117 



sink and bo drowned. As already stated, tlie race is botli oonceived 

 and comes into existence on land, and from the necessities of its physi- 

 cal natnre must abide npon land during several months of the year. 



7. In the latter part of September or early in October, the breeding 

 season having closed, the pups having learned to swim, and the 

 ice around the islands increasing the difQculty of going into the sea 

 for fisli food, the herd begins to leave tlic islands, in squads or bands 

 of different sizes, proceeding in a southerly and southeasterly direction 

 through the middle passes of the Aleutian Islands into the North 

 Pacific Ocean south of those islands, where they get into the warmer 

 water of the Japanese current. During the winter months many of 

 the seals are seen off tiie coasts of California and Oregon. The bulls 

 do not go so far south, and do not accomx)any the herd in its general 

 migrations, usually remaining in the Gulf of Alaska until they return 

 to the breeding grounds. In the beginning of the year the seals turn 

 their faces towards their land home, moving leisurely in small schools 

 or bands, but substantially as a herd, northwardly and opposite to the 

 coasts of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska, thence 

 westwardly, through the eastern passes of the Aleutian Islands, back 

 into Bering Sea, to their breeding grounds on the islands of St. Paul 

 and St. George. They occupy year after year substantially the same 

 places on the islands. 



Their general migration route each year from the Pribilof Islands 

 tlirough the passes of the Aleutian Ishiuds into the Pacific Ocean 

 and back to their land home on those islands, is well known to sealers 

 and navigators. 



8. While on the islands they are subject to the control, for every 

 practical or commercial purpose, of those who are there by the authority 

 or license of the United States. Credible witnesses, faniiliar with the 

 habits of these animals, state that the young seals, before being weaned, 

 could be easily handled and branded with the mark of the United 

 States. So complete is the subjection of these animals, old and young, 

 to control, while on the islands during the breeding season, that such of 

 them as U may he desirable to take for commercial 'purposes, can he readily 

 separated from all the others. Indeed, if pelagic sealing continues to such 

 an extent as to imperil the existence of the race, and if the United 

 States should find it to be unprofitable to hold the islands of St. Paul 

 and St. George as a Government Ivcservation, to be used exclusively 

 by these animals as their breeding grounds, it could take substantially 



