear Sir:

T aeslre to thaiik you foi- yo^r ^'eply to iny ccfrifriuniGation ^-'^s-
pecting the Be^'In/^ Sea l^'nr-Seai.

Tn connection •vlth .he ono^^.o-js increase in the number of seals
Laken by pela/?;ic scalers (iu>"in^ t/ne last fe-v yea^s, as stated in rry
fonrr3r cc^jnunication, It should be observed that the number of ves-
sels has increased ev^^n more rapidly. In 18R0| according to the offi-
cial report of the Canadian Minister' of ''larine and Fish'^-^ies, but
s^veri vessels and .^1-^ 'won '/or»o enpar^ed in Dela.^»c sealinp* spcn^inp*
18,600 skins. The same mV^cril;; ^tntes thai in 1"^6 30 Ye^isel3 nnd
4h9 r^^en secured 36,007 skins. Tn ISOl t):e' ni^rbe^- of vessels h:-:i
Increased to mo>-e than 100 and upva>-ds of P,^K)0 men /^;^t- em^lcysd
ana more tnan t';?,000 iKins -^ere secnred.

The evidence of the dee^eae-e in the nnraher of seals' it found in
the size of the br^edinp: rook^^ie^?, a': stated in my letter" of Msy ?.d,
the a.-e'< :?overed by b^^eedinr ^j^^a]r> in l'-91 bein^^ le^s than ovie-ionv-th
the size 01 the a>*oa covered in 1S84 o-^" l-^'^r,. Moreover, the destruc-
tion of the female ^.-M^^. by pelacdc sealeris has ^Ir^ady sliov^i 1t>.elf
so forcibly uoon the nir-;e>- n-r vo'-rr \o^n Bt t^^e Tr^if^.^-tas tli^t in

Prof. T.S. 2

174

I

1^00 the Cornpsny l<i chn^io vas; not ablo io aocnre 'ro-e l?i?in ?1,000 2»
seals up to Jvily 20l,h. s] though f.h.-. l-in'-c pe'^'dtted t!iem to Kill
bO.OOO, and the n'jmber obtained jvas secured only by the p^'eat'st
effort and by repeated d^ivln.'^^s f^-om t>ie same rookeries, -^hich had
not tesrt 'lecessary in pr<?viou.s years. The lea!>e to the ne'v comoanv
Which vent Into effect in 1800 -estricts the killing on the Islands
to (jO.OOO seals, but frotn present sp;)earsrices sorti^-^ year's are likely
to elapse before this nuTbe*^ can bo obtained. In 1R91 only about
10,000 seals .'/ore killed at the Islands and during the present year
the nimber has been fixed at 7,h00.

With best wishes, T ^emain.

Ve^^y t^uly you^s,

.,11^

^\

' 'A^i^O^j^fc^j^

^ .^^ '■ .- ^

175

I

'•"Of. Robert Collett

Zoolo-^tcal Mus

r <iny

Chrl

siiSLni

>.t

vor'vva

y «

roar Sir

^ime 10. 18P;?

Your reply to ir.y cofwrnicRiAor. -e-speetiiiA^ the E
Seal reached --e duly ?nd I de;ir»e to tljsuik you fo>*
request so p>'ornptly.

T arn pleased to find tnat you ar:>^ee with

ering Sea Fur-

y*a or

joncin^ to my

nie in the conclusion

inat pelagic sealiu/.-^ is nnnous to the seal herd,

With best wishes, T

rnrr:?,!,

V6>*y t'^uly yon^

:. \^^^ \vvv^K>^>.

I

t

^4

176

i

i

Juno li\ 1892.

The Honorable

Colonel Marshall Mol^onald,

Dear Sir?

I have the honor to acKxiO^ledp-ii yo'v* comir»unicatlon of the ilih
instant, trajnsrnitiing a copy of Mr. Tcwnsorid' ii report on his recent
trip to Ouadaloupe Tsisrid, and alc^c a skc'tc-h map of luadaloupe Island
showing the track of tho vessel ano ^c on, fo^' all of vttiich I an
very much obligou.

Respectfully,

.*Vu^\

1

177

Juno 15, V:ld2.

Mr. Richard Rathbun,

U. S. Fish Cott.i ssion*
My clear "iathbun:

T^ia^iks for your note of the liih instant i us^ recel^sd, i-o-
5:oUior virith the skelch map oi fluaUalciupe shovvin/^ "^onisoiid's "^ovitc
and so on, vhich T arn very /riaa to ha o.

Do you know ^ien "'cvi^isend «ai]'^:a fo.^ the ^-^ortn? T have not
heard ^vhether he pot off on the vessel leavin,^ San Franrrlscc or- the
4th instant,, '^either hsve I learned viieirier or not he succeednd
in perfecting arran/^ements to securo Fv^r-Seals from the ^&ji >nit03.
Has he wit ten you anyi.hlnp >*elatlnp: lo this matter?

Have you data respecting the t--!Tip3'^at-'jro of t,he wst'j^ and
atrnojsph6:re at rruadaloupo Island and at the Pribilof Islands in June

and .*^uly?

.e^ J 1,'^ uij J JUL b,

\v

T^R^.xj^^r^-

. f:i., JJ. ■..■JiHi.wup4-itiiiiiipiJiiiif.mJWBii.JP. ,.,.

178

Juno 18, 1892

Dear- lAv, Lansing!;:

If you will be kind enough to look over those photographs and
mmibor than in tiie ordor you wish thsm to appear in the Foport, and
also nimish the legend you desire to have printed under each one,
1 will send trioni to Nov; York today to have thoir. reproduced.

Has oily yours.

\

\(\A>vK

V^'>

I

I

i»wir«4ia>iHMM«M«m*

T*PiP«HPii<MMPi

t

j I

170

Juno 18, 1892*

The Moss Engraving Co.,

535 Pearl Street,
New York City.
Dear Sirs:

I am obliged for your letter of the 10th instant informing me
of the prlcG at which you will furnish electrotypes of illustrations
about 7X4 1-2 inches, namely vl4. eachl Electros at 90 cts. and
printing 100 copies each at $2.

I ewelMo heiigiylth ^9 'illustrations, one of which is to be re-
produced by photo- engraving; the remaining 8 by half-tone process.
The amount of reduction is marked on each.

In the case of the photographs^ the legend that should be printed
under each is on a separate slip of paper fronting bhe illustration
and bearing in each case the same number.

I shall be greatly obliged if you will send me at your early
convenience 110 copies of each of these illustrations with duplicate
electros of all. Please send the same to me by express at the Dapart-
ment of Agriculture, fv-ako out your bill in the nam.e of the U. S.
Departmont of State and nend to me with the illustrations.

Kespectfully,

Bering Sea Commissioner.

liO

June 18, 1892.

Wr. Richard Rathhun,

'J. S. Fis'i Corar-ission.

ky dear Rath>un:

Thanks for your letter just rscr-ivod.

In looking over 'Land and '"ator' for seal notes; I find a series
of articles entitled VJamo PresGrvation and Gaine Laws' which you may
or may not have seen. At all events, I will give you the first
reference. A sort of introductory article on the Reneval subioct
and principles of 5am e legislation appeared in 'Land and v/ater' for
Au^st 28, 1875, p. 1C3.

Vovv truly yours,

tufmr^ff

■»*.

181

June 20, 1892.

General John W, Foster,

Deparlraent of State.

Dear Sir:

*

Replying to your letter of the 18th instant respecting the
Canadian Fishery Reports prior to 1886, I beg to day: You and Mr.
Lansing told me that you desired these reports solely to enable you
to complete your table shoving the catch of the British sealing
fleet and to complete your lists of the vessels, small boats, and
so on engaged in the sera fishery previous to 1886. This material
was compiled by my Assistant, Ur. T. S. Palmer, and sent you on May

21 during my absence.

The data for the years 1877 and 1878 were not included in this
statement because at that time ^e lacked the reports for those years.
These reports have been since examined, but do not contain any of the
information desired except the number and value of seal skins, which
for 1877 is 5700, valued » $4.50 each) at $25650.; and for 1878,
0508 skins <p$4.50 each) at $45ile8.50,

Respectfully,

-im

182

I

^n^9

June 20, 18D2.

General John W. Foster,

Department of State

Dear Sir:

Your letter of the ISth instant enclosinf^ a copy of a letter
from Mr. Ja^nes C. Carter hae just eome to hand, rnd T have read Mr,
Carter's remarkvS vith much Interest. He has hit upon our weak points
in a maimer that '-vould do credit to the other side. Should he road
ou*' instructions to tlie 'Albatross* and 'Cor^vin' , 'iie '//ould s«e that
we are trylnp- to secure mc^it of the information he deinres.

I siiall endeavor to meet vou and Professor Mendenhall at such
time as you see fit to desi/^ate.

Respectfully,

m

6e,

Ji^ie 21, IH\j2.

Gene -al John W.Foster,

Department of State.
Dear Sir:

Mr. C. H» To^vnsend in his report on his recent trip to Guada-
lupe Lsland states that he -ms informed that Captain Samuel Smith,
of San Francisco, killed 1200 Fur-Seals at Guadalupe Island within
t^vo or three years and sold their skins in San }^Yancisco for $?•
each. Is it not practicable to obtain a statement from Captain
Sa^iuel Smith respecting this matter?

Very truly yours.

3

Jure 22, irn^^.

frBfi^ml Jolm »?♦ Foster^
reparlnf^ent of State.

!>ear Sir:

A^Rin referring to Mr. Carter's letter of the Inth instant,
i desire to jot do'-vn n fov memo^anaa. It appears fron; this let^"'-
tljnt ¥v. Carter has not segn the iciiit repoH of the British and

i

Arorican Cornmissioners. TTds he ourfit to have.

1. Referring; to his numbered paragraphs, it may be said as a
peneral proposition that the habits of fur-seals of the
f^enera Callorhinus and Arntocephalus do not differ materially,
though some of Lhe species of A>'c-t.cceDhalus are non-migra-
tory. Probably they remain the yea-- ro'jnd '.vhe^-ever the
climatic conditions a^e suitable to their needs.

m

•d. The info-iration under this head viU bo nuch fuller when
Mr. Lansing has o Hated the data received froir, the 'Alba-
tross' and 'Corvin' respecting the wher-eabou' s cf the seals
along the north -v/est coast at diffe-ont dates d'-irin^ ^heir
rriigrations.

3. Tt can hardly be stated positively whether the females are
first served -vhon two or three years of age, tho'igh we think

-

h

f

185

Ge.'i* .-' •W. !•■, 2

separately from th-; yon?^ ruales :^jiu Lach^Io^^ seal^^ (holi^is-
ciiickle) unl.li ruej takti ih6-.r pic .s ri;?^ ..larly on Lha
hareniia. The youn/^ seals undQubiedi , ^o ul'l :.c feed, n^^i how
often ana how long jhe;/ i'efnaiii awuy, ve uo not kno".

4. Wg do not make an^ disiineiion bet^veoa ihe conditions :>btain-
ing at the ''vjrth-ea&t Point rcokory anu on other rooKe^ieis.
K;^opeo^i.\-; im ai^" oi \ac har^ems i;ra6erit and past^ %tie
ava'lablu Inlonnatlon li. so va-isa' Hf a.y^ or -^ tha^. i"^ decs net

o.

isoem i;ale to ii.alsio a.iy very po^itivc^ atataments*
Yci-'iV!: pup^- shortly ::lt^r :.irth collr^t to^^ether in small
groups cull(:u *yodi*, c.nd trr.bO groups gradually work to-
gether until t]jey unitn to form IvTP'^e pocls^ W lile the harem:
are br:jdkiru; ny, th'3se ^ uda incvo do>vri to the water's eugo.

6. SincQ we dia not viait North-oasi. Po-^nt rooker^v \jnt11 af^.e
the harems had bracken np, it I3 inipoosible for ir^ to state
tiie vvidth of tlie hrr.edin^ zone in ISOl.

?• Tlie first part of this paraf^raph is a reitc3ration of the
very cont .nt*cn that has been meide by the B^'itish Corrimission-*
ers. The secona part is based on a nusapprehension of ^vhat
the 'yoiicv frracst? zon:^' reall-' Is. This zone does not exis^
on the a;*eas at pret^ent used ly th^ souls, but brings into

proirrineno

aL...ndoned,

the areas fo.^m-eriy iised as rookerios, but novv

»?

poor imprint

186

Gen. J.W.F. H

|1.-

Mjf

8. Hererred to Pi-ofo^bor Monderiliall.

I*

1*-

9. It is true as a genoral propositi on that the hif^her orders
of marnmals ai^e •mo'^e Mnder trie dominion of man, and ccnso-
quently more easilj aestroyed by him than the lower crHler^\
thou;e;h exceptions 'jarticularly amonf:; the smaller carnivorous
forms ar^j not rare.

We have no infomation tnat \viil bnai.le us to discriminate in
the statistical table referred to between the numbers of seals
captured in Be>^ing Sea and those in the iJorth Pacific except for the
year ISOI. Mr. Lansing may possibly have additional information
under this head.

Respectfully,

187

June 24, 1892.

m

General J<ihn W, Poster,
X)«partm<5nt of State,

I send you hererith 40 pa^es of ly^.em-itten matter respecting
pelagic eaalin^ by Canadian sealers, extracted from the Ammal Reports
ot- the CoOTniseioner of Fisheries of Csiiada. Ail cf the matter
conUJned in UiU series of Reports relat.lnfr to the Pur-Seal is
Ulleved to be included in the present document.

Respectfully,

188

I

Skinf^

uroK offlQial reports on Canadiaj; Fisheries)

^00 mH^m $25G50
S693 ^ 4.50 451(59

Value I Vessels! M

en

12500 (^ 8,

18800 (8.12,

13W1 ^le.

17700 (» 10«
1684

u:^

18^9 j fiSTD? (^ aO
1$87 ' SS^OO (^ 7.

1889 j .^3.070
iB%j 44751

laoi

100000
103200
lt')24e2

Probably a low estimate

Boisterous woather

454 ^loderately succdBsful

, -vS^ I Boisterous weather

389070

i 459 j Weather exosedin^ly fine.

I

3 schrs,selaed;l)olster»*»

weather

569
078

>ais caught iy yoreL-r. Vesaols and disrosQd rl' J.. Vi.i — r--.—^
i^.iot included in above retunis oflSadiai Seltrf ^''"'^^

189

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A » ' ." cx ; J JL v

Coionei Mi'-s:ia]i McDcnrUi

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Crceipt of

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T

a:n very muc/i obllp'e

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no r^corU con--

balnea ^'. thof^o MCtos c^istonlf^h-^s

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VT Sea OofTir-^isiione*'

poor imprint

Ofit

191

June 2^\ 1802.

fJanoral Joiin W. x^"'oster,

Depai^tment of State.
Dear Sir:

Tn cornpllaiics ^vith your ^^ojuesLJ bt^nu jcm hui-evviUi b..y mosson/rer
the original olTiciai repcrls xrom f.he Vnitud Slates K?;7:a Ve-seis
cruising m Bg-:t>^ S^a m i":i, compels, »-i^ sov^en 'arcnive doc ;-
men.s' "vos. 2411-2417 inclusive, of Sedion TX, Box 2. Hyarof^vaUixc
OlTlce. U. S. ^'av, .

T send you also copios of loMei's ft'orn the ComiTsandiii/-; Ofi.c--s -
of (he 'Marion' (Aupus', li'); Uio 'ThQt,i&* (.Tbi_, U and A .-r- ,s. l-O;
the '^.iohican' (July 20, Sepf.-ribsr .-, ano; S-pi.ember- 12). also,Gxtrac;,;5
fr.jm the lo^s of the U. S. \\ Shi^.s '^^^v: I. fin* , "^hells' , ami •Wa-lo!;'.
relating to their cruise in Perin/r Sea in i -il.

Also: Tab'xiar list of vess^jls syja-aoci and •fyrn-id m Berin/* Sea
by United States and British laval V-sf.-Is, and Uni;,f.d SLa.eii Hsvunae
Ves'osis .l-..ne 28 to J Ly Zh, l.,i;i, inclusive, and a contini:at^ on of
the same from Jul.y 2| i.o A./T-st 50 , 1S!.'1, incii'sive.

Also: ExTy-acT.s from the lo;-s of Rfsvoni^e St,eajnO''s 'Cor-vin' and
'Rush', respectin/^ seals s-^en m Beria?^ Sra in liil.

Ais.: Eyiaenoe rerardin^ pela-lc sealing .n Bering Soa .al-:-vn
befor-j Lioutenant Ne^vccmV. cf ihe '''Lsh', on dm Si,, "r. a Island

A,it.,;F>i- docutients i,-ia..,.nf to ae;^u ,....,;..3, being copios A
t. - (li-jn.s f'-'-iu Offiu'j"s ■-]• t-ny 'R ish' .

<

Gen. J..V.F. 2

Al8o:A lefcterjf'rom Captain 'Toaly of the Revenue Sv.mer 'Bea.-',
addressed to the Secretary of Lhe Treasury, -espectrng seal life in-
Bering; Sea.

Also: The list of sealing vessels boa'-ded, 'va;-ned, and s-^lzed in
Bering Sea by the Revenue Cutters 'Rush'ajid 'Corwin* daring .he
season of 1S91, topelher witn a cha-t sho-Aring the poslLions of saic
vessels ■Jhen seiaed ot- -varnod.

In addition t^^ thu aocum-.nis mgnlioned, T send you tiis seal
logs of lhe Br-itish Fleet cruising in Be-Irig S^a in ICi uarnelv ■
H.M.S.S. •Mymi.h', 'Rieasant', and 'PorpolsG'; and also fh- seal
lo/^ of the 'Dan^ibo'--tne vess-i vhich ca-^^ied the British Corfiriussion-
ers. This latter is tne most complete and important of all the
seal lo/Ts kept during ihc season of 1891.

Besides tlie uocujnents en^.ri^e-ited, I send you a batch of t^ack
charts, a list of which is enclosed.

Respectfully,

I

o

er

'^

Jimo ?/n, 1892.

Ooneral John iV. Foster.

Bepartrr.-nt, of State.
Dear' Sir".

r hand you he-^e^Uh, in co'.^.ii.n.e with your request, a numb..
of track ch.rts of tl.. A^oHcan and RHti.h Pl..ts cruising in BeM>v'
Sea darin/T \so} as fonov/s; —

Four (4) tra.k cha>H,, .o^.tring .0 iv.fonr.ation on seals.
Thrno (3) p},oto.-p!i. of track chart, ^^o'vin^ positions of
vessels v-med and sei^ied.

Five (M pnoto,-.r5pi,s of tra-',- ,>-..t= shortn/. ..l^-e sesls ■,„-.
obs.....„d ,,y u. S. Vessels (so,,, of these sho. also vessels ..arned
and seized).

^^ '••- H ^ ...rT,s s.zo'vm/:- positions ar:d abun-

dance of seals o^'^on.'Pd >v Rri^ich -h^i^^* i

W.1 «.4 .y -'riLi^Jr i^leet^ namely,

1. 'Tb.B t-a.v .hart of H..M.S. 'Phear-anf (July to Se t.rV>^).

2. T^acK of H.^^S. •^Jyr^ph• (July to Septon^er).
^* nj.^,S, 'Porpoise' (Auf:nst 7-10).

ft. OoTbined t-ck Chan of B^-ltisi: Vessels 'Nymph'. 'Pn.p.i,.'.

'i^anube', and *Pnea^a>•;^\ ^"ov* t ^t -^nr-in^ r.^r^A ^ . -, ^

* -^ ^-^^ pe^iou enaiii^i- AiiATiiet In.

6. '\e same for the A/rie-lc2n Vessels 'CorA^ln' 'AieH' '^-^ri^^^
•.^1oh^an\ •K-,sh', and 'Marion' (cnmriied by i>. Da^Voon).

7. Combined tr^cic chart of Hrltl,. V,s,:U '^Jyrnoh' 'Po.^oi o-

19:

Gen. J.ft'.F. 2

^ T

. 'Danube', and 'Pheasant' fo^ 2d period sndin/v September 17.
S. Tj-ie sarn-3 for* the Arae-'ican Vessels 'Cor-vin', 'Thetis', 'Mo it-
can', 'Rush', and 'Ma-ion' for 2d po-iod ending, Sflpternoe- 3
(compilsd by Dr. Davson).

Sea] charts of 'Alert*, 'Marion', and 'Bear', sho-.vvn/^ positions
of seals observed.

I have the honor to request ^,hat all of the infonnafon -esneot-
in^, the presence o*- abundance of seels on those ciiarts hn corrpiled
on th- Hydrop-ap.iic Office chart of Be-iuf^ Sea. Tt seerns desi^-.ble
to compile t!ie d-ita by mo!-,ths,so as tc sho'.v tne r.a.n^.e and -eL-.tive
abundance for J-ly, Au,^'iit, ana September separotely. AftDnva^-d the
three charts co-Id be ccn-ioined in cne, if dec-irabie. Tt i? very
important tn show by moa-is of t.hese charts +hat the rai\go of the
Fur-Seal dooH not extend ^vjsfva-d acoss Be^-i.-v-^ Soa f-om tJie Pribi-
lof Islands ?,o the Cora-anae- Talands, but that the scale ar,- com-
paratively abvviaaip vrJn^n ..00-1-0 ;nilss oi tne P>-ibiiof Islands,
beooining ieas and Ir^ss abuimant at greater d-'.stf-.nces.aiid that a few
isjiated records arb all Uiit ^ve possess to shew th-t Fur-S-.als
occ'.i' a!, ail in the middle part cf Bering Soc. betw-eu the Pribilof
and Commander Isia.nds.

Respecif-Jl ,

194

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^?ne^al John W» Fo^i^e

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trnent ot St.;:;!.^

I oncloBe here'Yit:i ? ^t^r^^^nent o.

the catch of A::.o>^ioan f:elarfc

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J^,-l(^ received ly their from the 3^

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itish Consul -it San Fr^^nrise^.

ted Ssui Fra:^ci£CO, Septe-

>- on

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r'esne< L

( tinr the catcii by

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Tliei^e doc^jre.t

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ot ccMtain any new infon^ir-

tion. but I thoi

1 ,-> •'»

n-i

I lie oor)y oi a.

t Mr, L-i-nsinf: ^vonld be ^!?.(i to have then*
ffid^^vitr^ or 5ix pelvi'' ^eale^s fro!^ San Francisco

olleot'^^d

M

a"; or vvi : i i

I 1 ov^ C

C-0 . i -•

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v»i"ir»r*

1. Vi^2, wla-h veu loaned

etirie a;^o, H he^e^\'ith •■•etu>*ned

ne

JLtJt

.Tune 27, 1802.

I

i

Central John W. Postejr,
lapartment of S<;tate.

Iie«r Sir:

Colonel Marshall Moronald Us just sent me the enclosed mis-

cellaneous data respectlrv^ boats er^ed in pelaplc sealing, ^i^B
r^,r of seals taken, and so on. T forward the seme et once, th
i^ it may contain something of use to Mr. Uneing.

