114 ALASKA. 



for the seal-life, diminiitiou ^vill certainly ensue, and all this 

 time, with all possible effort, no more than 50,000 seals ^Yiil be 

 taken. 



Here it slionld be said that this hypothetical table of the 

 probable increase of seals is made on the supposition of the 

 decrease of females, and an average is taken accordingly. 

 Furthermore, on the island of Saint Paul, in 1830-37, instead of 

 7,900 seals being killed, but 4,800 were taken. Hence it follows 

 that these 1,500 females thus saved in tvro years, and which 

 are omitted from the table, will also make a very significant 

 addition to the incoming seals.* 



* I frivc this chapter of Veniamiuov's without abridgment, although it is 

 full of errors, to show that while the Russians gave this matter evidently 

 much thought at headquarters, yet they failed to send some one on to the 

 ground, who, by first making himself acquainted with the habits of the 

 seals from close observation of th^ir lives, should then be fitted to prepare 

 rules and regulations founded upon this knowledge. These suggestions of 

 Veuiamiuov Avere, however, a vast improvement on the work as it was con- 

 ducted, and they were adopted at once, but it was not until 1845 that the 

 great importance of never disturbing the breeding-seals was recognized. 



H. W. E. 



