FUE-SEAL INDUSTRY. 91 



in the way hitherto practiced and without the use of firearms; and 

 provided that such aborigines are not in the employment of other 

 persons, or under contract to dehver the skins to any person. How- 

 ever, section 4 of the act of April 21, 1910 (36 Stat., 326), prohibits 

 the killing of fur seals together with other fur-bearing animals within 

 the limits of Alaska Territory or in the waters thereof, and empowers 

 the Secretary of Commerce "to authorize the killing of any such 

 * * * fur seal, * * * under such regulations as he may 

 prescribe." The Secretary of Commerce has not exercised the power 

 granted by this latter provision; so, at the present time under the 

 provisions of this statute the killing of fur seals within the Territory 

 of Alaska or in the waters thereof is absolutely prohibited. For the 

 purposes of this act the waters of Alaska extend offshore to the 

 3-mile limit. 



The act approved August 24, 1912, giving effect to the North 

 Pacific Sealing Convention forbids bringing into the United States 

 any skins taken from seals belonging to the American fur-seal herd 

 of the North Pacific Ocean unless they are officially marked and certi- 

 fied as having been legally taken. Indians or other aborigines 

 subject to the jurisdiction of the United States should make prompt 

 apphcation to the Commissioner of Fisheries or to a representative 

 of the Bureau of Fisheries for the marking and authentication of 

 any fur-seal skins lawfully taken by them. 



In May, 1917, two fur seals were taken by a native of Sitka, Alaska, 

 off Biorka Island, outside the 3-mile limit. It was reported that 

 both were males. The skins obtained were subsequently authenti- 

 cated by a representative of the Bureau. 



Through the courtesy of the Department of the Interior, Dr. C. L. 

 Woods, superintendent and physician, United States Indian Service, 

 Neah Bay, Wash., authenticated sealskins legally taken by Indians 

 in the coastal waters off the State of Washington. Reports sub- 

 mitted by Dr. Woods indicate that 517 skins taken in 1917 were 

 authenticated by him. The skins were taken in the months of May 

 and June. With the exception of five taken west of Ozette, aU were 

 secured 20 or 25 miles west of La Push. The seals from which the 

 skins were taken were speared from canoes. The records indicated 

 that 209 were males, 304 females, sex undetermined in respect to 

 4 pups. 



SHIPMENTS OF SKINS FROM PRIBILOF ISLANDS IN 1917. 



Fur-seal shins. — On July 30 there were placed aboard the steamer 

 Roosevelt at the Pribilofs 2,823 St. Paul skins and on August 1, 2,059 

 St. George skins. These skins, 4,882 in number, were delivered at 

 Seattle by the Roosevelt August IS. They were then shipped 

 August 19 by freight consigned to Funsten Bros. & Co., wSt. Louis, Mo. 

 The shipment left Seattle via the Northern Pacific Railway Co., and 

 was delivered at St. Louis early in September. 



A second shipment of fur-seal skins from the Pribilofs in 1917 was 

 made in December. Tliis shipment consisted of 1,630 St. George 

 skins and 2,628 taken on St. Paul Island, a total of 4,258 skins. This 

 shipment was also made on the Roosevelt, which arrived with them 

 at Seattle on January 14, 1918. The skins were reshipped at Seattle 

 January 15 via the Northern Pacific Railway, consigned to Funsten 

 Bros. & Co., and were delivered at St. Louis in February. 