Respectfully,

* *^«

196

* v^^L^lIaaJNs^

\mx

^ *1 ,Wv .

THE BERING SEA FlIRSEAL

CALLORiinroS UK3INUS (Linnaeus)

The carnivorous ma- mals are divided by nat-.ralists into two
principal groups, one comprisinr; the terrestrial wolves, cats, wea-
sels, and bears; the other, t'.o ar;phibious eared seals and wairasos,
and the aquatic seals. The second division( suborder Pinnipedia) ir.
in tuni subdivided inV- three .f^roups called families, nnr.oly, the
eared seals, coinpri rung the sea-lions and sea-bears or fur-s^-als
(Otariids?), the •walruses (Odobsnidse) , and the true seals (Phocldag).
The fur-seals and sea-lions fom, the connecting- link bst'veon t^ e
terrestrial carnivores and the true seals, as recognised by all
naturaiir.ts. 'f- e distinraished Director of the British NAiseun,
Professor Flo-er, siys: "Tlie ^ur-Sealc or Sea-Rears . . . forrr. a

trnnsition fror. the ?isriped [terrestrial] Carnivnra t- the Seals ..

. . . Wi:en on land the hind f-t are turned forwards urdor th^ b^dy.

and aid i- sur-nortin.' and ir^ovin/; ti:e trunlc an in ordinary nia;ixials .

.... As mi-ht ho inier'-ed from their po-or of ^valkinft on all

f

#■■"

*l«

'

197

-2-

fours, they spend more of their time on shore, and ran.^e inland to
/[greater distances, than the tme Seals, especially at the breedir^
time, though they are always obliged to return to the water to seek
their food. T:iey are gregarious ai-id pol^^y^ijamous, and the males are
usually mucii Hrger than the females* • He statos furU^er: "The
resemblance between the skull and other parts of the body of the
Fii.r-l'eals and the Ursoid [i.e.. Pear-like] Camivora Is suggestive
of some p;enetic relations' ip between the tv;o groupn, and Profesnor
^'iYart expresses the opinion that the one rroup is the dii^ecb dos- ■
condant of the other." All the Fur-Soals have eonspie ous external
ears, similar to those of mor:t te^TOSitrial maimials except that they
a^e folded len^tbvise to keep out the 'vater. The Hair Seals Jiave no
f?xter!ial ears. It may be added that the Pur-Seals, owing to the
greater length and mol)Ulty of their flippers and to their structur-
al peculiarities, travel on land with considerable facility and speed.
the body being lifted Idgh above the ground and the gait suggesting
the amblln^^; pace of the bear. The trae Hair Seals (family PhocidT;)
on the contrary; are wholly unfitted for progression on land . From
the natural history standpoint 'Jiey represent the extreme of differ-

en

tiation or departure fr^m the ancestral stock among tlie tcrres-

Article Mammalia in the lincyclona^dia Pritannica (1888, p. 44?.);
and again in his jViOst recent v/'ork on Mammals (Flower and Lydekkor,
Introductioi; to the Study of Ivlamumal;^, London, 1891, p.508-nP4).

198

3

trial oamivoroiis marnmals. In accordance wit.^' their aquatic hal-its

the fore legs havo been so ir.odifiod that they are little more than

stiff paddles like those of the whale; the hind flippers stick out

behind and cannot be turned forward for use in terrestrial locomoti v,

o-"- in climbinf^ over rocks, and their bodies dra^; heavily over the

f^round. Their movements on land or- ice are awlovard and laborius,

and consist of a series of vertical curvatures aiid extensions of Lho

spine, su^^p:estinp: the netted of locomotion of the mearmre worm.

Tab arriphibious Fur-SeaLs are not onl^' intennodiate between the

^^air Seals and terrestrial carnivor'-us marmals in structure and .mns

means of locomotio, but also in habits, for they spend fully half

of thoir lives on land; they climb steep and hiF.h hills with com-

• I i

parati^^e ease, and havo been kno^:Ti to travel, fully three miles. The
^'air Goals are strictly aquatic, spending m^ost of the time in water,
and some species hardly visit the :'hore at all.

1

199

-4-

*

I

^

The Northern 1^:r-Seal is here discjussed under five hoad^., as

follcYs:

(1) Principal facts in the life history of the Fur-Seal.

(2) Present niiirbers compared witr^. former abiindanoe.

(3) The Fur-Seal 'Fisheries'*

a. Seal killing at the Pribilof Islands.

b. Seal killin.'^ at Sea or 'Pelagic Sealing' ,

(4) Causes which have led to the depletion of the rookeries.

(5) f'easures necessary for the restoration of the depleted

^'ookeries and for the pennanent protection and preserva-
tion of the Fur-Seal .

The term 'fishen^' as arnlied to the industn- of taking seals is
strictly speaking incorrect and oblectionable, tlie Fur-Seal hoirir^.
in no senoe a fish but a warm-blooded mainmal. Th*-^ term is here used
because of its n^-^ral acceptation as applied to t:ie busine^^s of
takinp; a'-^y foim of animal 1 Ife of cor.mercial iirnortxnce fron. 'paters
or coasts, and to places where f'uch indust^^ies are condiictvod.

200

^

-0-

PRINCIPAL FACTS IM THE Llt^E HISTORY OF THE FUR-SIiAL,

1. T^ie Northern Fiir-Seal (Callcrhinus ursim:i8) Is an inliahi-
tant of Berinp; Soa and tho Sea of 0' hotsk, where it breeds on rocky
islands. Only four breeding colonies are known, namely, (l) on the
Pribilof Islands belonging to tho United States; (2) on the Comman-
der Islands belonging to Russia; (3) on Robben Reef belonging to
Russia; and (4) on l^^.o Kurilo Islands belonging to Japan. Tlie Pri-
bilof and Commander Isiands are in Bering Sea; Robben Reef is in the
Sea of Okhotsk near the Island of Sa^halien, and the Kurile Islands
are betwoon Yezo and ''amtc^^atk-i. 7ho species is not knov/n to breed

in any other part of .he world. The Fur-Seals of Lobos Island
and the South Seas and also those of the Galapagos Islands and the
islands off Lower California, belong to widely different spocios
and arc placed in different genera frorr; the NortheiTi F;u--Seal.

2. In ^»'inter the Fiir-Seals narr-^t-^ into the North Pacific
Ocean, '^he herds from the Coramandor Island, Robben Reef, and the
Kurile Islands ^iovo south along tho Japan const, whil the herd bo-
longing to tho Pribilof Islands loavos Boring Sea by the eastern
passes of the Aleutian Chain.

3. 'Tie Fur-Soals of the Pribilof Isiands do nob mix ^'dth those
of the'Comrr.ander and Kurile Islands at any tir.e of year. In sa^rer
the two herds remain entirely distinct, separated by a water inter-
al of several hundred miles; and in their winter nigrations those

201

y

f4

frpm file Pribilof Islands follow the American coast In a eoiitheast-
erly dlrectton vhlla fchos© from ttie Coiicander and Kuril© Islands
foilov ths Siberian and Japan coasts in a sotitlwostorly dirdotlon,
the two hs^'ds being s^aratod In winter by a water intorval of
several thousand mileB. This regularity in the movoraents of the
different herds is in obedience to the wsll-icnown law that ini^rax)ry

SOisais^foJJojLXttml:^^

y^^ ^0 thQ san^ pJLap,Q^..t;sJ3iej|d. I7ere it not for this lav, there
would be no auo' thin" as stability o? species, for interbreoding
and GX stence under diverse physiographic conditions would destrov
all specific oharacters.*

'^he pelape of the Pribilof I:tl^:.^: Fur-Seals differs so markftd^
ly fi*om that of the Commander Islands seals that the two are readilv
distinguished by experts, and have very different values, the former
coiwnanding mucli higher prices than tlie latter at the regular London .

«->

The hone of a specier, is the area over which it breeds, it is 'vell-
kno-vn to tJaturalists that migratorj- animals, whether mamals, birds,
fishes or r.er^.bers of ot)ier groups, leave their homes for a part
of ;.ho year bee use the climatic conditions or the food supply
become unsuited to their needs; and that v/herever the home of" a
species is so situated as to provide a suitable climate and food
supply throughout the year such species do not migrate . This is
the explanation of uhe fact that the northern Fur-Seals are migrants
while the Fur-Seals of tropical and warm temperate latitudes do not
migrate.

202

i

-7-
4* Th© old braoding malefi of t^e PrlbUof herd a-e not known
to ran^^e mucsh fcuth of the Aleutian I»landa^ \ii\t the females and
vounfr appear aionp, the American coast aa fA.r south as northern Cali-
fornia. I^etunilng^ the herds of femoXes move northward alonp: the
coasts of Or^g:on, Washia^ton, and British Columbia in January, Feb-
ruary, and Varch, occurring at varying distances from S'-ore. Follow-
ing; the Alaska coast northward and ^sres reward they leave the North
Pacific Ocean in June^ traversing the eas .em passes in the Aleutian
Chain, arid proceed at onjce to the Pribilof Islands.

5f The old (breeding) males reach the Islands much earlier,
the firat coming the last wook in April or early in tlay. "^ley at
once land and i.ake Htands on the rookeries where the?* await the ar-
rival of the females^ Each male (called a bull) selects a larp:e
rock on or near which he remains tmt/il Auf^st unless driven off by
stronger bulls, never leavinr for a single instant night or day,
and taking neither food nor water. Both before and for sometime
after tho arriv il of ohe females (called cows) the bulls firht
savagely among themselves for positions on the rookeries and for
possession of the cows, and many are severely wounded. All the
bulls are located by June 20.

Tlie bachelor seals (hollusc^ ickie) begin to arrive early

in ?v!ay, mA large n^irhers are on tho hauling grounds by the end of
^'ay or firrt week of June. They begin to leave the Islands in llov-

203

-8-

I

l>

^

.

9t*l

bei', but majiy rf»<Kili fnto j;ece!nT)er or Jonuari" and sometimes Into

F9^ ruary •

7. Th.e c.rnrz bti'l • arrivirv^ oarly in J'.ino, iir^d scchi appf^ar in
laLT^e schools or <lrr"*^, inananso n\«r.bers taking thoir place-^ on the
cookeries ^^ach Sav let^Qon the middle rand end of the month, the
precise dates v&^-irjt^ -nt^ t>;e weather. Tnoy assemble about tho old
bulls in compaot px tips cillsd harems. The harems are complete
•Tfirly in .luly, at which tin-.e the breoding rookeries attain their

rriaxlmur. .nize arid ooisjmctness. .

i

8. The cows gtr^ birt!i to Uioir younr, soon after taking their
plaofiF. on t,he harm^. i" th- latter part of June aid in July, but a
few are dela^-od uiu U August. The period of gestat'on is between

I'

oleven ar^d tw:?lvo months.

9. A Rinp;le yonnr i^> -<^ni in each instanv-e. The young at
blrt-. are about equally divided as to nex.

10. The act of nursing is porfonned on land--n'Wor ir the
^ahor. It i;; nocessai-y, thorofore. for tlie cows to rorr.ain at Lhe
Islands imlil tho young a^-e n-eaned, -yhich is not until they are

four nr five months o.ln. Each i.oUier Imov/s her •■» pup a-^d -vill •
not n-nr.it .any othor t>o nurse. This is the reason ?c many thousand

"^ J. *-

pups starve tn death on the rookeries -^hon their rrothers aro killed
at sea. We have repeatedly seen nursing cows cor.- out of Uie water

204

-9-

mid 55earoh for their yoiinc. ^t(^ traveling considerable distances
ftnd Yisiting r^roi^ after ?:roup of pupa bef^'re finding, her o^^m. On
reaching e^v as5(^la^e of piips, some of which are awake and others
asleep, sho ^-1^^ raq^idly move about among them, sniff in. at each
and uhQn /gallop off to tho next. Those :,hat are awake advance
i.o^i'ard her -/ith the erident purpose of nursing, iiut slie repels their,
viW'' a snarl and passen on. When she finds her cm she fondles it
a iDoiD'snt, turr.':. partly over on her side present^-,- he nipples and
It promptly hej^inR to suck. In one Instance wo saw a mother carry
her piip back a distance of . meters(CO feet) before allowing it to
nurse. It is said that the cows sonetlres reco^nizo their yo.;n^^ hy
their orj' — a sort of hleat»

11. Soon after Virth the pups rnovo avay from the harems and
huddle together in snail r-roups called 'nods', alonr the horders of
the hreecline -^ookeries and at sorr.o distance fro.-: the water. The
small -roups ,P:radually nnlte to form larger f-ro-ps w'ich n-ove siow-
Iv do^-m to Uie water's edr,e. Wlien six or oi-ht weeks old the pups
begin to learn \,o s'vim. Ndonly are the younf^ not horn at sea,
hut if soon after birth t'ley are v;as-:ed into the sea, they a^-e drowped,

times

IS. The Pur-Scal is poly"-amous and the male is at least five
as lar>-3 as th.c female. As a rul each male serves about 15

or 20 fomalnn, but in some cases as many as 50 or more

205

'ii

-10

if

n. The act of oop^aation taJc(w place o« Ijmd and iasLs fVom
« to 10 mim,te5. j/«st of U,. co^ art ^^^^ ,y ^^^ „j^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^

or «)«, aft«. the Mnh Of their p:^s. Thr bhon take the imtor and
coniQ and fTO for food yfhiU nursl>K>.

U. A;a>j? y<>«n^ uaie euocwd tn seeurlnc a fev/ oows behind or
G^y fmn Lhs br«edfn^ haroma. porLlciUarly late in the searon
(aftor th. trlddl. of J«lv. at •v'^ioh (,i,„, U)o rB^,ulai. hare^a bej^i. to
break y|>). rt Ir, almost certain fc}jat ,.anj, if not moBt, of uhe
voa>,. .0^ ar. .erved for the fir.t ti.4 hj tiie.e youn^ bulla, either
«m ths haulirv^ pounds or alon& Ihs TOit«p front.

•rh«5« l>uUr, aay bo distinguished at a ^Ivtce fmn tJ^osa on tho
rar^'lar har«ns by the ciromstanco that the:.- aro fat ar,d in wcellon.
ccnditlon, vhll^ those t!^at have fasted ft)r tbj^e rr^tl.s on the
breeding rook&riee are mch smaclatad and o^irnxstoi. ^^4,^ youn^
mU. even -vfion thoy have .acceeded in captoring a number of cows,
can bo drivan fror, thoir stands ^nV.• little diffiouUy. while {as
fs ^ell Kao-^) fi., old bulls on the harer.r. will die in their tracks
MUiar than leave.

iru #.e co.7n are bolieved to take the bull first when two years
old, and deliver their flr.st pup ivhen three years old.

16. Bulls first take stands on the breedin;^ rookerios 'rhen
.ix or sev«n jt^^ oU, r^^toTe this they are not powerful enough ,0
fi,^ht the oldtt- bulU for positions on tho harwo.

206

II-

17. Oo'vs "/^.er. irarsinf;

».->•:

l-^-rlv travGi

J. »-■»- i

o:\- 61

o

tail:

r^S 'y^

fee'

Tl:e?'

ovn

^\r

'60

\V)1 u

tiv ^ovriA

100 or lf>0 mile

^^>,

^^ 1 i

roTP

the Islands and

soir.otiiri'^B

it '-X

a

ater distaiir

>>-•*-'»

P -h« fond -.if Uie Fur

-Seal consists (

r'\

:r:i^>ti"

com

r^f

and pro

L-!.ly othor

for

•:.;n O"

•. 't

•x-^-l < A

i£r. aiso.\

' .->»

tSoe

At

r: i V p

inca

/■-

x •

rr

I r

eov^o

I

anu

f-uch. 0.1 t.-

tho hre<?-inp

l)ullB ai

* I <^i V ^

IvoriCi

T

ore

lea.ve t;-5 Tr'an

ar;o

ut tr e --liddle

of lIovf>pA)er

'tonnicieral'^

I r '» • 1

1. , -L U

e :^oa

rt

t;-

t') r

on-"breeai

r>^ r>

no sea;-

p. \

« -.

olluschi^i^i

o ;

,o~

ii^

A

r i

\j

a I

fc^'V oia

id VullB, roram mibii

1 ii J?inuarv. ^'^^'"^ ^

-.-t/r".!-*.-*

;r

r-^.

stances u:

iitil

r^iiar'^' or evQ^"^

it or.

>h o

Piir-iJ9al as

-.f^cies is prober

L at tr.e

T-^-^i T

1*1 * 2 iOi.

<:-r

land.^ ei

• ,.1

t 0'" rmo moviu

Mo

0

f i>-^ vea

X *' - ^^

(^ai. ,

r. or rro

?' t

.»,->

r>^r; ir

i.^

'.i

Ov' \J

!■ '••♦■•;il*»

four

ft O'

t:*0 tl

1" o .

• T, >-l

1 in riiil^'i "'i'

ii.'^i

on:eLi

es

a:.>rinf^ the e-^-

- ■> v->-

tiro year

nn.o

n 3

Lreodi^i?^ hi

^ 1 rtr>

:11s arrive e'xriies

t a:^d

H rornam ^:v3r!ua

.CUE

C-*

ly 0

n.

u ^

J vj J. >.

ico-'^u^, a'>out four rx

>r\

t'ls* tho breeai

'"^f:

cowr. ro

riY- o

n-1 "»

•out

.'-l.

ix ronu

ine

; . I L/

+: r.

a!

OV

,-r r

-, 0

^t r

■r \^.c^

ion-hreo "1

nr r^..'^

le seals al:^oi:^

or

r. i

r! ?or'9ti":0S o

^ sr,-f fi-n .-n'tire Ye3-r<.

2!t

:)u"ini: the norvwa

rd --:1- rati on

iC •>

^r«P»

6'

ated

\f\

u .' "^

last

t..

.) . I'

i'O

dy or herd o

Tr»

P M^l !•>'

-Seals loave t!

OXUj

er i^erlnf

ea i

v^

ij- i'

ir 'iart o-.' June

r> u

'\

0

rt

r^rt^fi-i

-. r

,-y^/'

i_ I.

•. -^ r- f\ V» ?3 •

')

n •

i^ridu'iin,

1

liO'-^

■er, are seen

rl-

miv;

*'. r^

Qtir-Tin

l.»i ',

f ' D CaJ v.

a'

va'icn^

-. y

O".

tr

V V.:: V «.y * f

207

-12-

^

alom the nort^nvest coast: these are rrohaldy seal, that 'vere so
l:ad-ly ^vounded by pola^ic sealers that they could not travel ^-ath
th. rest of the h.erd to the Prildlof Islands, ft has been alleged
that youn^ Fur-Seals h.ave been found in early sumer on several oc-
casions alonp, the ncasts of hritisl: Colun:bia a.nd Southeast Alaska.
imUe no aut]:entic cane of .hi. idnd han hoen found., it would be

exnnctod from the large .^-.her of «ov.s that are -ounded each .'inter

and spri-F, along these ooasT.^ a. a dro u.^ui . .s

reach the hroedin,^ rooheries and -.u.t perfor-e .'ive Mrth. to .heir

youiT-perh.aps prer.aturely-w^.erever they rr-ay be at trie ti-e.

r.. Tlie reason Wio Uort'^em Fur-3oal inhabit, the PrlLilof Is-
lands to the axolunion of a:l other i.l.:^:ls and coast, ie that it

v./

i^^re finds the ciir^atic arc' j^-^^ic.l conditions n-^ces.ary to its
life rants. Thir species ^-eqires a unrfomiy lo'v ten^orature, a^-
overoast shy. ^.. a fo^.y atrocnhore to rre-ent th. .un's rays from
in'uriiv: it durinr the Ion. sumer .^^wtou.. ./...^
>-ooherio3. It renui^'03 al.o roc]:y Veaches or ^rhi.h to hrin. ^orth
it. ..0---. no ir^lancis to t^^e nort^^.ard or- ..uV'^ard of the Prlbilof-

Island-, 'vith t'-e T^o-^rlo ex.-^nti'-o o. xi x.e-. > -■

Gli^^an are :^ro-vn to po-soF-B t: o req -s^ii^'e co.in...,ciuj^.

. , i.^., -.^Pr-f ♦■nqf P-r-'^^al?^ of t'i^s r;po-i8S
All r:t.A..e!nents to t-e e.h or.t/ ^..laL ...v^-.x^.

\ - ^ fv, .rr-^^c ^..H i'^in^d- 0 '^ '^al 1 "0^:13. ^^d :v'exi'-c
are orroreour;, th:^ seai::- -h:iaiiii>^, ;.. e^ . ..l.u... ..,,.

208

-13-

PKESlSiT liUJvSERS C0^1PAPBD WITH FOBN'KR APUNDAMCE.

All the rookeries on both islands (St. Paul and St. George)
bear unmistakable evidence of having undergone great reduction in
size during the past few years. This evidence is of two kinds: (4)
Evidence of eye witnesses, and (2) Intrinsic evidence afforded by
the rookeries themselves.

(1) Evidence of eye witnesses.

The universal testimony of all w'o saw the rookeries a few years
ar^o, and surain in 1890 or 1891, is .hat they have suffered a great
and alaming decrease wit>nn the past six or seven years. In the
case of Northeast Point Koookery-the largest, single rookery laiovm
and ono from the hauling grounds of which about 20,000-85,000 non-
breeding male Fur-Seals wore taken annually for 20 years-the evidenc
i!! uneqrd vocal and conclusive. Thi great rookerj' is several miles
in length and its formor 1)oundavies omi be distinctly seen, as will
be described in detail prese-tly. [See also accompa^iying photograph]
-ho area occupied by b-eeding neals in 1891 was a narro-.v strip alon,^
shore, with a small area in the roar used as 'hauling fTounds*;
while the zone of forn-,er occupancy varies fron 100 to rOO f.-et in
width, ^•r. C. II. To'"n;end, resident naturalist of the U.S. Fish
Gornrassion Stoanslup "Albatross" vir/ited Nort^ieast Point Kookery in
company with the British and li.S. Pering Sea '^.oiraissi oners August f;,
1891, and stated that when ho visited t-:a same rookei-y in the IabU;r

209

m

It

part of June. 1B8&. the broad zone here referred to "was covaiwd
solid with seals." Lieutenant John C Gantwell of the U»«.Wsmio
Steamship 'R-;sh\ Dr. il. H. Mclnbyra. OBpt* Daniel Wobst^Hf, Mr.
J. C. Kedpath, and Mr. 'r-eorRe B. Tingle oorroborate Mr. To^vnserd's
statement that the yellow-grass zone, or zone of former occupancy.
\ms densely covered with seals in 1880.

