190 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



the rookeries daily fiom the 7th to the 22d of July — during the period 

 when the rookeries are fullest and at their best — and I carefully noted 

 their condition and the number of seals ; the number of cows to the 

 family, and the number of idle, vigorous bulls upon each rookery. 

 (Joseph Murray.) 



Upon my first visit to the rookeries and hauling grounds of the island 

 of St. Paul my attention was attracted to the evidences ot recent and 

 remote occupancy by the seals. Marked differences were noticeable in 

 tlie appearance of vegetation on large areas formerly occupied as breed- 

 ing and hauling grounds, while near the water's edge, more recently 

 occupied, the ground was entirely bare of vegetation, enabling one to 

 trace the gradual decrease of areas occupied during the last six to 

 eight years. My examination of the rookeries on St. Paul and St. 

 George during the years 1890, 1891, and 1892 enabled me to trace the 

 yearly decreasing area occupied by the fur seals on these islands. 

 Aside frora the evidences of deserted rookeries and hauling grounds 

 shown by native inhabitants of each island, the grounds occupied in 

 former years were now deserted and grass grown. The silent witness 

 of the deserted rookeries confirms the testimony of the resident agents 

 of the lessees of the islands and of the native inhabitants that the 

 number of seals began to decrease with the advent of pelagic sealing, 

 and that the yearly decrease has been in proportion with the yearly 

 increase in the number of vessels engaged in that enterprise. (S. E. 

 N^ettleton.) 



The decrease in the number of seals coming to the islands in the last 

 three or four years became so manifest to everyone acquainted with the 

 rookeries in earlier days that various theories have been advanced in 

 an attempt to account for the cause of this sudden change, and the fol- 

 lowing are some of them: (1) "A dearth of bulls upon the breeding 

 rookeries;" (2) ''Impotency of bulls caused by overdriving while they 

 were young bachelors," and (3) "An epidemic among the seals." (L. 

 A. Noyes.) 



Q. Have you noted any perceptible difference in the number of seals 

 on the rookeries from one year to another? If so, what changes have 

 you observed ? — A. Within the last four or five years I have observed a 

 decided decrease in the number of seals on the rookeries. 



Q. In what proportion have the seals decreased within the time men- 

 tioned'? — A. As far as my judgment goes, I should say at least one- 

 half. (J. C. Eedpath.) 



As the schooners increased the seals decreased, and the lines of con- 

 traction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearer and nearer to the 

 beach, and the killable seals became fewer in numbers and harder to 

 find. In 1886 the decrease was so plain that the natives and all the 

 agents on the islands saw it and were startled, and theories of all 

 sorts were advanced in an attempt to account for a cause. (J. 0. 

 Eedpath.) 



I had no difficulty in getting the size and weight of skins as ordered, 

 nor had my predecessors in the office, up to and including 1884. The 

 casks in which we packed them for shipment were made by the same 

 man for many years, and were always of uniform size. In 1885 these 

 casks averaged about 47^ skins each, and in 1886 they averaged about 

 5()i skins each, as shown by the records in our office. After this date 

 the number increased, and in 1888 they averaged about 55f skins per 

 cask, and in 1889 averaged about 60 skins per cask. These latter were 



