NO OVERKILLING OF MALES. 121 



SUCH KILLING NOT PRACTICABLE. 



In the hypothetical case above cited we have supposed that every male of a given 

 age could be taken. While in theory this is possible, in practice it could probably 

 never be done. There are certain hauling grounds, such as Lagoon, Zapadni Head, 

 Otter Island, Sivutch Kock, and Southwest Point, from which the seals are not and 

 have never been driven. The young males frequenting these are left undisturbed, 

 and it is safe to suppose that the majority of them pass killable age before the sexual 

 instinct draws them to the vicinity of the rookeries from which seals are driven. 

 Furthermore, there are always little pods of bachelors in the turns and corners of the 

 rookeries which either can not be reached or are too insignificant in number to be 

 followed up. 



OTTER ISLAND NOT DRIVEN. 



Otter Island, one of these hauling grounds from which seals are never killed, 

 must have been a source of reserve male life throughout the history of the herd. 

 From the records in the log of St. Paul of the days when a guard was stationed 

 there to prevent raids, we know that anywhere from two to ten thousand bachelors 

 hauled out there regularly. During the past summer at least 1,000 young males were 

 found at the time the island was visited. There were also from 500 to 800 males of 

 this sort on Sivutch Kock at the time of its inspection in 1897. These young males 

 are not disturbed, and from these hauling grounds alone an adequate supply of 

 reserve male life might be expected to-day if none whatever escaped otherwise. In 

 the earlier days when the herd was larger their yield was also larger. 



DEFECTIVE SKINS. 



One other matter in this connection is worth mentioning. From the killing field 

 at every killing a considerable number of young males, otherwise strong and vigorous, 

 are rejected because of some defect in the skin, chiefly bites or scars of imperfectly 

 healed wounds. These males go to swell the quota of reserve male life. 



OVERKILLING OF MALES HAS NOT OCCURRED. 



ISo far we have considered the possibility of too close killing of males. Let us 

 examine the facts in the case. At the time the herd came into the possession of the 

 United States it was in a prosperous condition, probably increasing, and it main- 

 tained a maximum condition of expansion for a number of years. We need therefore 

 not go back of the transfer of the rookeries to the United States in considering the 

 causes of decline. 



From the year 1871 a nominal quota of 100,000 male seals was taken each year to 

 and including 1889. Since 1889 the quota has fluctuated as a result of various causes. 

 To and including the year 1890 there were killed, in addition to the normal quota each 

 year for food for the natives, from 3,000 to 5,000 male pups. There was further a large 

 killing of males for food in the stagy season and of animals too young to furnish 

 skins of the desired grade for the quota. Since 1890 the killing of pups has been 

 stopped, as also the killing of stagy seals. 