-.he testimony ^f natives and others in re.-ard to other rookeries
«^ft»t V*y well with the above, or places Lhe fclne of abandonment
at H ttiU iatQf t^«lt^* «<>^-<3 of ^^-- natives maintaning that V.^9
y«lld^s;rW *mie>*^s o«»««red with seals as recently as IBB'^.
is 9Vt4«nt th«n»ror» that t^e extennive area here described ns the
yellOW-grass ff^m h^iiird the narrow strip at present occupied by the
«eaU on ti.» various -ookeries, vran thickly covered not longer af,o
than ^^BSf) or 1886 and in some cases perhaps as iato as 1887.

(S) Intrinsic I^vid^joe afforded by tho rookeries thorselves.

5^i?ni eiUlh rookery is a moi«6 or less sharply defined strip or
belt varying frorr. 100 to 500 fee* in -vidt! . whicr. differs conspi-
ououily m appearan<5« frorr, the ground on cither side, it is covered
wlW. ft aliOiJi and rather fine gras. U a yellowisJi-green color (Gly-
oerla .^.^ustata) more or le»* mixed l.h tufts of a coarser spocies
(PeschamFsia cfcW»Uo»). both differing 8iFlkinp;ly from the tail ..nd
rank rye P.r.^ss (Slvrr.u.s -ollls) usually growing imediately beliind.
In many places the -round between the tussocks and hUrtr.oclyf of -rass

Original Defective

^^ .1, \J

-10-
is covered witt' a thin layer of feltirvr;, composed of the ahad hairs
of the seals matiad down and mixed with exoranent, urine, and sur-
face soil. Thir foltlnp; coixld nob have boen formed othonrise than
by the movements of seals back and forth over the ground for many
years » in the same zone the roiu?;h upper surfaces and anf^lar pro-
jQOtlone of the rocks have boon rounded off and polished by the for-
mer moveicents of the sealf?. This polishing, though nor/ partly hidden
by weathering and the growth of lichona, is still conspicuou;; and can
be attributed Lo no other cause than to the movnmonts of the seals
on the rookeries during a long period of years^ The fact that the
sides of these same rocks rnmaln in their original rot^gh condition
is sufficient proof that the smooth upper surfaces could not have
been produced by s i-polish.

In somo of the rookeries another zone may be difscerned behind
the yello\v-gras8 zone, indicating the extent of the rookery at some
still moro remote period. The grasr, on this area is bunch-grass
(Deschampsia casspitosa); the lie' en-^-rc-th on the rock,- is heavier
than on tlie one just described, and the polished surfaces cf the
rocks show more ?roatherin^. This latter zone abut- against the
more elevated tiu*f bearing the charactoris:,ic tall grass of the is-
lands, and marks the period of maximum abundance of tho seals,

Tlie agr'rnfrate size of tho areas formerly occupied is at least
four times as p.rsat as that of Lhe present rookeries.

211

-18-

i

1

4

I

?HR F 0 R-S B A L 'P I S n E R I S s',

TIW F\uv.Soal 'IfUherles', socailod. may be considerad under
ftvo h^ads; Ca.) .^oal killing on the Pribliof Islands, and (l).) Seal
JtlUlrv* at Sea, or P^l^ic Sdallr^.

(a,) Seal killing on the Prlbilof Islands.

Tn« only «eftl$ klllod for oonmerclal purposes at the Seal Is-
lande are non-breeding males (under five or six yean, of age, called
(•hollu5chIok-le'). They oor.e up on the rooksrias apart from the
l>reodw saals. and la^^e numberr ar& prowni by the latter port, of
llay or first ireek In June, after whic}> hher oonetantly pass l^ck and
fortJi from the -^ter to Iho hauling grounds. 'Vt.^v are driven from xh
hauling r^n-unda to tlio killing ground/, by the native Aleuts, who .
have been trained 1-- this worl: from generation to ^oneratlon. Here
the seals are divided Into little .^oups. Those selected as of suit-
able size are killod by a blow on the head witli a club tho otliers
are alloT^ed to ..o into the water and soon reappear on the hauling
PTr> nds. in this -.-ay abo^t 100.000 younf^ males have boen /.iUod
annually on Uio Prlbilof Islands for 20 years.

In addition to tho oorrmorolal killing above described, a nimibor
of mal. pups .;ero fomoriy killed oach year to f mish food for the
natives, but !,he killir^ of pups Is noT prohibited by tho Govern-

s,-

ment.

i^X'i*^

m

'4

.17-
(bj Seal killing at Soa or Pela,o;ic Sealii^.

Pelagic SealiiTg Is carried on chiefly by ni'^ans of sohoonors,
each of which is provided with a crew of 20 to 25 mon and several
small loats for hunting* When nealf are encoantered the amall boats
put out and the huntinp; be^-ins* If a seal U seen on tho surface the
hunter approaches it as qui<^tly as possible, and when near enou^F^h
shoots it with tlie shot gun or riflo; but most seals are shot as
tlie^' rise within ranp;e of the boat. When a seal is shot the oars-
tnan pnlls toward it as rapidly as possible in the hope of reaching
it before it sinks. By the aid of an iron hook on the end of a light
pole marjy seals are secured after they have sunk below the f^tarface
but have not yet passed out of reach. Some of the sealing vessels
use stoani power, but nio' t of ther. dopend on sails.

Ponno^^ly, Indian crews 'vere taken almost exclusively, and the
spoar ^ras -sed instead of firearms in order not to frip;hten the
seals. Tills rnetliod liad tho great advantage of S9ciiri>Tg nearly all
seals wounded, tlow both Indian and white himters are employed and
aiid t];e use of the spear ]ias been almost wholly superseded by the
use of firearms. The shot gun Is used more thm^ the rifle for the
reason that fewer woundod seals are lost thereby.

In addition to the destruction wrought by the sealag schooners
P'-^la^lc sealing is still carried on along by the native Indians in
tliol-- canoes, but the nuinbor of Pur-Seals tj.iui killed is relatively
small.

218

-18-

/

i

Peltxfrlo sealini^ has been carried on fortuitously and on a small
scale for many years, brut it was not until wltb.in the present do-
c:ado that numerous vesf^els enpia/red ny.stematicaUy In the enterprise.
Tao profits are so f;reat 1^ comparison vriV' the capital invested that,,
as the results of the annual catch benar.e kncTi eacli year, a con-
stanlly inoreasinp; number of vessels v/aa led to enga<r,e in the in-
dustry, -fibh a corresponding increase in th nu ber of seals killed
in the open sea* T)ie Pur-Seals Wiiich iTK)ve northward along the coast
of the ^iorthwes tern United States, British Golunbia, and southeastern
Alaska from January until late in Jime are chiefly pregnant females,
and about ninety percenr. of the seals killed by pelagic seale-'s in
the Hortli Pacific are females heavj' rritV yoimg. For obvio s reasr^ns
many more seals aro wounded than killed outrif;ht, and many that are
killed sink before they can be reached, and consoqueuuly aro lo; t.
As each female conta ns a young, it is o ident tliat several seals
are destroyed to every one secured.

For several yearn the pela;:ic sealers '•^ere conte^^t to pursue
their destructive wori: in the North Pacific, but of late they have
entered Berin^f, Tea There the;; continue to capture seals in the
'•/ator throughout the entire suirsner. The fermles killed d;--inp: this
period aro pivinft milk and are away from Uio Islandn in search of
fond. T *r vounf?; starve to death on the rookeries. We ^-.aw vast
nup.bers of dead pups on the Island of St. Paul last siimmer (1891)
Uhlch, froi!: their w.aciated condition, had evidently died of stanza-

214

-19-

blon. Th, f^tai nmh^r of tholr .«ircM8 • roraalnlrr, on th. PrlM-

lBl«nds

Tr^sury

?<»WU wali^v^ la now carried on in Uw North Paoifie Ocean
fron. January vntil late In J.ne, and In Bering Sea in July, u^st.
and September. Sc«,e sealiiv: schooners r^nain aa late as Hovember.
^ut Uiey do 80 for {,he purpose od rainding the rookorlea.

' m

iTiO n';fr.bo- of jn-.^K- so-^tj--,: ■^^v ^ ■ i ., •

«• -y ox,.p,, th,,o .old in .-ictcrla, B. c^^™,, v^ons^,^ ,.,,-»
,«<,.-. s.ld 1. s.„, rra . = i,,eo ..ncerni,,, ..,,ic,h .o teve not h,.„ abU^
In o!;tai!-. i-sliabls r.u-rrj:ation.

215

•3^'*

"jixo nm^ljor of seal akins acti'Aily ^ yy /^

nf peivlc seallc^ Is ftho'^Ti in the foliowir,^ tnbloi*

Yaai' rio.of i^kin« ^^ear Wo. of skins.

cold as a result

inn

i,02D

1862

17,700

•

1873

?

1883

9,100

1874

1B7C

4,04n
1,64C

1S84
1885

? 14,000|na"b9r estircat^l
Ifrom value givi ■
i;%000^

187.3

2.04S

1886

88.007

\

1B77

^Wk

1887

88,800

1878

irllit

1888

87,'re9

ir.79

15.500-

1889

40.P98

1B80

18,000

18J>C

48 , C19

ISSl

18, Wl

18P1

62, mo

Tlio firnires for the years 1872 to 187§ Inclusive, and 1891, are
from th London T-ad'^ Sales. Those frnii 18^ to 1887 inclusavG are
frotr. tiie official reports of tho V.inistor of Varlne and asheries
of Canada "nd prohablv fall s; ort of the . tual catoh because the
catoh of tho 'inited Stktes vessels Is not Included. The figures for

1888 are fron: tl;e same souroe (27,988), f1»8 the Unitod States
pola^lc r'.atch (9,80.1) as stated in the report of the U. • . tols -

' sinner of Fish and ^ishsries for that year. The figures for 188..
and 1890 are from the Canadian Fisheries Reports and comprise both
iJie catoh of \ho Candia n fleet (:^3.C/0 Tor 1889 and 44701 for 1890 )
and of other vessel.^ -'^.ich sold their skins in "ictoria.B.U 1742b in

1889 and ;'!7-'i8 in 1890). The ca tch of American vessels sold in .an
Francisoo is not included.

216

•^1.

Hi

Inasmu^ »4 ih© .>r4rl>«r of atale anmiallj socurtKl T^y peloel©
seoliiv^ r«pr«»«rt,. but. i tr^ticm of Oi* total n^jmbtr klllod, a
glasioe at th5 n^jj^5 cv.nta;n«d in the aVova t,abl» ie anoivrh to ahovr
Vat Uia destWftUrh ftf 80al l^fe tbi pro<3ucod Is alon^ auTnclant
to fjXpla n t^.e p\r»8«nt dflpl«t*a condition of ih© rookerlos.

n hR5^ 1) on tllft^od that ovarkiUlng of yoxmr mal« at the Is-
lajMJs iff a principal z^aRt, of ttio presftnt «oaroit>; of sWs.

In MP iy to UxU contontion U is only Moofissftty to beat- In
?nl 4 t:iat t,!!^ nianbftr of mla an<i fwials Puj^Sealtj is eqtial at birth.
thAt- t'.o sqp^etw Js ooIt^^tpious , and Mmt Moh wiies servsg on an
Wflw<i at l-saat 15 or 20 tmaln. it U arjdflnt, the- «for«, that
lhe« rrflit bg a rxwt «np«raJ«iitev«jo of mle«, of i»hich a Ibtr» per-
owitn^e nay ^^ klU94. artimlly fortvar vlthwxt in t!m sli.P'Jitost
d^9« (jnlv^ftring t?)G prr-dactlronwa of the herd. Purthonnore. it
1ms I>&sn showi Uiat the killing of soala at the Pribilof Islands Is
ooa,vi.etel3' « der .ha control of nan aiid ia rastrioted to the stipsr-
n<>ns tal»8, for aaloction as o eex and a^o can be and is oxercis^d
so that neither females nor hrsedln^- males are kiliod. rt Is evi-
dent t,hat this klUiiK of non-brooding malos could in no yftxy affect
the size or annual product of oho breeding rookeries unless the
nnirl>Qr klUf?d was so great that enoMgh mien were not left to mature
for breeding p^rposoR. '.liore is no -vidonce that this has ever be(?n
Liie case. v-or«ovoj', all seals killed or wounded are Invariably

210

I

•^t-

GAHSBB rWIC mi ?>:) T!!B DtPCgTlOM 0? 'ntg ROOKBpISS.

Irt^minHh aft th$ n^orilMir of atale anmiiUly »<}flur^ T,y pel^j©
leaiing rffprewirtw hut a froation of th^ total n^jr>b»r klllod, a
glasnoe al thfi flrxjres cv^ntainfld in Oie a>ova tahl» is anmr^ to show
Xt.-xi Ui» deatWftUrn of 8«jtl life tlru proiJucod la alon*} auffiolant
to -j^pla n tJie prtant doploUd condition of the rookerlos.

It ^J^sj 'o w »lifl»^6d that OY«rkilllng of yow'* mal«s at the Is*
IftiHJji iff n prtnelpal cj.'^aB© of Vho py«8«nt fioaroity of seals.

In r«jply to ihU contontion It 1a only >i©ofisaftrr to beat* in
m\tQ. t:iat >,hi3 mcnbfty of cBda anct fmyals Par-Soals Is Bqiial at birth,
that W'o 3j;^6l« js nol.Tt^.-anous, and bliat Moh iwies s^rvsa on an
avara^^ at iMat ID or 20 tmtoln, Yt is trident, tha -eford, that
the» rr^jt b?? 1 ;»jwt «Mt>«Ta}>«nt}w«jo of attl««. of i*hich a Ivr^o per-
owtnre way l/j kiU^ animaily fortvar vlthwit in tJm sii.P-^tost
degree (THdar^aring Uig prr.ductlronsna of the herd. Purthormore, it
lias Um shown that the killing of saala at the Pribilof Islands Is
ooai^letel:,' m der .ho control of man and ia restricted to Uie stjper-
flous talee, for aelgction as o sex ar.d a^o can be and is oxercised
ao that neither females nor hreediiv^ nalea are killed, rt is evi-
dent t^at this killing; of non-hreoding Rales could in no wa^ affect
the size or annual product of uhe breeding rookeries unless the
nnirber killed was so great that enough males -yere not left to mature
for breedinr, pr.rposeR. There ia no -vidonce that this has ever been
t5e case, '-oreover, all seals killed or wounded are invariablr

21 T

i

secuirad tM their skins rirkcJlirf—ir oiheif mr^ tl:«r« Is neither
waste of tn^ s^l he^d^ no iinpalnDent/ of t^w prodnotirmoiiB of

Pela^^lo sealing, (m the othor hand, is trastoful in fche QXtromo
ind is ^>:nf,rri l- th^ fountain haatl or saurce of annply* Fron the
v^ry r3tu)rei <vf tJi^ oaga selection cannot ho exercised, and a larp;^
oroenfccu^e of seals woimded ard lost* Owlti^-; to tho peculiar move-
inftwts of the s«»aX herds It no happens that libnut ninety percent of
tJi*? sffalij kiaif»d in the North Pacific arc fonalds hoavi' with young,
•wtilirv^ ;<:^ on orally a <i/MtJ-:otion of i^mto fiwi livw for evory bAmU
s»al kUlod. In ^ftrfiTg Baa alao, lar^^a iTUnVw-s of f ^-ad«n are
taken; tfcMt ffSfttloa art in milk anS Uieir .rfctw diij of starvation ai

?tila«?io stjilinj- ns an IrduRtry is of rccont orl/rln, anfi may bo
Mixi u> dit« fi-oft 187 <♦ In jj^po, aocordinR U thu official report
ot thQ r,air.Adtsn i'lnister of f/aarine and Fisheries, seven vessels and
?4<^ mtw ?mP9 Wr^a.-'ad In pftla-io sealinn in tho U^rth Paoific, oo-
«arlTVJ l»,'30n 8.';in$ valuod at $1(13,200. fhQ .-ame aut'iorlty atatos
thnt in 18C:; uranty vessels and 460 men aeonred :-«,907 skins valued
at iiflO,<yiDt In 1801 tlie total number of vassals had increased to
(XPml iO{>; i^wardfi ct aiX>0 r.m mre onga^-^d, and swre than 62,000

■nxMT it ftppsarn that for lean, years after thg Alaska Purchase
thft F:a--i)«aa of the Pribilof Islands vore pmctioally undisturhod

218

in puieii^ W imd x"rtw Ih&it* tiratdiii^ f^rrtmdi; thAt n X87G eeven
7«M€lt and ^li v^mi attt^k^d 6h§m lii tho ^^^ tiiwrt th« northwest
ooaai ^€owinp 18^ W »kSni; thai Uifi Jt>4istry provod so roramem^
tiv% tmt In ti^eAro y*^» thf miabtr of r^tale ha,4 InOiMid Trom
ytvm to TO^ h^^indrod; thS laen from 218 to I5>"^ard0 of S^DOO; and the
skiPin i^^ctorad i*or. 1&»(300 to m< >r§ than ♦32,000^ Whan it Is remejfD*
l^rad that thU nuebor is 1)ut a fraction of the numhar of seals
dastroyad it btjnc^itti erldant that unlwft oheolcad hy intawational
l3iP!;i8lfitlon, t}i& cormarclai e«tArmlr4av>n dT uha said is only a mal

• • •

?t>r 16 yaftr» ttftor th^ AlaaHa Purohato about 100,000 banhelor

B^B trjn^ saearod aniii\t41y withotit clirficuUr and wl*Ju>ui in^^aiU^l-f:
tha prad.jetly(^n08fi of iMf^ l^.reodla^ rookerlas, but th^ deornasa
\r^v^)\t aJ^ut \iy polfi^lo spollng mada it extremely difficuH to ob**
tain thia nnmher after l(y^f, and the standard of size was lowered
6a7arai tlwas In ordar to obtain the full quota, m 1890 the rook-
©rlaa and haulinf, ^rounds had fallen off to sucb ai-i alarainr, extant
that the IVdasury /V,3nt in oharge o derod the killinr, to stop on
July 20, at irhieii dat# only 21,000 seals ^ad been seeurad-- and it
tnay b^ added tSiat thl.s numbar waa taken only after the ;!;reatest
exertion on the part of the Company's A^ients^ The peroentage of
seals rf killabia sUe r/as so small [if -205^ comparod with the
pen3enta-e of yearlinp^s, that it ib not surprisinr that the T^^asury
Agonts on ll\e Islands were Is^ressevi witli the r^carcity of younp;

219

'B^

?altir«, ixrsA. boii^r, nw cOi* tna9^AH.->»To«<i In mittar r.^lafc ng to soal
Ufa, «*«•♦ oaallf la<l to ulataki off^fc fov c>«u«»^ and attribiited
fiie <'.6'!if3isff to tJve killJtn- of too many jotay; !i»l»f at Uio islands
Ai prwiooa .tflww— init,«Rd of to t>.o dMttCottoft of tii« mothsrs
*rtd ycmj\g hy pglar.i© £Ml»rp--<!r. trror tfia!' \f*re quiok fcc correct
after ^iotJ>er yBtr«*R «xp'9i»Zft»itt«.

Tha n^yn^CJf of smIv VUlgd r»ch day during tho )cilli«f season
-rrv* tiB tai;m> as a ro^awr Index to the rapidity of t^^ d'>oXlna of ihe
:- okwia^ }n Uw ^4l^t fair ywrs, Trwiftuty Af^ait Charles J P/off, In
9i-Argti Cit thp Swl Xtlartde in 188^-iaen »tett«a in hi official
i^jport that Lhe w^r^f* daily kilUlVr In JWO *?iLr rSS, vhlle In 1B89
;t ras 1,^74 for whe 6«ri« period.

Tn ht« r<fti>n for 18159,

Van.'. <icff Hataa: "The alarin-

*T>g diJftt^^a in l?.il dally, wttOkXy, and nxmUlj raoaipts of [nkins by]
the A),3Bka Go-Tiftmial (kroparo^. and ai? ft domla^ roeort by sl'«d com-
pary tc s<i<?ar<» UiSir 100, aoo sklna, tho killing of smaller r.eals
than fras otiFtoajiry. a .tatt ooiislu^lvoly that there is a scarcity of
■30«i« xnd Uv«t within tJiQ last year o'- so thay are, frc»r. F.ori;^ causa,
AoareasXrY, t<\r hdroml the Incrods^.' o states further: *! t^qM
it alj!X)Jut.ily essential, "or the future of the rookeries. U'.at proir.-.t,
actions ';9 tai;w ly tJio r>epartni©nt for the exippression of ille/^al
killinr of seals in ^erinr, Sea, and that V^e utr.ost economy b-) ob -
served ir- talurv" trie 3-9915 allowed bv law.*

220

5.:MSIIHSS JISGESSARY ?0K T!!E RBSTiMTIOIl 0? THE DEPLKTKD KOOKEBIKS

Mm FOR THE PSR!i!AnBf{T PRESKRVATiON OF THE Flll^-SRAL.

•!

m^

Pii

As already siioi^., pelario snaiin/': is the prlr.ary cause of the
decrease of Qie Fur-Seal and V.e depletion of the rookorios. So
lorf; as the sealinr schooners aro penr.itted to ocntir.ue V ti dcislme-
tion of pregnant aiid niirsjnr^ fon.aies, not only ^vill It he irposf!l-
hie to increase the nr^h^er of seals on the rookeries, U;t it will
"bn impossible to preserve L^^g nnml^ers nor there prosont, even If no
seals arc killed at the Isiandn. Th.e restoT'ation and perrranent
preservation of the rookeries, triorof ore, d'^ands tlie porpotiial
prohibition of p^^la^^ic sealin.^.

The numher of non-Treedia^ males that nay he safely killec- at
the islands -vill v-ny fron year to year, and should he deter^i'v^'3
each season hy C' ripe tent ^^ovenr-ev^t a^^onts on tlie grorrnd.

221

A

APPBM)tX A.
SEALS SINK WHEN KILLED IN TIIE WATER.

It is ^'ell-knovvn that seals in gene^'ai sink when killed In uhe
water. To prsvont the loss of s\.vjh seals various devices are em-
ployed. In the Nev/foundlai:d and Labrador Seal Fisheries the f^reat
maioritj of the seals kilieu ar^j takeii on the ice, but. some are
shot in the water. In order to secure the latter, each hunter is
proviued with a reel of stout cord to »vhlch is attaenea a lead
weight bearing several large hooks. Wi-ien a seal has been shot, the
h\mter holas coil of loose cord in one hand and swings ^no v/ei.f^ht
with the other until it attains sufiicient mv:-nienti5in, when he lets
it fly in ^he direction of the seal hopinp; to overreach t.lic animal,
in vvliich case the lead vveiphl ca-nn'.s the hooks ^'apidly dcwn^vard on
the far side of the i>eal. By means of z. strong ;.vill on the cora, ^he
hooks are made to take liold of the S':al ana he is d>"avvn in.

