198 



THE FUR SEALS OF THE PttlBILOF ISLANDS. 

 ST. PAUL. ISLAND, 1875-Continued. 



ST. i. i o m . i i -. i \ M 1875. 



1 The killings subsequent to July 17, at which time the quota of the season was filled, were for natives' food, and, as 

 in the case of the Killings before the regular season began, the skins so taken when suitable were included in the quota of 

 the following year. 



* Prior to the year 1891 it was customary each fall to allow the killing of a certain number of young male pups by 

 the natives for food. Before leaving the islands in the tall the pups become very fat, and as their diet is exclusively milk 

 up to that time, the meat was dearly prized by the natives. The method employed in taking these pups was to drive them 

 up from a given rookery, sort out the males and drive them to the killing grounds for slaughter. Their skins were of no 

 value. The wasteful practice was discontinued after 1890. For details regarding this matter, reference may be made to 

 extracts from the log of St. Paul, Part II, under date of November in any season. 



'St. George had furnished 27,000 male seals up to the close of 1873, when the quota was arbitrarily reduced to 10,000. 

 The driving of this year was adapted to the reduced quota, lu 1887 the quota of St. George was raised to 15,000, and the 

 driving increased accordingly. 



