107 



treatment of tlie United States, on the islands, tlie facts on this subject 

 were not unknown to Great Britian wlien the treaty was made and 

 before ratifications were exchanged. This subject was not referred to 

 in any of the correspondence between the Governments, and the treaty 

 is silent as to this sujiposed mismanagement. 



Will the Tribunal, in such a case, make an objection to iirotecting 

 and preserving the fur-seals on the water because Great Britain has 

 not thought it proper or necessary to call the methods into question, 

 or the United States into account, for its manner of dealing with that 

 subject on hind? True, if it can be shown that the depletion of the 

 herd is due to that cause, and not toi)elagic hunting, that is a just and 

 proper inquiry. If it is due to both causes, this Tribunal will deal with 

 the pelagic evil, that is suhmitfed to its consideration, and leave it to the 

 nations concerned in the protection of seal life to deal ivith the evil on 

 land. 



If the United States are not so wise in caring for the seals on land 

 as the pelagic hunters are in caring for them at sea, as seems to be 

 asserted, they are (piite as earnest in the wish to do so. They destroy 

 no female seals; while the pelagic linnter never spares one. They do 

 not fire upon the breeding rookeries when the seals are massed, many 

 of them asleep, with double-barrelled shotguns and buck-shot car- 

 tridges. They do not kill indiscriminately all seals that come in sight. 



The United States pennit no female seals to be killed; while 75 per 

 centum of those killed by the pelagic hunter are females heavy with 

 young and almost helpless. 



In that condition, as well as in accordance with a law of their nature, 

 whichisan im])ortantfactin connection with theirdomesticity, thefemale 

 fur-seal require a great deal of sleep. When asleep, they turn upon 

 their backs, fold their flipi)ers over their breasts, and curving their hind 

 fliljpers ui)wards, they form of their bodies a sort of boat, the spinal 

 column representing the keel. They can only breathe the upper air; 

 they can not, like a fish, extract air from the water. While sleeping 

 their noses are above the water. After inhaling the air the nostrils 

 close firmly together, and the air, heated by their bodies, expands and 

 buoys them up. They seldom breathe often er than once in fifteen min- 

 utes, and, when diving, they need not return to the surface for air 

 oftener than every thirty minutes. We know nothing of their habits 

 at night while in the ocean. On land tlvey are so boisterous at night 

 with their bowlings that sleep would seem to be impossible, except 