In the North Pacific tne .ola/^ic 6';al?^*s a^-^r^ providea ''Vith
slender poles, each bearing an iron hook aL one end, w.th which i-hey
secure many seals thai have ue.f^un to sink. Tn or'oer to use this
pole, the hunter in his boat approaches ihe seal Lc ^vithm shotpj^n
ra.rip,G\ after firing, the oarsman propels bhe boat rapidly tu ^.he
spot thus enabling the hunter in an jncei'tain percentage of cases to
reach the seal with his long-han(;led gaff.

>'r. h'inckelmann, Royai S iperintendenb of Fishe»'ies, in an
article entitled 'Injuries to the Fisheries in the Baltic by Seals*
states: "The Seal when mortally vounded inva^nably sinks to the
bottom, wriere, at least in deep water, it cannot be rnached. ♦ . .The
huntsman can only in ve^ty rare cases prove that his shot has been
successful, as the dead Seal cannot be taken from the su^fa^^e of

222

**

^>

wio -vaier, but sinks k.o "the boLtonu •--TranBi'^'ted In Bull. U. S. Fish
Cu'rfi^usE.i.O:i, Vol. Vll, icr l-K//,. Wsj, p.:>l.

Capi. "us^-^ave, vho was stiii/vreoked on the Auckland Islands and
To-- a year and a naif s::bsisied la^'rely on Ihe flesh of seals and
sea-lions, states: 'Wiian th'..; a-G killed in the ^^ater they sink like
a sLone.* (Quotea by K. A. A. Sherrin in 'nandbook of the Fishes of
Ne-v Zealand, 1 ;ib, p. rA^j), ^

Payer and Copeland, in their account, of "Hunting and Animal
Life in ^asl Greenland', sta^e respectin;^ seals: "When dead they
sink verj quickly. "—The Zoolo-lst, Mo. 124, l^":7c, p. 4744.

Robert Warren, in a note m The Zoologist for l-jbO (3d se^'les,
Vol. TV, pp. 3o8-850) states Ihat a =>a; Seal (Halichporus p-ryphus)
was shot in Killala Ba^' vhilo in the act of devourin/r a fine salmon.
•On receiving the ball through the hinder pai^t of his nead he s^ink
out of sipM, but vas Ihro'vn ashore by the nexL t/ide, and even then
i'e.^ained a part of the salmon betA^een his ja-vs."

The reason seals in general sink vh^n killed m the ^vater is
that the specific gravii,y of iheir flesh nd bones collectively is
considerably greater than that of vyrater; while the specific gravity
of the ia^er of fat benealh the skin is less than that of v/ater.
Tills layer of blubber is much thicker in the Hair Seals than in the

«

Far-Seals, but is not thick enou/^h to float the body; consequently
even the Hair Seals sink when killed at sea. Tl is true that a ce^

V*-

tain percentage of seals killed in the water float long enoi:igh to be
recovered. Such seals, as a rule, are snot thj"oup:h the lunps, per--
mittin/^ enough air to escape frorn the lungs mlo the body cavity to
cause them to float. Pelagic sealer's admit that seals shot in the
head, -^'hen the rest of the body is under wator, ar^ almost C3rtr>in
to sink before they can be reached.

223

«

Cv»>lv«.U Wi

.. \ HC o

TvT '•• cj "f

i.'st< ai'rivais o:

sA dows, an

slaacl, Hei'ing

r^T-/

Sea, 1872-1891 inclusivG(froi!i official recofds).

lii

i

Btiiis

I

1872 • Ma- 13
I

1873 April :M

1874

1

Q7r

23
28

• 187. )

1877

1E78
■\urq

1880
1881

,8E2

1 PP'^

ir-.S4

fv'.av o

17

A-ril 29

SO

c^

Ma- .O

xv'OO

1 Of "V

1R88

1089 '

1890

Ap^ll 2^

Arji-ii ;'.o

27

IG

Mav 1

A-.rii 28

isr^i ; Ka- 1

I

I

Cows

<.

ane

3
8

Ik f

2.1

J

line

1

f

I'

a*:

J

une

s

i

Pupj

ujie 13

-] ! •

■^» •

ifamviiw m lair

I

10

lo record

lo record.

16 p'lri-e IS

No ro'^ord 21 rook-

10

teries rap-

dly fill- 12
(in;" up
!Io re:*ord

No ro'^ord

do
do
do

do
do

do

Juno 10* '.nod msTiV

■

11

00

do

do

ao

do

May 21

Juno iO%r ^od many I'-^pcr
10

18

I

m

'

(.

First arrivals of Bulls, Cows, and Pups at St. George Island, Berinr,
Sea, 1871-1891 inclusiveCfrorti the official record).

1872
1873

1874

I

187.3
18'77
1878
1879
1880
1881

1882

1888

1884

iS8C

1887

ISBo

1880

^uUs

I

1871 May 4

6
10

1875 April 26

'i'eb.ir) large nos

in water
Mav 8

10

10

1

3

2

t

4

April 29

18So Wav 4

7

I

♦

5

i:.'..0 April 26

i 1 iV::i' 0

Cows

No record

do

do

Tuno 7

9

13
8
Mo redord
Jun9 0
No record
June 9

6

1
8

No record

f.'ay ol
Nc record

I

I

I

4

I

t

I

4

I

fups

No record

do

do
Jtine 7
No record

do

do

do

do

do

June 9

11

6

10

No record

'uno 8

Ho record
Majr 31
No record

do

;l! <■

nc 10

1

I

I

I
I

i

I

t

I

224

ii

2

*

-^fc^^^W ^jP

YOUNG SEALS ARE BORN ON IJ^JD OR ICE, DO tJOT SWLVl AT FIRST^Al'^D CAJJNOT

NURSE li'J "I!K WATER.

Mo species of s-^al in any part of Iho world r.ives Inrth to its
Younp in the -'atsr; either arnom^ the Sea-bears and Sea- 1 ions (fiiarUfe
or amonf the trae Seals (Phocid^e) . In the .prreat rrajc^lty of species
the youn'' are hro!i!e:ht forth on rooks alon^ the s^'ore, hut in a fe^'.'
kinds of Hair Seals, n^ tabiy the '-^-'S and Hocds, they aro bom on
the ico flo'-s rf the far north.

Not onb' ar^-^ ail kinds of seals l>cn-: on land (or ice) but U:ey

remain there "iiiie -.ursinp;. for S5ais cannot ruckio Lheir yoiuifi; in

tho sea: The youn^: are vmabie to hold their breath lonp
TOr.ld dro-'Ti if thoy atter^.pt^d to nr.r:,'0 in tho ^'-ator.

:ind

Hov/ever stran/^^ it nviy seom to those unfamiliar -^'ith the faci.s,

all younp; seals a-e afraid of the -'ater at fi^r t and enter it. x^itn

mg

"t-

■■V**"*

great -eluctanoo. At tho Island of St.. Paul.> liave seen mother
seals lake r^heir vounr by tho skin of the back ar^d carry tliOm out
Into the crater, nuch against the ^7ill of the young, ana have seen
this repeated several tinies before the you g ^^^ere ponn.:tted to land,
which thev did in a state of /:reit ex-it-rrenl and faLir:^<a. Capt.

Bryant, ''^bo spent iLany years at tlie Prlbilof Is.ands as Chief Govsrn

rnent A^rent, states: 'It seen.s stran^'-e that a- anir^el like tils,
bom -o I'ly^ i"" the Va tor for the firo'-iter r-nrtion of its life,
she-id bo at first lieipl-ss in '^riat i.een:s to b'- lt^; natural -^le-ent;

vRt t'ie::e ^^ounp* Seals, If out 1-to it befv^re !v"oy t

aro five or six

226

^^

m

^

weels old, -'111 dro^vn as quickly as a youn^ chicken. They are i^ona--
what slo^r, too, in leaminr to s'^lin, ^ising at first only the fore
flippers, carrj^ing the hind ones ri/^ldiy extended and partially
ahove '7ater. As soon as thev are ahle to ^n'im (usually about the
last w>?k of Awcust) they move frorr. the hreedinr-piaces on the ex-
posed poirits and headlands to the coves and bays, 'vhero Uiey are
sheltered from the heavy s^-rf, and w] ero bhe^^e are low r>and-bciac]ien»
(Bryant in Alien's Pinnipedii, 1880, p. ;^F7.)

Capt. Wusgrave, n-ho was ship'/recked on tlie Auckland Isles for
more than a year and a half, has publish^ni som • important notes
respecting tho sea-lions of tiiose Islands, Concerning the youri^., he
states: "It mif^ht he supposed that these animals, even when young,
would readily go into Llie water— that being one of thoir natural
instincts, but, stranr:o to say such is not the case: it is only with
the greatest difficulty, and a v/ondr^rful display of patience, that
tlio mother succeeds in g^ttiivs Iier young in for ^he firsl. time. I
have known a cow to bo th^-oe days ^^etting h^r calves down }ialf-a-
milc and into tlie water, and, v;]iat is most surr^rising of ail, it
cannot swim wlu-^n it is in the water.

^

227

APPE\^DTX B

NATUI^AL BmaES.

The only important enemy of the Fur-Seal kno^^ to man is the
Killer-whale (Orca gladiator). These KUle'-s visit the Tsiancis on
their ^^ay north aboui. tha end ^f April, and rei^'i'^^n in September. Tn
the fall they hup: the 8ho>-e, keeping in the kelp or moving about
the rocks as near in-shore as they find sufficient ^ater to float in.
They are sometimes seen in squads circlihf; round and round the
Islands, catching young pups by dozens. At first the pups a^e
said to pay no attention to the enemy, sc^netimes swiamin^ ripiii into
the Killer's mouth, but before the end of the season they learn
what the presence of the Killer means, and rush oat of the 'vater and
up on the rocks whenever' une cumes nea^ sho-e. The K [liters f;enOi*al«
ly ai-rivt) early in September, and remain as loig as Lho pups s.ay,
which is usually until the lati.er oa--' of 'Jcvomber.

cM,^.

in /I

V-/'

I

t?

¥

o

t'mmKxm&fm-

n

t

(Ma...

«»

\

228

APPWNT)IX E
SEX OF SEALS KILLED IN BERING SEA.

*

In the Canadian Pisheriss Report, fc^ IPm (published at Oita^^a,
1887, J. ?e8), Mr. Thomas Movatt, Tnspectov of Flsho^^ies fo^ British
Coi-jmbla, siaiGS rojipeotlng the pela/^lc cai.ch of that, yea- (IB86):
"The greatest number were killed in Behring Sea, and ve:^9 neo ly all
covs or female seals. This enormous catch, vvith the increase which
will take place when other vessels fitting;: up every year are ready,
will, I am afraid, soon deplete ou>* fu^- seal fishery, and it is a
great pity svch valuable ind istr^. co Id noL in some ^vay be protected/

In the Canadian Fibn^^'Us Roport for ISSS (publishoa in Ot^a^^a,
1S89, p. 241) it is stated: "The maiority of ou>* h.mL;.rs contend
that, Ihe^^e are over 7 per cent, of pups In the entire catch of t\vr
seals on the coast; while in Behring Sea Lhe catch does not exceed
1 per cent. But, they cannot deny the fact, that over oO per cent*
uf the entire catch of Behring Sea is made up of female seals."

fi

if

229

Jwiy 16, 1892.

^' ss engraving'; Co.,

cuf. Pear] Street,
New York Citv,

V

"*6 r Sirs:

"" '""'' °' '"^ "oproduoMona of «,e Soal I.i^a .h , .

' " *' K-a .n=:e time a^o i,„, r.st r . . Photograph

ii,iVB jast reached me hnv-fv.^ -k

" *" «-^ ad^r.3.. As a .hoi, tho " ""' '' "^

'- -^13 1„ .,1 „,,,3 , . ' ""^^ °-' ™'-- -^atlsfacto^,

cases being very moh less distinct than , .^
<= •i.;;-'.^. In the one sho«„„ part of ,. .

h-- t.^.on th, li^.rtv , " ''°°''"' ^"^ -"^'

"^ ii)-.?rty to paint the hackq n-p +v,

^rv ^,s t:... . ..^-. . °^ '^' -'^^^ ''^ite, which

■ - -'^.v wrong appoarar.oe. The reproduction of th«
O'snis- of i^r F». ^ ■: "^"on oi the pen

- .u.t .. ..e 0. r °" °"^ ^"" - P-Mo.arI. poor

r.re. :....;. ^^ ^"^^^'"'^^^ ^-^ ''^^ -^ -^>^t to give a

...-eo. reprooucuon. Pl3ase subn^lt another set of .

^«po.aible. T}-..i,t.. . °'^^^ ««^ of proofs as early

•' P-^--'<''5s are needed at once tn in, . x
thit %'<li h. . , „ ° Illustrate a docume>

•^ ^or ttie printer shortlv. PI9.3. ^, ,,
rnof. to :ne .t the U S D.n . " ^^^^^^ -^end these

° S. Departntent of ;\gri eiU ture .

Hespectf'-dly,

Bering Sea Commissi

loner.

230

^^1?^,

^'iiy IS, m)2.

Cr. .'. A. Allon,

American Mus^jm, Natural HUior^-,
"en York City. n. Y.
C'9&''* Doctor Allen

Air. Lanslr^ handed mo tlic onclosscibils mornin;; with the altera-
tio>.3 you will observe. Hg thin.5 it n-cassary re specify Guaoalup«
UlaiKi In each inetance and re>i"S6ts^to aiw tlie siibstitute^vhieh
is Jierewith enclosed. Please sign and return to nvj.

Mr, Lans^'ng stat.;- furths^- tJiat he has recaivsa Uo reports
fron-, you,, which he ?,up;.osft<l had been acknowl9tV?ad-the one on the
se^.i fi-lisrigs hfi hss rgad and is imioh pidaaed wit}i; the other '
(on ths Synopsis of Pl-^nipeds) has not yet baen read. He says that
in the first -sport you spak of a lar«c mmber of dead -eals on
rome inland ?riu su^^Pect an e^.idemie or .- sand sto^in. \Mth yn^rr
peT^r.issilon. ;:s •yiil crrlt thia ,-,ar.-i^raph aito^-ethsr.

iVe havo Just an;.oO;<ed 7 F.ir-Se&ls frcm the Cornmandor Cslanas .^:nd
12 froTi the Pr^.btiof UiendsOiearly all rralea of dljferent a-9s, sooie
76rj •■.id^ On -^xamimn?, them in the salt, T have found no differ-
encefi, bnl they are nov bein,^ eleaiied up and f^ado Into skins, r^td
I shsii exr-jnint thern with gr^at ca^e as soon &$ ihfy sro in —oper '
co>-:dit1on and vill lot , ,u kao-^< ths r'ss-jlt.

«4. ^ U.*. C-^ *• N V V ;

4

V.'--.,

I

r

Iju

It

^

V,

2- "2-1

231

Ufaaax m

FOOJ) or Till ?VR.SSKL

A%u*t 1-8-1891,

On, tarred .„„ ,t^t,„ .t«ach, of ^r-S,^. „„ ^,„^
Jointly b. th. n„He. SUUs ^ B.it„h B.rt^ S„ Co«U,lo„„e
-t St. Paul a,a St. n^rg, leianSs A^g.,t 1 «,d *«u,t 3, 1891,
»ith the toUming rssuUs;

All Of U,e .to^hs ,e™ oponed i»e<iiat,ly aft«r tto .eal,
-re «Ued. „i„oty-thr« oat of the 118 wer. ^ty, o„ept for
the praseno, of a little ^ous. bilo. frothy .li„, aark-bro«l,h
Uood. and para.Hio ,„™. Blood in ,0.0 fom ™. p„.,„t i„ n™
3to«ach,, and K...tode «>™s about thre, i«>he, m lo^th wars
found in most of the stomachs opened.

T^ety oontalned pebbles, or pebbles and beaoh-«n, shell,
either alone or ,n oonnecMon ,Uh other contents, the ,uant,ty varj-
1^ froK a single stall pebble to a handmi.

Four eonained beaXs of s,uld or cnttlensh( Identified bv t*
Willi,^ "• "^^ - P-hably Ooaatusjawoii ) . of .hloh three'sets

wore m otip stomacli, t-w sets In smf^^v v,.^

. 59&S m anothei-, and one each in the re-

main in,^ two.

TVo oontaneci fish bo^ft^ ^f --rVw^i.

i-^... Done., of ,.hich one consisted of tho verte-

-^^^a- bon.n o. ., Cod (G^d^^^mrr^^j^) , th. other IJ.5
oar hona.'^ of a sitnllar fish.

r

f|i

^M

r.i

I

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■f»i

232

-2-

One contained a large Isopod crustacean{ Identified by Prof.
I. Smith as • apparentlj^ a species of RooineXat a genus verj'^ close
to Aoga*').

One contained a small bit of kelp*

Contents of stomaehs of Pur-Seals killed In the North Pacific Ocean ,

April 22-May 1, 1892^

The stomachs of 104 Pur-Seals killed by Pelagic Sealers in the
North Pacific off southeastern Alaska April 22-May 1, 1892^ between
lat* 56^ 45' and 58^ dS* and mostly 60-80 miles from shore, were
examined by the Naturalist of the U. S* Fish Oommission Steamer
'Albatross'* Of the 104 stomachs, 67 or (-541 percent were empty^ Of
the remaining 3% 80 contained 87 fishes, and 18 contained 728
sqi ids or cuttlefish.

K'ost of the stomaohs containin^^; food have been sutaitted to us
for •lamination, and the fisher> have been identified by Br. Tarleton
H. V.onn, Ir^hthyolo^-lst of the U» S, Fish Comriissicn*

Of the t:'0 containing fishes, 15 contained red rock fish or
rock cod (Sebasticthyn, 6 of which -^ere found in 1 stomach, making
19 in all): 2 cor Gained salmon, 2 pollock (Pollachius chalcorraj'/nur),
2 ling, 1 stickleha'ik ((-ai^torc^tgias catanhraotus) ^ and 9 small
fisiies too nuclv di^ost ^d to admit of ready identification • Tv^'o con-
tai.aod pv9bbles; and se^/eral, intestinal wonns.

AlUiough squids wern found in only 18 of the 87 stor':ai3lis con-

I'l

f

I

233

■f

-3-

tainin^^ food, a largo number tore generally foimd in each stomach-
as many as 410 beaks in one iriBtance, and S19 in another. In all,
14Cd boaks, representlrg 7S8 squids, were foxmd in the 18 stomachs,
an average of 40j to each seal. Onng to the small siae of the in-*
dividual beaks, particularly those of the yoUDger squids^ many were
probably lost in emptying and transferring the stomach contents,
iio that the number here given is certainly below the number original-
ly contained*

The examination of these stomachs shows that the Fur- Seals are
chiefly surface feeders, the only food found from rrwderate deptlis
oeing the red rock fish or i*ock cod (SebastiothyftK of which all the
jl^ecimens obtained belong to a species of whose haunts and habits
nothing 13 knovni.

I

;

s

234

July 21, 18i'2.

I

I

1

:VJi

1

m

'i\\e Woci' Engravirig Co.,

:^5 Pearl Street,

New York Citv.

Dear Sirs:

'f}i3 second sot of proofs of the Boring Sea illustrations ha?. '
yjr.t ooiTiO to xh^^vd and'^^ not so good as I had hcpod. I accept thsm
in order to save time, as ?;o noed the prints at once. Thoy should
have wid.'}r marglnn thrtii those proofs or they will La sraallor than the
text. Trie pitgcr, shoiu.;; ^?v-asiiri-' at l^airt C-^-K 10-i.- incliOE,

Pi.:ase send the prints and olectros ordered at your earliest
pos-riihl-j con vc-inioac.^; addressed to rnc at the U.S. Department of Agri-.
culture. Soini ycur bill to m:^ also, hut mako it out in the name of
the iJ. S. DoDar«>5:i.?nt of State.

,Wj<i^ \nvSA>

->^ *^>JKw^v.

^f:'r'T

^c.rt C

iserin^, .^ea -JoTOiicsioner

'

"S

r

Julv 22, I SOP..

IT

r'G?:ir Sir:

0'^-^)\5 to my fro2enoe frr^io thp c-^t^^ >,^,.y, ^^.^ /, , ^.

'.i, L.Lj yOi^r i.at,i, corrntrani cation

^^I'-^-ui.^ b!:iCo;.u i^r\- has r(j?Tja;ineci iJn?5r>-
^ --^^.. cu..,-u xor U., trouLl9 you have taken in
securing thU l^ifor/n^^dlon.

I regret to troubl. you -.rth.r, but tne^^e still regain, one
U... of irfo™.tton Which I v.r, „a„h d.s->,, namaly. . Hat of tho

vessel li 'decked at. th^^ 'i^i^fo-z^iilond q^-ci wa u

-i. v.,..vio..£.uxc^iu ^t^al Fishery subsequent to 1SS;>.

1 » .io. i..n . ,U-.l,.u ,,-:clusiv9. I encloss 8 blank

f«j?.m'! and shall hp syr^^pi'^^-' ii-h h4,vw -r ie» .-..

^,, ^r.et.j ii.d^^biyd if you will be good ,inou^h to

Respectfully,

.Viv?^

<Vo>vS>

1

i» -

-eri.a/y Sea Co?rtnisslonc-r.

'*>. In your ^st^tement of the skino o*-,^ ^^i ^^ ,v

^x uie oAins and oil for the various

.oars .ub.e,uent to 388^ you ,lve the data for 1892 to June 25. Havo
any naditionai re^arn. oono in since, or are the data a. r.ccrdod

fomplc^te for th^j v-ar? . .

^ ^-^ .roatly rained to le.n, of th. terrible cal.nit^; U.
^g-iia ^^ofaXion §t, Johns,

it has

235

Tt lll'^llil tM

t-.^fc'J.t'.^* lOi" fanm ':

rm«m m«'m. »■ m i1

236

July 27, 1892

The Honorable

John W. Foster,

Secretary of State

Sir:

In compliance with your request, I transmit herewith by messen-
ger the original letters received from 12 foreign naturalists, as
per accompanying list, in reply to my letter dated April 2, 1892.
The letters from Dr. Allen and prof. Jordan also are enclosed, thou^
I do not suppose you will use them.

Respectfully,

i t

i

%}

V

V 'il

237

NATimALisfs mm

Prof. Pr* Alfred Nehrii^
Invalidensta^sse, 42,
Berlin N.

Germany

I)r4 Gustav Hartlaub,

OsierhorB-stelnwog, 59,
Bremen ♦

Germany*

Prof, Robert Collett,
Zoological Museum,
uhrlstiania,
Nonmy.

Prof, A^ Milne-Bdvmrds,

Director, Museum of Natural History,
Paris,

Franco.

Br* Leopold von Schrenck,

In^erial Academy of Sciences,
St% Petersburg,
Russia,

Dr* A. Th. yon Mlddendorf,
Dorpat, Hellenorm,
Li viand,

Russia.

Prof. Count TOTmaso Salvador!,
Museo Zoologico,
Turin,

Italy.

