SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 23 
Mr. Alexander reports the seals taken by the Olsen to have been 
feeding on pollock, whenever identification was made with certainty. 
Several seals were speared in the act of eating pollock, the fresh rem- 
nants making identification certain. During the cruise large cod were 
taken at sealing stations in depths of 60 and 70 fathoms, and were so 
abundant that the decks could have been filled with them, although 
the stomachs of the seals taken contained pollock. The stomachs of 
the cod contained starfish, prawns, squid, jelly-fish, and a few small 
fishes; nothing of the kind being found in the stomachs of seals taken 
at the same positions. Some of the cod weighed 30 pounds, the aver- 
age being 9 pounds, while an examination of the fish eaten by the 
seals shows the fish to have been of the size of pollock or smaller. 
It would appear that the seals taken by the Olsen were feeding near 
the surface. 
PROBABLE USE OF FIREARMS IN SEALING DURING SEASON 
OF 1894. 
In regard to the surreptitious use of firearms in Bering Sea, I have 
to state that conspicuous blood stains were noticed on several rookeries 
between September 9 and 12, 1894, both by the Treasury agents and 
myself, and indicated the presence of wounded animals. Ina few cases 
dead seals were found. The blood as noticed in a dozen or more of 
places was spattered upon the rocks from the beach well back into the 
rookeries, leaving distinct bloody trails, with occasional bowlders well 
stained where the animals had paused. The stains were fresh, although 
being rapidly effaced by moving seals and wet weather. 
\ 
DEAD SEALS FOUND (ALL ADULTS). 
North rookery, 1 female; Starry Arteel, 1 female; Garbotch, 1 male 
and 5 females; Tolstoi, 3 females; Zapadnie, 1 male and 2 females; 
total, 14. 
The carcasses on Zapadnie were comparatively fresh, the others had 
been dead probably three weeks. From the fact of these carcasses 
being in the rookeries and rubbed and fouled by seals constantly erawl- 
ing over them, I could not determine the presence of gunshot marks. 
T have left out of the above count three rotten carcasses found on Gar- 
botch, that apparently died early in the season. 
Mr. A. B. Alexander reports that while cruising with the Louis Olsen 
firing was heard from the vessel on August 10 during foggy weather, 
and that the hunters reported hearing guns constantly while out in the 
boats the same day. The crew are of the opinion that the firearms 
were being used for sealing, although nothing was seen. 
The hunters of the Favorite reported in Unalaska on August 27 that 
they heard firearms in Bering Sea on several occasions. When I 
boarded the Walter Rich in Bering Sea September 6, the captain 
reported having speared a seal on the 5th freshly wounded with buck- 
shot. 
Reports of a similar character came to our ears at times during the 
season. The patrol fleet found it impracticable to search vessels at 
sea—nothing more than a cursory examination being possible under 
the circumstances. If guns are to be prohibited, sealing vessels should 
be searched at the Unalaska wharf, or some other favorable place 
where there is a possibility of overhauling their cargoes in an effective 
manner. 
