r.V Sli; DdliihAS MAWSdN, Kt.i!., II. sr., H.E., O.B.K. -II) 



inp,' as conducted by the sealers does not reduce the num- 

 bers. This is obviously untrue, though the reduction in 

 numbers over a short period may not be apparent where 

 the original number is very great, as is the case with the 

 Royal penguins. 



The life frequenting the island at the date of its dis- 

 covery was unquestionably a balanced population at its full 

 capacity. Any new factor of destruction entering that 

 metropolis must assuredly, by continued exercise against 

 any members of the community, effect a reduction in num- 

 bers. Exacting a constant annual toll, the population will 

 decrease in continually increasing proportion. This prin- 

 ciple must obtain, though in practice somewhat modified 

 by the operation of several contributing influences. 



The efi'ect of past sealing operations at Macquarie 

 Island has been disastrous to' its economic and scientific 

 interests, a statement which is quite indisputable. 



The sealers first attacked the most valuable of its ani- 

 mals, the fur seal, making a clean sweep of these, so far 

 as they were able, in the first three or four years. Odd 

 survivors of that senseless butchery, being the special mark 

 of all subsequent sealers, wei'e never afforded that respite 

 necessary for the recuperation of their numbers. 



The flightless parakeets <i"", which are recorded on the 

 island up to the year 1880, were extinct by about the year 

 1891. The early sealers killed these in great numbers, as 

 they were reported particularly good to eat. The final ex- 

 tinction must have been due to the ravages of the wild 

 domestic cats. 



The sea-elephants, fortunately, still maintain them- 

 selves in considerable numbers, though greatly reduced, if 

 we judge by early reports. Several fortunate circumstances 

 have contributed to the survival of this monster : In the first 

 place, much of the coastline is not economically accessible 

 to blubber oil operations, and it is on the stormy western 

 coast where the elephants now principally congregate; 

 secondly, it is certain that in these latitudes sea-elephants 

 often travel far, so that accessions from distant Kerguelen 

 and other resorts are to be reckoned with; finally, on ac- 

 count of its immense size — therefore blubber value — in com- 

 parison with that of the female, the bull elephant is natu- 

 rally the particular mark of the sealer, and a considerable 

 toll exacted amongst the numbers of the bulls should have no 



(13) Other less conspicuous finch-like land birds appear to have 

 suffered extinction also in like manner with the parakeets. 

 I) 