Prof. Raphael Blanchard,
Rue du Luxemboui^, 82,
Paris,

Prance.

Dr. Kenry H. GigUoli,

Director, Zoological Museum,
Royal Superior Institute,
Floronoe,
Italy,

4 4

I;

1

k

238

i

1

4

Prof .Baron 4» B» JfojKlimftWola,
Stockholm,

y

239

^

e

July 28, 1892 •

Ur. Robert Lansing,

U. S. Departoent of State.

TV* %%*-* ^1 T* •

Tiie only copy of the "New Boview* containing Badon-Powell's
ai'tlolo that I have ever seen was in the possession of J. Stanley
Bro-^a. I believfl it ^;ar> pubiishJlin February, 1891. Copious extracts
froni this article (covering neai*ly four typewritten pages) are con-
tained in a docrjnrrat Rubraitted to General Foster by N. S. Jeffries,
Fobraa'T 4, 1891. Fearing thf: original may have been mislaid, I
yrtnd you herewith tny copy. The quoted matter from Baden-Powell

begin:; on page 8.

I r.end you also th- original and only copios I have of the
threo maps prepared by Dr. Da:^'Son to sho^y the distribution of the

ft

Fur-Seals at different dates. I shall be greatly obliged if you
will kindly return those to mo when you have done with them.

Has the Report of the American coinnissioners been put in typo
vnt? It seems to me important for me to read the proof of this
Report With some caro. This I could not do without considerable
d5lay unless it is received shortly, as I am about to leave the city

for son? weeki;.

Very traly yours,

!

240

Octc>bor ?, L^op,

U- S, Rovonuc St^arnv- *^<.^sa*,

r«

;^n x*>-incUco, (^^liif.

rs •

-uk5f.p c-ir;

^ou>> i.tto^ />^.,n ?eptvniber Cth frm Unal->ka has jn.t/ccrt.^ to
nand. ami T ,,, .lad to know thut th^ <.e .i skins an, otir^r ;n..t.rlal
U;lcen by^t!.. 'R.,h' ha. been .ack.d and .hipnea ...st. vUh th. e.toh
01 tii. 'Cc.-aln.' Douotiajis it ^.iil -,uch v.s nhovtly in -rood conui-

tio?..

''^•■' • til ! >e st. '-vi sh « s

1 )^- :;£>■; K,
-^ - I*-*. — . * »

Bering Sea CoiiiiTil-j^iiGner.

'^

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241

Octoler 14, ISO?,

.-v.

Mare 1 1 1 an- 1 , C : 1 i ( n rn la.

r n.. p^ad to Utrn fror. your letter cf the 7th in.ta),t tUt'.,

much valuable material in the 'v-y of' E.^-a t^^a.^- i<- n. i^c

J ^- X. ..i.L o.'v.ins 1 ?> on Its. -'/ay to

Wfi53^n}iwt^3xu it 'nil .rovc: a vaiualle acc^'-lon -. ^nv - .♦

^xutuw. xv a(^Lev-.-,ion . ,-) our i^ational

nv special -!i.o-ia.-,ce it may have in conn.--
ilon with th^ S«cii Controv'rrsy.

«'ith bss-i 'vii^hes^ T remaiij, ^ '

^er-j tnily yours, ^

Coxi t J vion asiuo from aj

«

91

II-

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kx«

OM,

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K'allo

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New!' Avodland.

De

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On reiurnin/^ f-^:^in T-nu l=tiG

T find your letter enclosin/^ t^he

.ca

Itional reco^^d of ^bai oil and sea

1 r:kLn:

xp

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rted frcm Jv:iie 2.')

-^. ^.

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ijQ A-Tf.

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ar.;

also Stalin/^ Lnat a cc

siuorable qvantH y of skiiis

ana ou are j

e vGl to be export^^u

\1 all have nov been oxpoH^^d

so that a

ompl^te 3t:xtoinent for tho yea>^ can be made, T t>hall be

cblignd fo^' th'':^ ^ercie

am

gr frail y paVnod to 1'^

am of uhe severe loss you ria/e sus

taineo by the late ivrz

Rorinp Seu Commissi one

*^^

243

October 18, 1892.

Tho Hono"abl8

The S.-creiarv cf State.

Sir:

Mi% J. f]tanlo;- Brown Informs me that a number of spocirr^on^^ cf

sealf:, collected by the United States vessels Ir. Bering Sea during; ti

ne

past s'v:;mruOr, are on uhair yv.j to Washington, and that you df^.sii-r: me
to look aft'-r the same on their arrival hero.

I respoctfully fcef.: Lo he relieved from t/his duty, having n

10

official ccnrioction v^ith the National Muse^om, to which institution
the nustody of such inaterial naturally belong??. I would si;^?;i:';est,
thereforo, that the specirnons be delivored direct to the authnritios

of the imbionai Iviuseimi^

Fo spec t fully,

1 1

244

November 19, 1898

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i-'^ret to say that

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Dr-:ni-jl ^Vebi.tor p.av6 to th^: R*^^iti>'.h ConiTTiis^.ion?^b, * 1 b^^p- to say that
1,0 the best of my kno.vl'-^di-o and oeiisf C^vpt. Welisto*" /^{ave no pa[.er

c ciocurnent oj' a^^' kvi<:i t.o tue ii

b'-b:i ^'O'jnin:

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by the BHtioh CoTnrnltc:inne^'s» A ty^cvri tton copy of hib tt^terront

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waij ^'•Iv'^n to O'Bne^^i J*'osi<u^ dv rnc sbcr^t

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246

Cecember 2, 1892.

The Hon. John W. Foster,
Secretary of State.
Dear Sir:

T transmit he--vith my reply to the Report of the British
Be-in^ Sea Commissioners, received about a month ago (October 31 ).

In this reply I hsve no^ touched on the statistical matter,
affidavits, appendicos. and statements as to times at vvhich the seals
are present at various points along the coast, M-. Lansing being
fa^iilia- ^vith all those matters. N'oithe- have T attempted to' explain
the statements of Government Officer's at the Islands, contained in
their reports for 1880 and 1890, quoted by the R-itish Comrrdssione'-s.

In the matter of 'raias' the BKtish ComissioneT-s s -em to have
collected evidence and details of a ccnside-able mimber not included
in the list published in our Case, vnich if co-v^ect does not ^-eflect
much credit on ou" side.

The cross -rofe-ences, of which a la-^e n'^be- a-o mv^r -ofo-
both to the section n'abe-s in the British Commissioners' Reoor-t
and to ry -emu-ks th^-eon he-^-ith 3Ut«ntted. Tn order to avoid
additional uelay f have not ,?iven many references to the evidence
contalnea in our C,,,,., .s-Mc^a-ly since the sarr.e gro-.nd has been
covered i^, all pr')bal.i I1\- in your 0"/n office. ?ne absence of an
index to the .Britir], Corrni'ii;io';e"s' Reijort has rende-ed the labo- of
makiiig thy c-oss-reftrencos exo-odingly ♦eaious, and ha^ greatly
delayed wy "eply.

i i,

I

247

I

Tlij Hcix. John W. Poster 2

It ;jeems to me thai tho eviaence on our side is ^afficiant in
nearly ew<::r:; case to ans'/zer the points maa-3 by tho B>^itlsh Oonrnis-
iiione^s; but in a fev instances vhe^o additional evidence seems
necesba>-y T have indicated ihe s^e in tlie rerria>-ks on the j;a^a,^^eph.
Except in the sin/^le case of the alleged non-existence of •staf;ey'
seals ab sea T tnink ou^ Tr-nr,sury Aponls (Staniey-B^awn, Cnpt.
Willi 'ims. Col, Mun^ay, and Oapt. Lavender) can supply oil the
infonaatlon neeaed* In the case of the 'st&fiey* seals it would be
well to jiave evidence l>om the furKe^^s who handle the •lo'-thwest
Coast catch. Perhaps you have already obtained this evidence.

Tt seems to me that impoKant aid mixrht be had frorr; n^-. Dall
by askin/?; hi»p to read pa>*ts of the BMtish Corranissi oners' Report,

The Mig^^ation Cha^t (Map No. ^) accompanying our Case is very
misieaain^, ana should be >*ecailed and ^-oplaced by another, 0- else
should be accompanied by an explanation wh^ch will make its meaning
clear. I have studied over it a good deal, but am still in the dark
as to whether it means what it seems to mean, vhich '.vould be very
unfortunate for ou^^ side, o>- whether it is susceptible of some other

ints'^pretation.

The Sealing Chart (Map K'o. 4 of cu'- Case) shows only the
positions of seals observed b,- United Slates vessels. Tn transmit-
ting to you the data f^-'jm which this map was ccftipiled (on the 2oth
of June last) I turned over to you the S^^al Lo^s of the British
Fleet cruising in Bering S<;a in 1301, namely, H.W.S.S. /N^Tnph,*
•Pheasant,* and •Po>'poise,* and also the Seal Log of the 'Danube/
the vessel which ca-^-ied the B>^-iti8h Commissioner's, the latter being
the moot complete and important of all the 'seal logs' kept during

'

' II

248

The Hon. John W. Posto^- o

the season of 1891t '^hsso documents were accaripanicci by track
charts already ir^opa.-ecl, ^nowin^ tho positions and abundance of
seals obsorvea by the British Fleet, and 1 pa>-t.icalarly requested
that all of the information rospecting the presence and abundance of
seals on these charts: bo placed on a single map of Bering Sea, For
sOTe unaccountable reason, only the United States* records we^e used,
the Y-esulting map being of ve>*y little value. This map, a:5 T under-
stand it, Is intended to s^iow the positions and relative abundance
of seal 5? In Boring Sea, not the observations of any particular vessel
or set of vessels. The data containea in the B>-iti8h logs and
charts were particularly valuable as supplementing^ ours, covering
considerable areas to the no^-th and west of tiie PKbilof Islands not
traversed by our vessels.

Mr, C, H^Towsend, Natu'-alist of the 'Albatross/ has recently
showed me a photograph of a female Fur«Seal killed in Bering Sea
at a long distance from the Islands. The skin of the belly has been
laid open, and the photograph shows the enormous development of the
mammary glands, -vhich w'O'^e so full of miik at the time tnat it may
be 86en trickling the^ei>om. It occurred to me that- you mipht desire
to use this photograph In connection ^ith the "evidence in rebuttal.'

Respectfully,

i I

I

i

f.

H
I 'I

I \

I

I

w-

1

248

The Hon. John W. Posto^- .3

the season of Ib'lU, '^hsco uooMm9nts were accar,j;ani oci by track
cha'-ts already pi-opa;-e(l, snowing f.ho posiMons and abundance of
seals observed by ihn Bribish Pleot. and I paHicularly requested
that all of the infomation respecting tho presence and abundanoe of
seals on these chartc be plecod on a sin^-le map of Bering Sea. For
some unaccountable "eason, only the United States' re^o^-ds >,ye-e used,
the resulting map beiny of ve^y little value. This map, as T under-
stand it, is intended to s»iow the positions and relative abundance
of seals in Bcrir^o Sea, not the observations of any particular vessel
or 89t of vessels. Tho data containea in the B>'iti8h logs and
charts were particularly valuable as supplementing ours, covering
considerable areas to the no-th and west of the Pribilof Tslsnds not
traversed by our vessels.

Mr. C. H.Towsend, NatM-alist of the 'Albatross,' has recently
showed me a photograph of a female Fur-Seal killed in Bering Sea
at a long distance from the Islands. The skin of the belly has been
laid open, and the jhotoer'-aph shows the enormous dovelopment of the
inammary glands, vhich •vc-'-e so full of rr.iik at the time tnat it may
be seen trickling the'"-: from. It occurred to me that you might desire
to use this photograch in connection <vilh the 'evidence in rebuttal.*

Respectfully,

!!

it

249

REPLY

to

11

PRPORT 0? BRITISH BERING SEA COmaSSIONERS

By

0, Hart Merriar..

^wc-t,\tii,^

Tho rjumoral in front of ^acli paraf;raph refers to the sanie nuinl-er
in tlie Boport of Uio Bering Sea Comrr.issi oners.

The crofss-referoncoR refer to both the British Oommissioners'
P3port and the remarks herein contained bearing the same numbers.

J

20. St.ab^ment Ineurrect Lhat Ihe Fi.r-Seal is •essent/lailv
>.ela,«'ic,' and that •(iMr*ing t.h^ gr^iater part of each year [it,^ has no
oijoaoion to seek the land, ana v^i *y ra^*ol.y Uoos so.' As to Ihe
am|;hibio;s nav^^e of Fur-Seals, anu the f^ct t-hat "they sponci f'-lly
half of thei- lives on land* see Ropt. Am. Cmrn -s. (pi:. 320-^;22),
aiiu statements by Klovor^ and Alien, '^he ^ananimovis and unq-iostlcn^d
testimony of Govt, and Company's Agents r.na natives sho\-^ that fir--
seals 'ao a s->9cios are jj^^Gsc-nt at the P^nbilof Islands at. l-:ast
'^i^'^ht, and oft^n nine c^ ten months of the year.

20. (last se'-.tenc-?). 'v'ot true th-it 'aciiits of both ^exes

« «i

-X. u

si'-riin i^ow iooa* ouKn^ bre^Kiing soason. Trie ioi^ui^^^ le^i^ ait -r
bi»*th of pups. Capt. Daniel Webster told us that tnp fenalo;^. pc
t 0 r.ilo>5 or mo*^e to food when ni^^sing, ue^^lnninf: about the ?niddle of
July 0^ -^irst of Au^^^njst. (Hes.eetinp; feeding while at the ij^lsnds,
seet^H^ :]:^2, 242, ^ ^^07). ^v tV.i. -^rti^^^U H.. ^ot.

27. AUefreu interchange of Fu^-^e'^ls. b>etveen Co'^nanae''^ and
^^•Ibilor Tslanas does not occu^. See Hept, ^m. Cot.f'>'8., n. 828.
(Aiso, p-esent ao-.,^ 170, 19^, 216, 220, 453, 4n^_.)

2^.^ St.atemeni tnat Fur»-8eal hati *j^o nabitats o"- hom^:^' abr-^^-d

fro^n ^%aturai Hitito^'y standpoint* a'o r

» 1

■^^:r.l h^s mo^*e ^h^^n one

e, '^hich IS th-:? plac:^ vhe^^e it breeds • '^ais is true of ;ji^:-ts,
firnoo, Inject, s, aad all kinds of animals. Soo Rep^ * ' . iV>rim^s.,

V'

..f..-1

i'^.*

, *>^^^,

250

!

If

I

;-sO. Statement as to dates not over accufate and some-vhat ainbi-
guou8, but imiJiies that the breeding femalos •migrato to their winter
habitat* in July or Augiist, vhen in -eality they do not leave the
islands befo^-o the mldule or end of November. --See Kept. Am. Coramrs.
;^2 0 1,1.3 ;-h

Under same head see British Gomraiss loners' Rept. ^ ;^0, l«3, 174,
102. i^m.

31, Accuracy of statement that the 3e -ing Sea F.jr-Seal "sho-va
a considerable range of adaptlbillty' to climatic conditions depends
upon elasticity of the word 'considerable*. The climatic conditions
ander which it exists are remarkably uniform.

ii4. Complete exte>Tnination of Pur-Seals on b^^aeding islands
anywhei'e alleged to be unknow. Typends on how literally this
statement is accepted. \'o species is known to have been extenninated
^'"- fit-eftding coloniei have been exterminated in aevs'-al instances,

4;^. Capt. Daniel Webster told us distinctly that females ve^e
not killed du-ing the excessive killing of 1868, and that the b-eod-
ing rookeries .vers not disturbed, the klllia* being "96t>'ictod to the
'hoU';sc'hickie.' [S^e note und^;'- | '^lOS, -vhich ^^organ must have fM'--
nished, tho'jgh both ?/organ and Webster are quoted together. Webste^
testified to tho cont'-aryj

'H. The oxcessive killing at tne islands ceased vith the close
of tho year 1868; tho incsase off the B»-itish Ool'jmbia coast alisged
tc be show "by the flgui-gs eis'r.vhG'*e piven fo- t.he eaten* did not
take place till t^o yea-s iator--in 1870 and particularly in 1871,
(See -.able 2, p. Zl:i), Tt should have occurred in 1869 according to
tho thoory advanced.

251

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n

46, A crooo deal is asserted here and else*vhe>*e abo^.^t 'changes
of liacits* b'^iip-ht about by inte^re^ence; but very little proof is

any^vhe^e brought fo>^a^ in support of these asswiptions^ '^le mere
ci>*cumsta>'ice that an animal becorres more ^ary the mo>*e it is hunted
ha'-oly deserves to ^nk as a chan^^e in habits. Vo^ additional re-
marks on' change In habits' S9efr-)6, 207, 896 et seq.

M. B»"yant ^^eaily says: Mn the ave^^^a^e tiie^e a>'e about l-"^

* /

fomales to one beachmaster' --Pinnipeds, 385, 15 lines f^m the top of

i:a,o;o. See postea*2n:^. 204, 483.

54. Such la^/i;9 ha^'-rns as he^e described must be oxceodin/?;ly
rare; nt all events:. I ne^'e^ s:i7 one.

5h. Ask Staniey-Brcm if t<^.ie ^nat *it is no uncommon event to

find a single male seal vith a harem nunibering from forty to fifty,
and even as many as si:tty to eipthty females* as here claimed by the
BKtlsh Comm -s. Also see evidence on this point in U.S. Case.

56. What evidence have the British Commrs. submitted in sub-
stantiation of their oft repeated assertions respecting the 'increas
in^-- nuT.ber of ban^en females;' the "chan^^ in tiie habits of seal.s,*
and tne 'a^ivin/t of ^kil tables' f'^om the very marpins of the b^^'^'-^d-
i>ip rookeMes.V? See also f 46, 56, 297, :^h() a, 396, 716.

60. Peiap*lc sealiaq; ad^dtted to be *a ne^v factor also t-'^ndinr

-^n

252

253

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«7. For statistics respecting development and /growth of pela^gio
seaiin/^, and n'mber of vessels engaged in different years, see
statements in U.S. Case, ()p.

68. For number of skins taken by pela/^ic sealers in different
years see U»S. Case, oo.

71. An important admission that pelade sealing made it
necessary to restrict killin/^ at the islands in order to prevent the
rapid decrease consequent upon the introduotioa of this Vnevy factor
Mnuin^ towaras diniinution,* Soe also ^60, 63, 71, 99, 1^^ 588.

72. Lovferin^ of standard is st^^ong evidence of the rapid
decline in ni^bov-s of seals following the steady increase of pelagic
sealing*

74 • (iii), Whe^e Is the evidence of stampedes on breeding

rookeries •caused by efforts to secure 'arivos* too close to thair

or similar assertions respecti'^o- (jri'/ing from edges of
breeding rookeries soe|8hC a, 716, oG*

borders*? F

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}U (v). Staiemont that •sur*'9i)tltiou8 killing of seals by m-
authorlzed persons on the islands" 'is kno-vn to have occJ^red. "
Eviuonco should he dsmanded.

78. Impor-lani admission that 'it is undoubtedly t^ue that a
considerable proportion of th^ seals taken at aea are females.'
See also im, 633, Oio. 648, 653.

70. AlUped 'g^oat sur.ilus of females* frequently reit-^rated
but not proved.

S

ee

8b. Alleged '^.^-,&i paucity of males' contrary to fact.

also .''\l 7, 4:34, 4;iC;,. See Case of U.S., pp.

Alleged effects of ' raids* ^---iatly overestimated.

Alleged 'strictly i^eiaric* habits not sustained by evidence,

and contrary to the voU-knovn facts of the life history of the

Fa'*-Seal8.

. An ingenious though feeble attempt to explain aocre&be ai.
the islands without ref'^>'9nce to the t -no cn-ise and 'unsupported by
any evidence.

A good deal may be said respecting the alleged non-dfjc -.as
-;, uhe n^;nber of seals at sea. Tn th=? first place our evidence. sho--vs
and decided decrease; in the second place, sincn all of the

r.erJs are In the vva^8r at the same oime, and sinci im, are r-ast-ict-
e. to a oompa'-aUveJy ra-ro'v .at. hie belt must be occnplod at

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uhe proper season as long as any seals are left, and would not ahow
much decrease until a vast diminution in the total nimber of seals
had taken place. The British Commissioners themselves ad^it that
■t>he seals vhen at sea occupy a f^Uen area of surface, and there is
thus a natural limit to the nunbe^ of boats or canoes '^ich can vork
that area without interfering to a certain extent with each other's
success* ( 118). In other words, decrease at sea would not become
apparent until the total number of seals had unaergone a very great
red'ootion.

90. True,

91. Asse^-tion that rookeries we^e in as f^.ood condition in 1801
as In 1800 proved to be inoor'-ect by testimony of apents and natives*
See Cas^ of U*S,, pp.

Ob. Admission favorable to our contention.

Assertion (last line) that undue 'disturbance' will 'tend to

cause them to abandon their present haunts/ though frua^ded, is

unsuppurtod by facts. The British Commiasioners assert over and over

a^ain that the seals have been persecuted at the P>-ibilof IsIpj-i^s

lor many years both off and on the b^^eeriing rookeries. A^ the same

time a most aiii^ent and painstaking search has faileU to reveal a

singls instance in ^hlch any oa^i, of the P^ibilof herd has absuadoned
f

its/r.onoveQ haunts.

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00. An lm|.)o»*tant. admission, for 'the increased activity in
kiilin,'^ and hunting which now appsa-s to threaten the industry* can
rei'er only to pelagic sealing, since there has been no 'increased
activity in killir^' at the Seal Islands. See also 60, 63, 71» 99,

22

101, Tivo of the three fundamental propositions in this para-
p:raph are contrary to fact, namely, 'that the^o a^^e too few males
on the breeding islands;* and that the seals may take to other
breeding places (see remarks on Ob), The only remaining proposition^
•that too many seals a^e o>* may be killed,* is in complete acco^
with our views.

117. Respecting the statement that 'it is chiefly by the
persistent killing of all males between c^^tain ages* at the islands
•that the sealing Industry is iimiediately th^^eatened', cons^xLt ou^
Casti and evidence* See r^ept. Am* Commrs., p. 34h et seq^t and Case
of U.S., pp.

ilH. The GtaLeme'it that 'the seals ^vhen at sea occupy a given
area of surface, and t'ne^? is thus a natu^'al limit to the number of
boats or canoes '-vhich can ^ot^c that area' is ve^y important as an
a.lTiission that the se&la do not scatter prwiiscuonsly over the ocean
and oonr.eiuently must be common Then present until their numbers are
ve^y greatly ^educed. Tn othe" words, decrease at sea ^Tould not be
noted until the total nur-ber of seals had undergone a ve-'y great
■'^eduction* See antea B7.

M

257

•9.
12;2* Important admission that p^'otection at the seal islarids
is futiia In the face of pelaric sealing. See also^OO, 6:^71,99,122,

589.

122* Old error refte^^ted that the Pur-Soal Is 'an essentially
pela,qio animal *•

ISnU Rene'ved attempt to sho^^ten the period during 'viilch the
Fur-Seals a^-e present at the Islands. As a matter of fact they be^n
to arrive in April or the first week in May^ and remain in greater o^
less n\«nbers through December^ and frequently throt^prh January and
February. Hence the period of residence at tho Pribilof Islands,
instead of 'five or five and a ^lalf months' as he^e asserted, is at
least 8 months, and often longer. See also^SO, 133^ 174, 192^ 442.

134. The statement that seals YiBver become 'sta^y* at sea is
absurd. TTie word *stapey' means molting, or shedding the hair, All
mammals and birds rf^n^^ their pelage and pltmage ^respectively at
least once a year. Do seals at sea foon an exception to this uni-
versal rule? If so, iriiat becomes of the old hair? As a matter of
fact this wholly unwarranted assi^ptlon Is me'-oly a p^^nse made for
the evident purpose of attemptitig to ^how that the individual se^ls
killed by pelagic sealers in Bering Sea have no connection with the
Ulande. Sae^^i, 202, 281, 631^ .^.

The reason for this strained attempt to prove that the breeding
seals do not go far from shore 1a found in the latter half otdSh
v¥he^e it is frankly admitted that a cloaa time durir^ the 'atagey'
pe>^lod 'would practically break up the sealing ^^oyages%' Nevertheless
such close time would be impensitively demanded if pelagic sealing
.vera to be pemitted at all, and should begin about the middle of
Awrast .

As to the f^ct of sta^ev skins at sea, consult evidence of,f]^^r
5^s vho handletliQ Be^nng ^ea pelagic catch. See alsof2v2lp.^'^'3^ >1;

y

rie

and 6^U.

e ■ ■— ■

258

i

138. Admiesion favorable to us, that sprir^ catoh "inoludas a

* •

considerable proportion of gravid females.* See also ^ 188t 6;>3^C5|;
648, 346, 658.

The further admission is likewise favorable to our contention,
namely, that •it is on similar grounds and at correspondirg $esisons
that protection is usually accorded to animals of any kind, and,
apart from the fact that these seals are killed i:qpon the high seas,
the same arguments apply to this as to other cases.* As well knovn
this is the theory upon which the protective legislation of game laws
generally is based^ The British Oommissl oners atoit that the seals
taken by pelagic sealers in the northern peurt of Hecate Strait are
'chiefly females* up to the 1st of June (SeeM39), and that speakirg
of the northwest coast generally 'a considerable proportion of gravid
females are found among the seals taken in the early part of each
SealiiTg season* until •about the 2oth May, or, at latest, the Ist
June** (See § 648) • This being admitted,, the close time reccronended
by them (See 1^5 c) should extend to June 1 instead of ending at
Way 1.

150. The alleged 'restriction* to be brtjught about by •prohi-
bition of the use of rifles in shooting seals at sea* is empty,
rifles havir^ been already discarded voluntarily in favor of the
shotgun, as admitted by the British Commissioners themselves (See
postea, (504j

.Vost pelagic sealers also are opposed to the use of steam, so
that the system of licenses is really the only restriction suggested.

259

{

Mff

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lh5 (c.) Close season proposed at sea from Sept. 1& to May 1.
By natural limitation pelade soallr.g 1c known to cease on or bsfor^
Sept. In r" *^ ■*^iii$ and it is a*iitted that comijar^tively fsv seals
ar-e taken before April "— horwe the 'close soason* he'^e nropoaed
.'-ally curtails gffeotive pelagic sealin/* by only a single month;
and this month [April] is of less trapoHance to pelagic sealers than
Way, J'jne. July, or August. Just fh9-9 the'Just scale of eqiJiralen-
cy* 1 9 to be found in this •compensatory feature* of restriction on
pela^io sealing U not apparent.

iVioreover, in vie^f of the ackno»»l9d^,ad h^jHfulness of killing
(Pravid females when on their vmy north to d"op their yoiong, and tho
adnission that the spring cutch oontains'a considsrable proportion
of x^ravid females* (antes, p. 22,413^.), it -vould hardly seem that the
above reoonwenciati on Rln-'^ (c.)]w8r6 raade in good faith- -particularly
since May and June ars *sll-knovm to be the montlis in •vhicth the
la^-frest numbers of /r-avid females are killed, for the "eason that
they are at that time so heavy '♦iih youn^ as to be less able to
escape the pelagic sealers, (See: 680 and 648).

Another evidence, if any ve^e nef^ded, of the wnfairness and
Injustice of the plan of " compensatory adjustment* reconraended may be
found in the proposal that for every ^eeks cu'^ailment of ihe open
sealing fo- yelapie sjealers, a reduction be mttda of 10,000 seals in
the nui-.ber killed at the islands'. [sl-'^B.] This inolies that the
•v'iekly catch of the oola^ic sealers ave-^^es 10,000, 'vhich vculd five.

♦ ,».^.*.rf.«-*-^ ji •-•-«■»>-«-«■■• **^

Mn anothe-- place (|192, p. -^i) .■ne/'7jt,ish Confnissxone^ a them-
selves admit that^-during a ^roal .s^t ^-f^ilhe Urne n ^icn tlie
i=etas a-e off this coast [P/ntisn ^oi'^^-^xHjlat jihUisr it bO .■ .n
pest'jous as <o pre\'int ir.icu'iMei'u ;--)iaptc h^nt.ng.

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260

■f

197,140 seals fo^- the lO-i?- ^-.eks of Lhe open season [May l-Sfapf.
Ibj proposed on a"just seals of equivalency* as.fair or 'coTapensato-
ry* offset f o ^ the p^ivUe/re of takiri^"!; a maxirfniin of hO.OOO steals r-t
the islands^ [loo (aJj

Furthenno^'O, *the additional p^^ovision that no sealing vessel
Siiall enter Bering Sea before the 1st ^ -Inly In each year* [il^i.^^
(c).j nas no >^eai si^ificance oxcept to mislead the uninfonned,
fo^ Peiapic Sealers Hhsn free to /^o and come as they please do not
dows^^ enter Bering Sea befo^^e 'T^ily 1st, and fo>" the excellent ^eason
that they ^vouid find fe'A^ or no seals if they did. •^uly io is the
us\ml date accordir^ to the British Comnissioners themselves {See^212.)

lol» ^uisl hc'A' successful •the SMcc^^ssful application of
measures i^'icn as tnese he>"e p^Oijosed* "^"^'/^-^^he Jan-Mayen and
Nev foundland hair-seal fisheries'* ^'lay be ascertained by ^efconce
to a letter from Capt. David Gray of Peterhead, q^ioted by the B-^itish
Comnissione^s in Appendix D f\'o. 14) of tneir -^epo*^, in which Capt.
Gray states: 'To sm\ up, the position is tiiis: At Greenland the
close time '^111 prevent the seals being ext^nnin^ited, but it -viil
not allow them to Increase. At Ne vfoundland their present raode of
fishing means, in a fe'-v yea^s, extennlnation.' (pi 87).

iJUy

170, As3i>riptlon that the^e is an "interchange/^betveen the
eastern and western b^eedirvr. islands of Bering Sea'^-vhol ly un-va^^-jit
ed by the facts, as elne'vbe^e ^ho^yn. (See postea,%ll)8, 216, 2^0,

261

18-

1?<?, Rospecting dates of leaving the seal islands the state-
ment here made is incorrect, few seals leavir^ before the latter part
of November, and many throu,f=rh December and even into January and
February, accordit^ to the severity of the weather. For additional
erroneous statements as to the length of the period seals are present
at the islands seefSO, 133, 174, 192, 442*

190. The Guadaloupe Island Fur-Seal has been shown to belong to
another genus, and oonsequnetly is a widely different animal from the
Berir^ Sea ?ur-Seal {Seo Case of the U.S., Appendix, vol» I, p. r)86|

192. (Top of p* 8l). A remarkable statement in view of the well
kno^/n fact that Fur-Seals arrive at the Pribilof Islands the latter
part of April or first week in i^y and remain from 8 to 10 months,
(Saa remarks under ^;S0, 1;^3, 174, and 442).

lOJ^. Stated that old males are unknown south of liat. tOr The
limit might have been put much further north.

197. The admission that pelagic sealir^ is ■practically unknov/n*
off the Asiatic coast is imjoortant in connection with statements
elsev/heT^o made in this Report to the effect that a large percentage
of tho skins sold in Victoria by pelagic sealers were taken on the
west fdde. See 1 110 (8),

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1?8. Alleged cnrffl!uiTR:li!V3 of Pribilof and Commander herds in
Borlr^ Sea. (SoG H^O, 198, 216, 220, 46a, 404.)

202* T}ie quotation frorrrarebnitsky to tho effect that non-
broodir^ seals come on shore "because ■during the •shedding' or
'stagey* season their pelage becomes too thin to afford a suitable
protection frwn the water*, is interesting in connection with the
contention of the British Comml as loners that soals at sea never
become stagey! (Seeifl;^4. 202, 281, 631.)

208. The "breeding stations formerly occupied on the Caiiforni.i>i
coast' belonged to a widely different speoiea. \ ISO. (See Case of
the U.S., Appendix, vol. I, p. 58a»ta>*V.lt,f|i.;v.>.m,- HOt.)

-1..

V»A

208. In connection with the permanent residence of Pur-Seals
in tropical and sub-tropical latitudes, and the migratory habits of
tho Berir^ Sea Fur-Seal, it should bo borne in mind that in pre-
glacial times the cllrcato of Arctic America vas sub-tropical, and
that the migratory habits of the animal in question are probably the
renult of the Glacial |p.och. Tho retreat of cole after the Glacial
Epoch "--.s incorr^lote, and ilorth Amorica has never regained its former
"ai-ir.th. As a conseciuence, animals that have regained their fonr.er
surijner honi-'>G (broedirv' rangos) in tho north are forced to ir.igr^^te
to avoid tho cold cf winter. In viev of theae facts it is not
strange that in mild winters Fur-Seals have been known to spend

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tho entire winter about both Die Corairiandor and Pritilof Islands.

SOD. In reply to this argun-.ont as^ainst tho gregarious habits
of the Fur-Soal, see Flower and Lydekker, 'An Intpductlon to the
Stqdy of.\kgm3^,* 1S91, p. 594 (quoted in Rept. of U.S. Berir^^ Sea
Commrs., Case of the U.S.. p. «20). See also letter from Prof.
Flower in present report (p. 189, 0 linos from bottom), in which he
particularly reiterates his former statement that Pur-Seals "are
gregarious*— a statement in whioh all naturalists concur. Furthermore
the British Commissioners themselves, in another part of the present
report (f328), speak unqualifiedly of 'the gregarious habits of the
Fur-Seal.' The same thi?^ is ing^lied in '215,

212, Brills out Inoidentaily the ler^th of the period {'about
two months') during which pelagic sealit^ is ordinarily carried on
in P rlr^ Sea (July 15-Sopt. 15.) This is interostir^ in connection
^ith 'the additional provision*, kindly allowed by the British Gom-
raissioners* *that no sealing vessel shall enter Bering Sea before
the Xst of July* (See 165, c). A somewhat contradictory statement
is made in f)49 where pelagic sealers are said to enter Berii^ Sea
'between the 20th June and the ist July.*

215. This paragraph goes to prove that the Fur-Seals are
gregarious In habit. (Seo 209 and 'ZS) .

263

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210^ Implies oommlngllr^ of Pribilof and Commaiidor herds, Soo
f 170, 108, 220, 4^8, 454.

220. tfeoclnaiiTi radius of abundance said to "be not more than

180 mll95*

1

221. Assi^ed aversige of two Pur-Seals to oaoh square mile
within area of abundance in Bering Sea.

227. The Btatement that the squid or cuttle fish •may te
classed as a special food of the Pur-Seal* Is in entire accord vriUi

the results of our examinations of stomachs*

t*fS.

230-281 » The sLatement that the Fur-Seal 'is not usually a
bottom feeder* but is essentially a "surface feeder" a^reeB with
our conclusion as to Its general food habits. See Rept. of U.S,
Ootyjnrs., p. 396.

232. The fastir^ period assumed for breeding females. is
altof^ether too lor^. See Case of U.S., pp. 115-118. Similar erro-
neous assuirqgtions •respectiiTg the abstention frocn food of the fur-
seals while romaininif^ upon or about the breeding islands* may be
found in^2G, 232, 24-2, ^jJ3, ;^07^av.)^ \vh ^^ ..,_^.:1:^ 'fc^

(•••

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233 k 2M. The inference that seals eat littlo or nothing
while at the "brooding islands, because whon killed aftor driving
their stomachs are usually empty, is wholly unjustified, as proved

by the following facts:-

(l). Pigestion is vorj^ rapid in all carnivorous mammals, and

and if. so in the case of such food as raw fish* and the soft part

s

of souids, which are known to constitute the chief food of the I^ur-
Seal. Wqmb tmder normal conditions it would bo impossible to find
food in any quantity in the stomachs several hours after eatir\5.

(2) . There is no ovidence to show ho^ lor^ the seals have been
out of water before the drive began— in other words» the lenf^th of
time after feedii^ is wholly unknown^

{s) . The period between the beginning of the drive and the
tinio of killir^ is much lor^er than assumed by the British Cora-
missioners--usually C or 6 hours. ^

l^ence in the case of the seals killed after drlvir^, it is
certain that the length of time between feedirig ara killir^ is
several times lorv^er than necessary for the ccmiplete digestion of the

food*

In the particular instance, ciuod by the British Comraissionera
{:PHii h ZM:) I made the examination in company with Dr. I^vvson, Many
squids* beaks were probably overlooked, as they are so small and
inconspicuous as to er^c'^.pe detection (except in case of the larger
beaks) unless the hand is passed over the walls of the storrach; and

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we did not learn to find thorr: tlLi tnvnrcl Uio end of hhc exar.i nab ions

2:sG.

Tharo

is nr tliiiT': in liiiir. sDaiement to show liov/ ionfi; t)ic:>o

so'ils had )3oen out of 'vator hofore they v;ere killed. A. fe^;V hours
tlrco is sufficient for tho complete digestion of their food^^l^^ -^X^

?42. i Alle,p;eQ ahnonce of excrement from rookeries and haulir^
/^^roTmds sur^rjr.ing, ?rorr. its liquid and oily nature it oscapos
suporficial chnervation, hut ^vas often noticed hv us. In tho -vater
about t}io islands iu is very conspicuous, because It rises to and
renains u})on tho surface* '

248, This so-called 'evidence* that nursing mothers abstain from
food because of the allop;ed absence of excrement on the rookeries
has been show^i to bo ^^ithout foundation (|242)^ As a matter of fact
all nursing; xTo^.hors require frequent and full T.eals to supply the
great drain upon thoir tissues incident to tho fonration of milk* If

they do not eal,, fron v/hat source ii: thoir rich milk derived

r% ni

Fhe

your^ piips arc- ^vtUl-known to r.ake no food besides tlie mother's :rilk
and vet thov rrc^ ra^^idlv in size and ^oi/^hto Wlioro does this inilk
cone frori? A quart a day (of 24 Incurs) for the first two nonthn
-youid bo a vor^^ srraii allowance, but would wei^^h at least 1?9 ilii>-,
or ncariv' double thr^ *7C^i<:?;ht of an adult fen:ale Pur-Seal! AccordiiT:

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maniifacturo out of "ir n>- ^r.-r ^,^,,^ i, t

ohe support of her you^^ cn.-in. the first f.o nonths and'heforo .he

take, any food! Tho EriUsh Cornnis^ loners furthor state th. = r

boiief, based on 'the ovidenco thus afford-d riii-a.^ .>

uimo .un)ru,.u Lfi-i-i>>-Poa annoni'jr;- of

excrement], that the fe.alos do not feed t., anv notable extent until
the yours are practically .eaned, or. at all events, until verj^ late
in tho 3u4n. .oason" ($243). This would extend the period of
Joint fasti,^ and nursir^ by several month., as tfie pups are not
^voaned before October and frequently not until late in .ovembor.

However, it in not necossarv to discuss Ihic ..,„o. •

aiscuss this question upon theo-

retical ,„,„„..,, ,i,c. »„ „„i,od S,,.,,03 has .s.oured ^,u tosti-onv
to rrovo .,„t ™,,. that „urs.„, fo.,1,. c!„ travol 1„^ ,i3t.„o,s .„ "

feea, ],ut also that thev oomri-o ■> i.,rv,.

. i'Ui..piioe i iar^e percont:-;ro of ..h^ o,g^j_^

seals I wrk in Berinr Sea were f---.lA<= t)... ., = •

. J -vcro i^.-aies that had .^^iyen hTrth r,r thoi-

pups and their teat.- ynild l.n r,,^ of -.-ii, t ,, , '

^.iLi ox T.iiK. 1 have caiv:ht jKeair of

this kind fron. inf> to i ^n n-.-jir,.

it'- .c ..0 n-.ilos a-ay fror, Ur^ Pribilof Ir.lan.ds-

(U.S.Oase App.II,,'-!?o) Tlia TinWo ? q+^+. =

^ • ^'^ '^"^^"^' '^^ates Revenue Stear-er 'Hornn',

durirf- her recent cmi^.^ •<> t;„^.„^ ^^

^'^ '°''"- '^■''' ■-■aptured .T7 seils bet-eon

July ^.1 and August 1.. of this nu.bor no less than 19 (o,. 51 .er-
cent) .ore nursing females. G .ere vit^in fe.aies. and 12 n:aiel.
Of the nur.in,; fa.ales 10 .ere kill.d at distances ran^^inr -.. .co
to 200 :.n.srro. the Pribilof .,ands. tho .,,,i,,^^ , ,^,^^^^ ^.^^^
relies.

268

u^

I

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% -/^'j ^« AIn -«Vl

t

c«

In thiB oonneotlon see other statements of British Oonmrs. in«20, 2^5

24^

246. Pelagic coition claimed. See also 246, 287. & 2nh-206.
(Evidence alluded to under. 206 should be asked for.)

281. Allowed that no 'stagey' skins a'-e taken at sea and con-
seqijently iJiat 'the seals r>-e juenting the islands do not p,o to any
^-eai distance from iAieir^ shores.' See f l.S4;202, 281, 631. ■ •..

293. 'Obvious and jf^ene>*ally acknowledged deficiency of virile
mal»s,« (SeojM. 117, 277. 203. 294, H'A, 436, 433.)

Under this head consult U.S. Commrs. Rept. , p. :?r»0; & U.S. Case,
p. 174, 4c.

207. Roiie"ation of ass'jmed irregularity in the date of birth
of pups. Already an3.vered. See 46,207, 306.

u

\

H 1

if^

-<s^*

M^

. Jt

^

I,

m

i

30?. lin:;ty stomachs ox ^eaia Kiiloa at idlarius,iri conne<itlon
^ith alle/^ed absence of Gxcrement, taken as evidence that little or-
no fooa Is oaten. — Al^^-^ady aiis'^e^ed, soe remarks oaf;co3> and 2M;
ulHO on gine^^al subject of fooa of fsinalasj^b, 2:^2, 2i2, 24H.

314. Tn ^eply to the statement that it Is scarcely c*':jdible
that *the females enfraged In f?;'jding their young can navigatu to
gr^eat dietances fron the islands on e^^ratic tt^wmBk-, and subsequently

269

return punctually and ^vithout fail to thei^ rookeries* it may be
observed thet no claim respecting either 'eri^atlc c^uo^^, or
^punctuality" is made by the U.S. But that tho females do L'^avei
consid'j^^able distances and ^et^^rn without fail to «i)elr rookeries
is clea>* fr*^\ the eviderice presented, and is in accord with -veil
authenticated facts in ^ he life histo>»ies of otht^r animals, Tt is
well -known tn all parts cf the world thai va^Mous animals (not mam-
mal ij alone^ "but birds and fi^hea as '^/ell) travel oonside'^able
distances in seai'Ch of foC)d and return une>*ringly to their yo^jng%
The p'^ecise distance covered will vary according to the pove^s of
locomotion of the parti ciUar animal and the necessities of the case
as dotemined by the abundance and location of the food supply. Tn
ani-ala poscessirv'i tiie supe^nor means ^nd swiftness of locomotion of
the t^eals, I-''' rr-:iies an hour would be a very sioiy pace when actually
t 'aveling, and yet at this rate 180 milos would be compassed in 12

;3i7-o22. The vvell established fact thai the female fur-Seal,

4llt/l»

lir.o the female of m^st ot-er monmals, stickles her.younfjj exclusively.

1 nl

is (Jcvbted by the Bri.t'Sh »^'OTan'^s.

Capt. Prj-ant states thnt pups whose r.others are killed "perish by

.starvation". He adds: "As evidence of this fact I will state that

T h'lvo taken straj', motherless pups, found on the sand beaches, o.mi

placed them upon tho brooding'; rookeries beside miikirif^ fomalo3, and

in all instances those pups have finally died of starvation*(lI.S,

[I

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• • -• U « ^ . • t

270

^ I I" - -*- ^ >* V K^,. ^vA I

-21-

Tn vl-^; cf tho accnrnnlatid testimony of nat'iralisis and oth^.^s
the- world over respecting the well nigh ^Jrdversal habit cf mot/ief^e,
anions hotli niaMniils and birds, to rep^BB to feed any bit their o^n
young, and particularly in view of the avlcience bearin/^ directly
on the present case^ the attempt of the British Commrs. to cast
doubt u^on these well -known facts is hardly worUiy of reply. Our
personal observations en this point, made at the Pribilcf Islands
in July and August, 1891, are published in the Hept. of the 'J*S^
Oornfr>-B-, p, '^26, lO.

Thti veiistly increased difficulty the ^>-itish Comirs. have
pictured for the mothers of levins need ha^^dly disturb us seriously
In view of the extreme rarity cf this accident, •-^lich has ha^oly
ever been observed even by persons 'vho have spent many ^''ears on the
islands. Mr. Samuel falconer, for six years Assistant Treasury
A^^ant in charge of St. George Island, states that du>*ing his entire
experlenoe he never heard of but one instance in >vhich t^vo pups v^^e
bc^n at a tinrie* (Oase of U.S,, Appendix, vol. TI, p. It'h,)

i323. The suggestion that Ihe nu^slnfi^ mother in selecting a
young to suckle "may merely seek a young one "^/hich doss not carr»y the
smell of f'-esh milk about it* is hardly fO^thy of serious considera-
tion. ^^^ >^s,^,,..p..s^^^\xsniK,^,'x^^^^

323. (nth and 6th lines.) •The gregarious habits of the fur-
seed* he^o mentioned unqualifiedly a^e contnxdicto'^y of the state-
ment previously made in i^SOr?, -^'hlch see.

•';2r,. Tiif^. memoranrJUF^ he^e refe'^^ed to frcw *Sir Sanv^el Wilson,
M.P,, the eminent Aust-alian sheep-bre^der* r-ay be found on pc^e

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271

mo

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184 !rf4T#*'^ Br-i ti sh Commr-s. Kept (A^p-mdix D, No. U). Sir Sajnuel
WiU;or. states Wiat flwes may be made to sncklo other ewos' lan-bs
"by pijttin^ the skin of the c-vq's dead laTib on the lam.b she is
desired to adopt, or by .holding her and g^itinp. the lamb to suck her
for a few deys.' H9 states further :*Ewes always know their o-vn
3a>b3 by smelling them. A eve vill not allow a strange lamb to &uck
her if she notices It.' 'Phis should be conclusive proof, if any
nalofj exists betveen t-heep and s^als (and the British Cormirfs.
tacitly assume that it does), that the .mother in «tat stat; of nature

a

sever nurses any young but he^ o-m.

336* While true that the Killer Whale frequents 'the sunmer
haants" of the Fur-Seai, the inference that it docs so in siiminer
Is Incorrect, the Kille>*s mv^r reaching the sea] tslcUids before
Sept ember •

^i5a• Admitting that the pups died in Sept,, it must bi evrideat
that tiieir mothers w^re killed in August^ for death by starvation
doe^ not cane quickly. The British Corarnrs. vc^'e not present at the
Prlbilof Islands later tjian the middle of Sept,

H46. Dead pups ^ve>^9 fi>-st observea by the BKtlsh Commiissione^-^
J^ly 29, iSC'l, at Tolutoi »^ooker-y. [See also 1 3.-5 (4)].

355 (l). In comection -nth the statement that the death of so
many puys on the islands in l«ni "ivas wholly exceptional and unpre-
cedented' coniult case of U.S., pp. 21^-215. Tiie additional and in
this easa very misleading statement that 'every effort was bein^, made
to drive all pelagic sealers from Bs>nng Sea* need nnly be met by

>

-23-

r

the fact that seals wer^e secured In Bering Sea by
Pelagic Sealers in 18D1. Hov many additional thousands ^e^e killed
ariu lost will neve>^ be known.

:5f>b (4). Dead pupa mre first observed in 1891 on July 20 (See
f^Hi))* In reply to the statement that this date was too early •to be
reasonably explained by the killing of ^othe-s at sea\ it may be
said that the official records at the islands show that new bom

pu
(M

pa were Recorded th-ee times as early as the latter part of Mav
ay 21, 20, and :^1) and usually i:in- 0^ before" June lO*j^ Mr, J.

Stanley -Brown states that births of pups we^-e of constant occu!'*>'ence
after the mirlrile of June, 1SD2, and we -e v^^itnessed in lar^e numbers.
Hence it appears that gr-eat numbers of pups were six weeks old or
older by the end of July, and as a consequence that their mothers
must have been out to sea ho feed durin/?- nearly ihe vhol^ of this
period. [Consuit Sianiey-B- om and othe-s as to date at >vrhi ch ferrale^
are actually kno'\7i to leave the ii:danas to feed.j

356 (a.). Sta^enent that seaiu have boen arivsn j *n th^ -^dp-e^
of th'^ b'-eeuing rook^j^ios in late y^^a^^s *-ntrue^ --Ask S* -iultiy-B-'o^i,
Willl^rns, Mur-^ay, & Lavanuer. Ask ^t^w^ j^erbOns If t^^e th£t *'*h.
Ui-iving ana killing in tht t^ariy .:a-t of tne season of i8Di ,^as
pu.sli^'^d w1 t.h ^v^ivont^-o ener/ry. •

pura/^raph a33i:r-es ^hat iar^^-e numbO'^s of br>5^'^ci.-';>-

*e ariv^en irom the ed^^3 < f th^ rookeries

D^ k-^l^-^n^^

. Iro:* Toy>9''ninent -A^snf

-rieii in ^^^^-rpect to ta:l s tlioprati^ :i. Kurth^^ a^'^^^ticn:^ 0.

272

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273

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pfJTia kind may be found In §74 (iii), & 7i6,

•^-%-. (e.) k (dj. The •starr.ped^' and 'raid' ih.oHes he^e

advancod ae account! ne fn-r the riao^v ^<' ^_

^ ^"""^ ^^® "^^""^ ^^ so many pups may be promptly

dlHoo.ed 01 by the simple statement that ti.. storr.achs of th ^ dead '
pups were always empty. Had those pups been killed by beinp run
over au.ing star.pedes a large percentage of their stomachs would
have contained milk.

fk

i

;^«3. This and the preceding paragraph nre contradictor', '^h^
fact 1. tuat along Uhe r.ar of rrany ol the occupied rookori.. .3 H
Northoa.t Point, a b^-oad zone of fon„er occupation U ..11 ma^k^d
by the presence ofe feit.a coat of mud and hair' while the il^.^.r-
polisned rocks ov.r the .a.o area, particularly tovr.rd the back'caH
of the area, a^e .ell covered by scatt..ed t.fts and patches of
lichen. If it is tr.6 t.hat 'in the damp climate of the ''ribilof
i'/^l^a.^^^t^^^^^i^il^ ['felted^coat' J do.s not enu. -e v^ry
lon^.|and tl^at only a f e. yea>'s We passk si;ce th^. ai-eas' in '
qu^3stion were covered with seals.

i

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1 1

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«01. (Last line.) '^.3 admission that 'the lonper ^-.ss ^v, tK„
course of a year .vlll ,.obably sho^ no t^ace of Its occ.ation- is
sufficient evidence of ^he temoo^^^,- .fleets of such temporary
•occupation' .. Lhal he>'s described, contrasted ■^ith the la«: in^
evidence, of r-.al occupation as rocker, or ha'Jing ,^round.

-1- - -- , .:.-i u.,.6 on wnicn this assumption is baset'.

1^

274

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that the j^ellow grass it one haa'wver simultanoously been occupied by
seals*?

II.

V-\

4.':!2. The statement that 'nearly all the adtdt femalea f^ot in
Bering Sea" are barren, should be met by our evidence. O'jt of 37
seals secured by i^he Revenue Steamer 'Corwin' in Berirv? Sea from
July xil to Ai^st 13, no leas than 10 (or 51 per cent) vere nursing
females Tcove In milk') and 6 ve-e virgin females. fJo barren females
•yere taken. Ten of the nursing females were killed at distances
ran/^inf; from lOO to 200 miles from the Prlbilof Islands.

434. The oft reiterated asau'nption of a 'paucity of virile
males' is here ttccompanlod by the eq'jally unwa-'-awted assumption
that the times of birth and imp^e/^ation a^e Itte' and raorft Irre/nilar
thaji formerly. As a matter of fact no charige in date can bs shown,
the comijarativsiy insignificant percentage of late births and
lmi;r<:gnations observed in recent years having always occurred, as
shown by early published records, and as would be expected frwn
fortuitous eiroumstances. Whe^e the n'jrcber of brscding animals is
so great m in the cass of the Pur-Seals, accidental causes al^vays
resx^lt in a small peT-centage of unsessonable biH,ii6.

M

436. Since in 1-^5)0 rjo losft thar; 21,000 nor.l-eeaing mp.le s^als
were killed up to July ^0 (a', vhich date the killing -ms stopped)
how could there iiave h'i^n a scarcity of male s«als? The unqueptiormd
lact that ne'irly all of t)ie .ki liable seals are virile males, r-oady
a;^u finxious to seize ev^ry opportunity to sorvo 'jnsa'J sfied femai.e«,
is in itself a canplete refutation of this absurd contention.

'I

275

4-U. The statemeftt that the 'hoUuachlokie' 'lie oioae to the
^ookary eages for protection'' U contrary to o.jr obeervatlone* Con
BuH Treasury %«»5t» on thla point.

M^ The statement that the dataa of arrival 'especiaUy that
of the arrival of the fe«aa«8. Is bsoomin/? on the avora^ later
each year' Is completoly dlaprovea by Uw rscor^ of arrivals kept
for 20 year, by tho Oovemraent %9nt8 (Sqq Kept,. U.S. Cortn-e.,
\ou3ndU , p. ). On the gansral eub.l9Ct of the i^erlod

durii^ ^-11 ch 89al8 ars prewnt at tiis Islands oon^alta remarks on
♦80, 138, 174, i02^ 442.

t
4

448^ A ve>7 p-eUy theory, but xir^supported by so much as the
Ehaviow of a fact;

\ \

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4da. An impoHant admiesion that ths Cownander and Prlbiiof
harde arc prsotically distinct. (Seo aUo^ 21^. 220, li)8, 170. )

488, An Int&rasting quotation from the 'Penny OyclopsBdia' of
1841, Btatinr that the Fur-Seals 'are polygamous, and live in fami-
lies, ovQvif male being surrounded by a crowd of femalss (fran fifty
to oirhty), irhom ha ^ards with the gro-.tost jealousy.* The article
in quostion was written by W. (^ilby. a •^ell-knotr.'i British llaturalist.

58;^. An Important admission that the sealiriP; interests of the
AlP.ska Conr.erciai Co. ••/ero •notably affected" by x^elarM. sealing

276

-21-

See also 1 60, 63, 71, 90, 122. 583.

By ^hom yh^ pola^io B*^aiin/^ * spoken of ae a conmen
industr-y'?

e ne^

584* T>ie ehotgun is h2 -e admiUed to be •the usual hmtii^
weapon* of pelaglo sealers. (Seo also^'dOiJ

'

58(j. Stated that pelairlo sealinp p^^p^r bepan tn I860*

nSS. Stated thai Be-in^ Sea vas ento'-'^a bj/ lielaftic seale^B in

imi.

■fc!

604.. Hop ated admission that th^ shot^-in •haE supe^seaso the
rifle.*' See t IbO, h84, Oaff used by pelade sealers said to be
In ft, lonff^^

cOo. Admission that •it has been lea^^iied by experience that
eeals may easily be lost If shot in the neck.*..anci the ca>*c^;s8 then
may sirt< mwh more raplciiy than \38uai#* The reason aUe/?^ed is that
^In thl8 case th'^ rn^iacula^ cont**actiori of the body often fo^es
rr;Ost of the sir from the luni?^8.* '^Ms is only a partial explanation,
the real ^eaeon bein/^ that the specific c^-^avity of the seal is
^^eater than that of -yater. S^ai4i that float o>* sink slowly vhen
killed do 80 ahot throu/?h the l\:ing8 in such a way as to let al'"
escape into tae tissues, as happ^ins not infrequently -vhen the shotf^un
Is used. See also 1^24 h h20.

^f,

277

I

62 U Acb!il38ion that F^jr^-Seals 'often do* sink vhen killed at
seat (Sse aUo ^ oOo, 62ii.)

f2d% Reepecttng sinking of geaia killed at aea# (See also

• The British GorrHntssione^^s ^eem inoHned to ^•esent th^ Idoa
•that th« fur-aeal should not float* yhen killed at sea, and ohlefly
on th^ aesiJTieci ground that the ovldence of its sinking is ueMv^ed
from an&logy *¥ith the hair-seals^ Tt is not necessary to brln^r the
hal^-$cal8 into the case* ''he British Commlaalone *s state on
another ca^Re that 'yhen the »eal*j sink after being killed, as they
oi't^q ^o, they sink Blovly on a 'slant\ so that it ia usually ■i'5ite
easy to f^ii them* ( 6^"M^). [Tne c^aff in question is In ft» in
lonpth^ u04^j Tliey admit furthei^ that seals shot in the neck usually
sink 80 ?*apialy that they are io5t (^60h), ana quote a Va'^icouver
fiealiAP master as stating that ^p^esn hands- tdcrht lose as much as
2o pe^ »'"'^nt of the seals shot.* {foZ^^ "^ne evidence collected by
the U.S. from a lar/xe nnber of professional pela«^o sealers
demonstrates that the proportion lost is ^eally very mtich g^iater,
amountirvs; to at ie^st two-thi^ds of the ntimber shot. (See Case of
U.S., pp. 194-19G| and >^efe renews tho^e /riven^ See also Kept,
uf L\S. Conwrp-s., pp. 881-:^C3; and a>-ticle by J. A, Allen, U.S. Case,

Appendix, vol. I. p. 4^9.

o \

oiil-b*^2. Alleged non existence of sta/?ey seals at si^a. %cn
a^*e th.?se seals supposed t,o molti? 0'* r.ust ■>ve rega^a seals kiiisu by
pelapic seale^'ii ay co/iotitutin/?. an exQepiion to all la-vs of nat*j>'e?
(See, 1»4, >i02, 281.)

f

t

^il

278

C33. D9p>«9tjat9e killing /^mvld fomalas at «&a» S99 alsof las,
030, iyio^ UH^ ^, .-/,'^ jjs^ (4^^}j pa»«Rpraph. )

634. Adn-stsslon t^hai evidence of palace seals'** is not
enli'-ely untinctu^'dd by mciivos of , e'^gormX Inierost."

b:?:j, *r.«npO>'f.an^. actnission tnat 'in th«5 noi'thern pa^t of ^c-caie
Si,"aii t,he s»?als obtainod ar^ ohiafly females* "nt,il June 1. (See
(xits^il'.iH, (j^\ 64o, ^,iq. ?.->••. (;h8 (ah pa-ir^aphJ.V^-L^U^-f-^

oih. Stat'as that in Be^'in^ Sea the oonq ^ithj'onrv? ' vUl not
^vB'-t^pe i 1^ 100, fo^ the ^'^ason that aa soon as the co^ts ^«ach the
isoa thoy Fp to the treedlnp Islanas, vhe^o theit* young are born',
thua tmplyl?!^ that moijt of the fwaie aeaie kiUsd In Boring; Sea a^e

64-S. A p'-actioal a^Jmiaaion that a la^r.^. pe^enta/^e of the
aeais kiilod at aea a^^e p^e^ant fen^Jee up to ^iie end of May. (S^e
albo^ l;iS, im, 61h, tHW, fjnl, (^s:^).

:.( ,\

640. Tlie iinquelifled ^lutm^ni is ho^9 made that VBo^ing Sea is
now usually entered hy Uie |)oia/:ic sealers bet^reon Uie 20th Jine anU
the 1st -lUy*' Triis cont-'adicts the statomont fnadn vi th ^^rpal p^'o-

' :^n in f 212, namely that 'seals a^e o^^dinarily takon by pelagic
hv. , . Berin;^ Son* "from the miuule of July to tho middle of

S' (i

279

I'

bir>8^(4th paragraph). Important adnls^ion that BHtlsh CotvMs-
eione^^s examinc^d a pa**cel of skins In London of vhich "all of the
skins, viih the exception of th^ee, Tg^^e female, and most of Ihem
baaly shotHfnarked*' Tne in^^U\fir remark that •there ^vas no ovidonce

ho sho'iV ¥h9tJi6f^ tnebe seals ^e^e obtained at sea o^ on the '-ookeHe
by ^alas" is someArhat st-ained in view of the vvell -known fact that
seals killed in '^alds* a^e kilX^a viiix clubs and not shot. Oii tho

«

pene^^^ subject of kiUin/r p^avid feJTiaies at sea, S9o*|i38, 6.Ha,
«30, rAh, 648, ehl, 6ba,

67f>^ Would It not be veil to have the nai^e of tht c^entlotr.an?

b77* Capt* Daniel Webster's exi;e>nence, auLno^ity, and honest

in vle'v of the hi^^h vaine of his testimony
in our caiso*

y

ac^ii tted- - impo>"tant

.•

d93. Condition ct ^ooke^^ies in 1801 alleged to be better than
In 1890t Contrary proved by testimony of Oovemment and Company
Agents, vhich see»

608» Alle/ted killin;'; of ^ia^.f^e nunbe^s of females' at the
islands In 1880^ Consnit Oove^-nment Agents,

7l0» The pa'-t.^cula^" arive mentioned as vvitnesssed on St,
(reo^ge Isiaxid by the B^-itlsh Con^lsstono^s vas vHaessed by .^.e also*
Hespa^Jtlnf- the state^ncnt tnat sa-ie of the seals released fr-um th^
killirig /^rounds 'from veaknaet TJ:-e unable to fro mure than a fev?

.0

280

1':

yards ai a tiri©* it, ma/ ho «alci that Fir-Seals rarely move many ya>'da
at a time vithoui stopi^lnp to rgat, ^nd that in the present case
fear anii bewilciemont ^ather tiian ireaKiiOHS and exhaustion fjxplain
the action of the ^eals*

'ift*

7ltu This reiterat'jd a^sortlon that drlvea a^^ made from the
ed^as of liie breadlry?: fodcQrles, and that •in late years conside-^able
and incr'^aeln^ wjmbers of blading femalet have beon driven to the
kiiiiTv^ K'-oiindainth tho klllablea* Is ^rholly without foundation, so
far as T am a^are. Get eviaence on thi^ point f>^om ^ecent Oovem-
ir.ent A^^ents (Stanloy-B^ovn, Capt* Williams, Col* ^^:^r-ay, and Capt.
Lavender, one or the other of 'vhorr have supervised all killing fo>-
severiii years^ (See also ^>'^^^ (a), ''^-i, 74 (Ui)»

70^. Speaktnp of the ''mr,a -vith vhich ^^nids can be made at the
Prlbilof Islands, the British Commissioners state: "We a^e by no

«

treans assured t,]iat, b^ibory by n'oney or d-lnk has not been ac-t/jslly
practiced over aore of the distant riania.' P'-oof should bo demanueU
foi* such a serious accusation.

Ir

* • '*

•3)

1' ^'

;J^ ! ■!

281,

'

Decemb-jr 14, IB;)2»

ss

Departnc-nl of State.
Pefii" Sir;

Raplyir^:^ to you»- letter of jsster-day, I be^ tc say thai Mi
Scla-nore aid not ^ive m he- consent t.o tha p-wlica-.-i on of the letter
ref-arred to fVom Jndgs S.van. Miss ^:cidmo-g•s a(ld"~;si> Is Wiss B. R.
Scidmore, l.->0«-Slst S.-e^t, fJeo-^ae town. Yom mix^ht ccr^.unlcato vvith
her on tho subject.

ResuectfuUy, ' ' ■

f% ^ .>'- ^

282

'

January IH. 18D3,

"^he Hono?*abl?» John W. Fo&tor,

Sgcretary of Staig.

Bgar Sir:

Replying to you- letf.er of the 10th Instant r-sspecting the
habi^. of polyzramy amon^ ani'7tal$. I vould state that this habit is
not general, but is restricted to cgrtain groups, and In a few
instt^nces to certain species in monogamous groups. So fa>* as T am
ava^-s t::e"5 are no pel v-Ta-nous i;p3cl3s in the great o'-dev-s comprising
the >iats, l£dentates» Tnsoctlvors, and Rodonta, and among ter-^st-iai
Carnivores the Lion is the only polygamoMs cpecies T kno'v of. Among
pelagic Carnivores, on the contrary, polygamy Is the njle. parti-
cularly among the Eared-Seals. Tn the case of the Hair Seals the-e
seems to be some doubt as to whether oeHatn species are polygamous
o»* monogamous. Prom personal observation T kno* positively that the
Hooded Seal is monogamous, and I am almost equally certain that the
Ha-p and Ha'-'.or Seals a-a mono/ramous. The Sea Kiephant of the South
Seas, taouph a Hai>* Seal, is knovn to be polyjn-amous, maintsini^g
ha'-e-'S comparable in some -9 spec ts 'vith those of the Fu^-Seals. This
I3 Uje only *ell authenticated instance of polygamy among liai.^ Seals,
so far as f em a-vare. and it may be rema>-ked that the Sea Rlephant is
the most aber-ant and highly specialized membe" of the whole fa-nily
as -veil as the one in vhich there is the g-oatest discepanoy in
size betveen the se.xes.

• I

m I

3

lion, Jonn '"^^ Fos^.e^ 2

Am^.np UnmjiaU's pol.y^ai.y is iha r-ule. The Un/^ulatss embrace
ths cattlg. shoop. aeer. aniolopes. vUd ho-sos. and so on, most of
Which possess horns o>. ^ntl-s and 9- ^ema-kabU for their fighting
propsnsitlos.

Tt se-nie to bs a principle amon^ poly,flBmou8 animals that the
»nal9s a-fi much la-ger thw, the females 0- possess superior means of
carryinfr on a^^resslve varfa^e, since th-: males of all polypous
species f i3ht amoT^ th^jmselves fo- the possession of the females.
•This leadg to your last question respecting the causes that
have led to the development of the poly/prar»ous habit. Poly^^iy is a
factor in sexual selection, but it does not ^ep-esent thg fi-at
8ta,-e in sexual selection, l-r.n/^ p^ec^dod by i.'-omiscuity and the
acquisition of supe-io^- fi,o:htin,<T pov-rs in the male sex. Amonr the
males of ^t-e^a-ious species poss-^sain^ s^jpr-io- vneans of defense the
stnjffple fo^ tho possession of the f^nalo "osnlts in excessive
ds>'9lop-ent of s'Jch pa-ts of th-. body as a-e used as 'Weapons of
aefense 0- offense. The inc--,sin^ development of these 'veapons
goes hand in hand vith inc^-easin^ sha-pness in the st-u-^le for the
females until polypany foUovs p-omiscuity in many of the g-e^a^ious
species. Tn ou" oivn ccwt-y the Elk and Buffalo «-9 notorious
exafr-.ples of poly/^a-nous a;unals, single bulls poasessin/^ lar^e ha-ema.
which :.h9y defend vith the most jealous vigilance at the cost of
many bloody battles and not rarely at the cost of their lives, for
other vlaorous bulls continually boset thg maste-s of these ha-ems
whoin r.hay meet in battle from Mme to time, the victor alvays olaim-
ihP the harera. unless, as Is sometimes the case, both conbatants a»-8
killed In the conflict, in ^hioh case a net vi/ro'«ou8 male at once

I

i

i I

284

: ill

'■^vn. J'ohn *. Foster 3

uakee possession. *

That domesUcation tends to pr-oduce'o>' hasten the polygamous
habit is ^ell-knoivn, but In this case t.4 d^te-inlnin/r cause is man's
soUction, not natural selection, since pn-gly economic -easons make
it desirable that one mede snould se-veas many females as possible.
At the same time, domestication even thnr^h incomplete has an
un^ionbteu tendency to bring about poly.^t-ny. The common HoMse Rats
and Mies are believed to be polygamous. Ur.s const! t'atin<cr a notable
exception among the preat o-de^ of Roa-nts. Da^vin states: 'Tt
deserves notice tnat the l>-istinct of piirin^ »lUi a sin.^le female
Is easily lost unde- dcnnestication. Ihe Wild Tuck is st-ictly
.-lono-amous. The domsstic Duck, hirhlj ooly^a-ous,' (Da-^vin, Sexual
f^eloction, Applaton's A-rjer-ican f5ciitioi, l^^lh, p. 220). ■

In re;.ly to you- sp-cific rpestijn as to amphibious ma-rmals,
T vould state that so fai' aa T kno^ toe Seals a-e the only amphi-
bious manwiala in vhich the poly.camou? habit exiKts.

Respectful Ir,

• "

285

Januan- 27, 1803.

The Hon. John W. Foster,

SeoroLarj'' of State ♦
Dear Sir:

Prof. Henry H, Giglioli, DirocLor of the IJabional Museum of
Floroncn, Italy, makes t) e following remarks In a letter dated

Januan' 11th, Instant:--

"I was very ,s^lad to hear that my ^^eply on the Bering Sea Fur-
Seal question met with your approbation, and that of the !!• S.
Qcvemment; all I can say is that it was conscientiously done* I
should indeed be most happy if I could be of further use to your
countrs' in that important matter, and s«ne months ago I had the hope
of beinr in a position to fullfii my wish, for I was very near being
nariod Italian arbitrator; but alas I they required that the arbitrator
named rJiould be a lawyer, and that is a quality I have not* The
person named is Marquis Visoonti Venosta. who certainly does not
Irnm ''m^i a Fur-Seal is like rmd who can hardly roaiir.e the economic

vai'H-) of the Seal-f ishe'.-y* I "^^^-^^^ ^^'^^ ^^'^^ ii* ^^'^ Borinf; Sea
question be taekL^d v/ith mevely from a legal point of view, the

rf; suits of

the discussions of tr.e Arbitration Oonnission will hardly

settl^' the matter as it should be settled.'

Roi'Dectfullv,

I

kb'

286

I

TJ:e Honoi'ftMc.

April 20, 18D3.

/

The Secretary of iho "^'ro^^Mr^'

Sir.''

Duri'V^ the Inv..t.i.ntion. in t.ns ^^orth .^a.if.c and K^rinr' ^ea
rolallv. to t,r:« ^'m.rov.r.y hat^..n t::i. country tnd Or.at RHiA^^.

OV6>r t'O iT^O for ^xp-'iiiint -li-,-^ ^^*'v'./^ /^t^ <• *^

*'*- V- , K^j ui'^oO B/.i/.o are Hat peltt

X ^>-L.> . .xit*. i., ..^i.v it^ sealir:^, south of Van Aloutjan
Islands, 'iTie oi..-.^^, V) u. ti^-^nb^r, w^r^ f.Vr^r ^.^ ika r...... ^

Priciirf /,i,^,u, (7 ,,,, y^. .-^_„^^^, ^^.^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ._^_ ^^^^^^^

Tr-n-.iY ^^nt in aha-e of the PrlMlof J<^l-:>., All cf tiiese^
iking were eoriploio .w: ivere a^-c^^rfL>^>'Ad v.^^ o'l.ift c ^ . .

i^ ^.^..c.itf .,ic .0. f..'K.n-., 1 wwlc. ?.vri-si, t;,sroi;cr9, that
^ ur,.{.. over o.' j.j;:9i]^' f,o ^.-jg cuctor innrhip of

oo.t.nl, .nd cthor alcoholic specinooe oi pa.^e of ..uU. p^o.r.d

io ri ^\r SI Qa (iO* ?^i •"- ^ 1 r.'^' r> ^ .

i

I

M

'Vi'. >■•. l^ True,

Ouralor-in-ohanre

Dear Mr. Tnio:

for ex:iinination in {"5r.r.n ^/^f. : n;- -; ' m, ^v^ v. -

Tli'-so sp3oiriGns corr-

pris. D fia. poll,, of f,a-s^.is obLMned T,y polc,,ic s.aiin. nff
-^kn. and 19 ccpieL. ...n. --.h shuj.. obtained on tho P.^nnior
an. Cc^^ander. Is.and., exc.pti:., such of .he l-.Uor as have boon
uMli^ad as exhibits for ,he Tribunal of Arbit-raMon. I hav. Just,
reoeivoc a roply aathcri.i.^ .:o to .urn over ,.hesa sp.....,.-
^^iseum. which I nc^ lake pieahu- in do-nr T > ^^-] v.^. >. ^ .

P-It.., uh. oJi.r .wane are a.Lr.r.d; in .ho ci^.t.od- of t.h',

^lls GUI':- -pat' ii Ol* :Jv-rn in ; l^- T,V- ..:, p

^ *" '■■■ ''-■' '--■^^i^^u.n Pu-idin;^ and par/.. I

b-iiovG in ;.ho tax i dorr/; is,/-; shop.

ilQ

Vory truly ycurs.

Chief of Pivj.sicn of

OrjiitJioIf^- and }hr:iVJXi ::.^,: .

287

J

i":Hi

288

May 12, l^'0?{.

■ f

Mr. C. S. H.:i lin,

I

As^iGt^^it Sr;L^rctary, Trc-a^i^^" P iraHjrif rit ^
Dear S r:

Bex: rr-^n?-*: V-- vouf h-tt^r oi* the !^ti. in^tojit, I woidd i^tai^
that I birvo thiB day ♦^^-r-^^d ovor to ^ho officer in ciiar^c ci ^ne
Nationn] Musei^u f.he spe^n^-eiib of i'v^r seulf refi.rreu to^ Tix
a}ccholic spec?Tr;Cr.^ ci' ^^oriachs and other parts oT P'Vils ar<=' already
in poss^.taion of tan Coiim^.osioner ci I'^'^h and F:^sn rirs»

Reso'^ctfiui .

Bering Sen C^.rnrnies^onrnr^

i

i

*•*•

8 •■ •♦

• "^* " ■ mmmt^*n r ■■■■ mtm^-^r^m^* mmm mii

289

I

91

lAV 18, 1893,

IPC 'ionor

9

llie Sonretar;: of .State,

Wa5-.l',1,r^yton. D. C.

Beicro Mr, Poster's di^pnrtii.ro for Pa-is I !;a<t focoived a part
of tho --oia-iea co:nprJ.sin^-: ih^ Fflrim^ Saa <5.-,.ce, and vas prwiued thg
roir.ainin;'. volvj-.e.s as ?.ocn an they shwid ];n read:-' for distribution.
Parf, rf U:-3m at the t-i:;3 'A-'-ra iv. i;,g h.uid? of tjia Public Prir^l^r.
The vrlur-s I hnvo reor.iv-d ai-3 Ui- Cfisa of Iho IJr.j tO(3 StatQt. tvith
Appwdix and port.foiio of m:i;.s (4 volurr.ess in ail); the Roj),ort of tha
B^iM?^ j^rinf^ Sea Coffr.Jf:s!on<^rr; ( 1 voi'ir^), una \}i& ^ritn£^__CounU
£i^ ( i:\parti> . I have not r»c.?ivfld U>« Oountor-case of the United

»

Stat-s, nvv Vao A.^^lrr.onts on ^jUior .sido. nor Lh^j coi-reetod ciharta
8uI;nric.o-3ri -^1^1 our courtor-.?-se, a/id .shuli b? f.reatlv oUiston if
you r/iil ord-r (x>pi^P of the savne sent lo my addr3B6, top;gth3r with
a-y c.th,:.;r dr.(»nn.-jnts fo^nin^ a |;art uf the case, I hav.^ rocently
rf;ce:v:;a from Pans a copy of ■he £:<££ieK9ntar^ Re;{^crt of Lbs
British liorin/r Sea Ocimir.sionorB,

Hojircotfrdlv,

* » »■

^*V,vi.- H •%*%!#»«*

Bering Sea CaBmlaaion<5i%

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290

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Junf, i. iSOH.

.U.So :.yfMj.'^.^:6r'?'r of rich Ji rirJisrlftS,

WHsh:rv^-ton, r.. r;»

Deft

r c, i r:

Reply 'rc f,o yoru* ltjit.or of f.hr* 2';t,h yl

1 !

m

::^, referdiv^ to a Id!-

fier frfirn C, 5, Hfualin, A^^aisUnt S^crstarv of

m

t.ao iraaS'iry, i-y.ifiect-

(n£ eertaiii alccho^jc ^rrocmans of

i-nri-e i'f fieals proc^ir^xi t'%' Kov

ij

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or

■> A

»^

Vfi

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^v^jrr.*!

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I mfc to HB,x i2ifki in

J.

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, , O- «*\ ^ A

Lhe

iOl

>'ir,f^r> r*,>

onortxi

}.^

ne S^cr^l'i5*y of tho Traa^-r^ry roHpeeiinr the

<r »"

^'9 j^f*lr\s r:

4'* 4

f'Ui^ atals

pi

iJW. In r:y ciiarro, I exkiod, at it

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it^ j?t'«^'.'3t/icn '^i' iU', Ra'Jib'.^n

u-

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laid

*j •■,./*.

H. Ij i

3 a/>d oih^r aiooJi

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^eli^bn^ c»iil(^ct}4 be fcnmll

Vdvnoi

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crtmiasion. XV

o:\? cf viesa Bpeeimens af? cr

/ n f

-^uave \>Qm ia r?y i:cii0a$«ic>n^ is-xo'

<ihc baiiks 01 eqi^id^j a

Ki

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4»,

ottiar a.^-l:oi:-s iaken by !w« frm/i et-^naLMiS in the Fi^jh

ft

i uofi!!l*.&:on

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'.-* O "** I * V

r*. \

> ^vu iv^f:-,';:t^

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T'- 1; *.' i"^ f »r» "^ r!i v*

A •

Balers clo.^iu.> I irrmt *o co^igi^inlate :/ou en the i^a^lffCi

>n'

1 <^ "^ • o

y of liv$ fiaiies aid otiier wfti'iri;/ atiUwil

n t;

! I

ih. Woj4c*s Pfeif

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wi i

ie«^. At, th

*m •*

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t .it

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ea^i^ to ret)

weeks sir^ce no

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iiib^t, .;afi lv\lf nc ci\.me(i wlU'

i*I«V^^

BeHn/? Sf>a Co^v^iinsf.ori'^r^

291

:!.; HI

January 17, 1894.

Mi^, Jtislioe 'Parian,

Sig^ren^e Court,

Wash I m'- ton, P^ C.

Pa

aar Sir:

I hav'» iho honor to ac)<jio"'iedro thv^ roceipt of a cnpv or your
>porta}-it •Opiniorr:' in the Bering Sea Case, for '^liich I an rroatly

In nr>mplirtnce ^'uth your request I encloso herewith a lir:t of
*lnt2_iralists, ri^oKt of -vho.-. oi-ntrihuts^ lotte^^s to our r>lde of tho

^'MsA.

I h:r/"^ tho honor to **?main.

^''e^y r\^.p.'>ct fully.

f , . i^

L: ft

292

Dr. narlos Perr^, Di-^.-lat/ional iv:us. ,Prmnos A^ res ^Ar^on Lire Popuhlic.

(Caniila 470)

Pj-of. Raphaol Pianch-^r-c?^ Rue d'^ r.nxO'-'boTi-rr, h?!. Paris, ?rano8.

Vf. Ewer T>uchner, ZoolJvins.der Kais'^riichen Ac^ad.WisB. St. Peters-

l)urp:, Bussia,

Prof* Pobert Goliobt, 7.oolo^'ical ^'usenT:, ChruViania, Mor^ray.

Pr. ^mry Hillvflr Oieiioli. ^oyal Superior Institute, Florence, Italy

19 via Fon:ana.

Dr, ^.\ A. jentink, Dir.^^lRf^l.r. Natural -int. .Leiden /Jetl^^rlands^

Prof. Willinim tiiilif^l.orp;. Hp^ala, S*'^eden,

P^of. Alp^^nnBO K'i Lne-R<h")raM, Adrinif t/Y^at'^ur iena^^erie au Wus'^e

crHirtcire •Jn.Vureile^Jardir dpts^ Piants,

ParxF., France.

Prof. Alfred IJnhri-:^, Invaiioenr t-^ai-F^e 4?, BBriin, N., Oorr'.any.

Prof. PaT-on Adolf K. NordenKkjold. Acad.^-y of Scienoe» Stockholrr:,

Sweden,

Pr. Iscjold von SvVrrenr!]., Si. p'^t^r3^ti-'^,Pussia(Acad^n-y of Sciences)

Dr. J. A. Alien, A^:.WusJJal.HiRt,,77th St. 'i 8th Ave. .N.Y. City.

WlUiar Bre^^htiOr, 141 Brattle St.^ CanLridre, Mass.

Prof, David S. Jordan, Prer. Lel?^nd Stanford -Iniv. ,Standfor'd •Inive^-iV

ty, California.

I I

%

293

Acting HyUro,jr£p>i.n. 'j, s. Srv^-,
^sar Sir:

fsbrnsry 10, 1804,

ihM .h. . " ^^ ' ' ^'^'^ ^'"'-'^"^^ ^ ^«g ^0 state

"^'-■^ ...a LaoK charts roi-erryd to v-ors d«7iv.»^ v
tc Gen. John W, Pc-- • i <,. r ^ to ..ore dalivared by me

"^ r», rcci-i- r^t tile DcDart/Tfi-i i-p Qf*.^-. t

•^^>>2.i,/nua.. of State, Jmie 25, isas

R^Sj r;o;;f ully.

I^L9 Bering Sea Cocmiasioner.

J

-f

294

Dc^ comber 14

t..' \j S.U d •

Hon. W. r. Kockhiil,

Third Ai.'.<i£=Unt Seeretwj.' of

] hiwe the honor i-o acfeowledge the receipt of your communication
01 Lhe 7th instant, inform. r.g me that the Department will send out un-
der its frank m r<^ behalf, five sets of the published 'ProceedingB
of the Tribunal of Arbitration in the )?ur Seal Case*.

r yyii.h to express ,T.y appreciation of this covirtesy, 9xA shall be
gnmtly obiiged if you will have sets of the Proceedings sent to the
following five addresses:

Hr. Eupen Buchner, Zooi. f^seum .

■ Kaiserl. Acad. Wiss.. St. Petersburg. Russia

Dr. Francisco Moreno, Director Museo de La Plata

La Plata, Argentine Republic

President D. S. Jordan ^', -x •

Stanford University. California

a-. J. A. Allen, Americar. Museum Nat. History

77 Street k 8 Avenue. New York City

Hon. C. L. Merriam, Locust Grore, New York.
When engaged in the preparation of the ease of the United States
I addressed a cirwlar letter to the best known naturalists in vari-
ous countries, requestin^^ replies involving certain matters of im-
portance respecting the preservation of the fur-seal. Answers were
received from a number of the most distinguished naturalists of the
world, which answers were strong argumonts on our side of the case.
Thase ^re published in full in the Arbitration Proceedings. I beg to

.4

'K-

poor imprint

295

Hcn.W,W.R. Z

nimr.eBh, t.hereiero, iha-!, it wor-ia be an appropriate ana highly appre
ciat^ed ^xairteEV it ^.ein oi Ln^ Prooeedin^a ^^ere sent by the Depart-
ment to i.hei^B naturaliHtj:, *.;^ a rocofmition of services rendered. A
list of sa^en of Lbe^e naturi^li^ta with their addresses is enclosed
on a seoarate «h«et.

;,■ t

Be«p<= ctfuily ,

Lata Bering Sea Goirmissioner

■!

4

296

)

ti4

cmmm o? stoa;aciis of f.r-sbals killrd in the north pacific ockan bb-
Tmm LAT.530 45' Aim mo r^s\Mm mostly eo-so mus f>ff ihorb.april 22.-

Jlo. 9.i April S2.

fclAY 1,1802»

MSirll

v«riebr33 of £ Bmli fishes.

No. 11. April S2.

One small fish, a stickl9back(Ga«Upo,t«'« «(i^fcrc(,ta.)«

No. 12.April 22.

Beak and flash of a squid.

Ko. 19. April 52.

Om fish, a iin/r.

Wo. 30. April 22.

f^Afo fishes, a ling and a red rock fish(.8«b«i«iidtfey»).
No. .2J>, April 2P,

t

A red rock x'^ish'SebasticUnrs).

So. ?!'^. April 2a),

A red rock fish (Sebasticthys).

No. 27. April 2;-'.

Bones of small fin;..

No. 25. April 21^,

A -m roffk fish (Sebasbicthvs ) .

.1

!

297

-2-

Wo. .<0. April 22,

A red pock fish (Ssbaeticthj^s) .

t

Ho. 82. April 22«

Bonea of small fish»

No, 34. April 22.

A rod mok fish (SabMtiotlxya).

No. 36.3 April 22.

One nearly entire body of squid( a lltUe oTer 6 l„che» long
»it4.o«t head or fluke); aiao U heads (4 with umn attaohed); a few
P16098 of squid flesh; 84 loose oyea and 40 looee bwUcs of young
squids: th. vertebra of a small fiah, and a handful af bone. oT
lai^er fish. (r d

No. 38 a April 22.

Bi^ht beakB and U eye. of aquida; and a fe«. fiah bonea,pix».
bably pollock (Pollaohlua chaleo^ramu*).

Ho. 41 $ April 22^

Bonea of a red rook fish (Sebaaticr -a).

No. 42? April 22.

41?) beaks and 309 eyea of squids.

298

{

'vm

-3-

No, 45. 5 ^Hl as.

17 beaks and 6 eyes of squids and r«I rot^ fiifc ( %b«MidtliJ»J.

10 heads of squids with ama and lai^e f l9«lir jsloots of beijy,
and 75 extra beaks and 70 eyes; also vertebm of «Mai fiA.

»0« 52 April 28.

k red rock fish (Sebaaticthja).

No. £4 April 2-'-i.

Red rock fish (Sebastlcthys).

No, m April 23.

Red rock fish ( Sebastlcthys) and remains of a^tit.

No, 66 April 23.

Red rock fish (Sebastlethye).

Bo. 67.8 April 28,

Bones of red rock fish (Sebastlcthys).

No. 60 April 23.

Plash and bones of small fish.

No. 63 $ April 23.

D red rock fish (Sebasticthys) and 1 pollock (Polla«hitta (riaal.
co^^:ra!BttUe),

hi '

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299

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^^

300

-4-

No. 64. April S4o f ,,u.LijJi_ '^^^ lU.^ ^jUfti^ ^^t{

Salmon

No. 66 S April 29.

A-R-C

^c^t-"

X^UX^

I5bi;

313 beaks and 197 eyos of squids.

No. 67. S April 29.

Bone.=; of rM rock fish (Sebasticthvs) .
No. .38 S April ,PD.

0 S3:all squids. 40 extra beaJcs and 32 eyes, j-^
No. 73 J April 29.

35 heads of squirls. 7,3 extra beaks, 50 extra eyes.

and a few

intasUnai -vorrati.

Ji3

78 April 29.

One saiinoii, i sir.all fish, and remains of iquldfl.
No. SO S April 29. '

The vsrtebns of a fish abo4t 8 inches long; of another fUh
about n inches iongj 5 squids without heads, 2 head.. 8 wtrabeaka.
and 20 extra oves.

No. 90 April 30,
Squids.

301

•*■

^o, 9i $ April 80.
30 aaalX squids.

^. ea ^ni 80.

"^^ > r%, m ft Kay 1.

11 heads of small «<juld8. fi «xtra

»o. 108 S May I.

C beaks and 1 eye of aquid*.

*««lc», «Md IB Mini er|«a

Ji

I' T,

t

{jvf^

f

Hi

Mai or J. VI. Pov/oii,

Diroctor, U. S. Geoiopicai Swrvcv.

Dear Sir:

A year and a half ago yor. kindlv agreed e t n:y reqr<ost lo co-
opemt. With the Biological Survey of the i>FaW..ont of Agrlouliuro
by detailing a topographor to aecornpan:- tlie Death Vail.y Rxp«dit.1on;
foV the purpose of determining ait,iu,.^s arm ..aki.ig a topcgv,ph:c
map of the region traversed, 'n.o topographor «c cotail-d faiied t.o
furnish altitudes, ^vhereupcn I ..nioonod th. matter to P:-of. Tho,.pscn
and Mr. Douglas, hoth of whom assured me that thov -.-o.ld in.r^^uct
him at once to v.ork out approximate altitiKle. oa.d give them ,.. the
party in the field. But no aUi.udes were ever furnished.

After two or three months i- l,ecaH:a evident that .he topogra-
pher would never be able to make a r.ap of the .e^ion. I explained

this to you and Prof, ^^^omloson ard -isk-d if anoth-r \y.^\

^>-^ aoiv^u i^ dnotnor ana moro expe-

rienced .or. could be spared to complete the v.^ork 'a.ider'.aken. 7o this
also you kindly consented, and the new man Joined the expedition in
April. Since the topographers could not keep up wl,h Lhe rest of
the expedition, they were provided .ith an independent ou.fit and
man. and regained in the f.eld until sometime I. July, .hon thev ..,-. '
called ..ay. not only withou. hav.ng ccplet.d the .c.k. but w.l',ho,.

having attempted to vinlt the area vi which }-o-',. .,-,..

.'O. i... wtiiOit ■^iiOj.i Sbrvicof! .vera n,os,

needed.

w

\

Powoi] ^^*

On disousa:,ng the matter rnAh you and P/of . Thompson about
JOTuary i, tilie ia-.tor --om^soU to furnish as the list of altitudes
promindy^^and a aou't^-^-^^ ^ ^^ ^'^ ^""'"^^ --^'' ''^ February 15.
Up to thi' present tilhe, neluier al' Ituaes nor map have be.n revived.
/. month £go il -rote tlio fciio^ing i3tt- to P7-of . ^lompson. to wh.ch

N ,-■: «

no reply has been received

Dear P.-ol-.-sscr ^Diompson: ,. ^-if.

Will ;ou kindly info... mo 'vhen I may ^-^Ff-^V^^th Kli^^ ^x-'d^-
tudes dotsrmin^d by D.K..nan ar... Baru.tt on ^%^'^^:'^:^: J^!^^
tion? Also, at what aate the c.>mpiiod map ..i vvh.:c}i you ai.. tiv,ag,.a

is .likelv to bo fanisliod?

Tlie field. txpon:>eis v?t ilim^j ucyoij/ at'^ — ^- wv.^iv v.v.z> i

of Ar-ricuiture al^ut U300., fur ^h:c:^ up to the present time we
have received. absolutely nothlv^: oxcpt a memcranQi.in dated Fobrua^-y
1. respecting the p-obabie depth of D.ath Valley belcv sea level.
It is witii great relv^ctanc^- that 1 bring this matter to your
notice again, but I think you .vili appreciate my embarrassment in
Uie absence < f aititud.s with vhich to fix the results of our field

work, ^u^ aicyin th. absence of the io)ig promised map on which to
sho-. .i:. distribution oi -hr va^-ious species inhabiting the rc^g.on.
I ;«n f.3quently ask^a as tc the ca: se of the delay, with special
reforenco to its h.zr.np^ on promised exhibits' for th, World's ^ai^-,

ar-

ia m al a ioi^s t^ii ^o what ropiy to rake.

Chi9f of DlvJFron ox

Ornitiioiorr-

1 '*> r

-4110.

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Original Defective

,41

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( I

*i -II