110 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
which will be accepted by the unwilling as the sole cause, we can at 
least point to one which everyone must admit demands serious consid- 
eration. We have the sworn testimony of the Treasury agents of the 
islands that they counted this fallon St. Paul 23,000 dead pups. Every 
unbiased observer is convinced that the cows suckle only their own 
offspring; hence, unless these pups died of natural causes, it is certain 
that 23,000 cows were destroyed at sea. That a large number of cows 
were destroyed by sealers we know from the investigations of the com- 
mission, and we know, also, that the pups were in such positions and 
condition as to indicate clearly that they died of starvation. Is there 
any reason to look elsewhere for the cause of the decrease of the females? 
Certainly not. 
Now, whether this is the only cause of the decrease of females or not 
is of no great moment, since, in its operation, it is a sufficient one to 
depopulate the rookeries. He would be regarded a very foolish man who 
should spend time and money in investigating obscure causes of the loss 
of his fowl while the fox was openly stealing hens from the roost. So 
long as a sufficient cause of destruction is discovered, it is of no practi- 
cal importance to search for others, since if this one continues to operate 
it will destroy the rookeries, whether other causes are discovered and 
eradicated or not. 
Asit was a part of my instructions to search for obscure deleterious 
agencies, however, I will say that I kept the matter constantly in mind, 
but was unable to discover anything of importance. The seals appeared 
to be healthy and vigorous. Idid not see more than five adult dead seals 
about the rookeries during my sojourn on St. Paul. These were all 
males. Mr. Townsend informed me of the presence of a dead female on 
Ketavie rookery, but I did not seeit myself. It may be said that there 
is no mortality of females on the islands before the pelagic sealing begins, 
as there certainly would be if the seals were in anywise diseased. 
No recognized enemies were observed about the islands, with the 
exception of two killer whales. These I observed for a short time in 
front of Ketavie rookery, but they appeared only once. The imperfec- 
tions which one finds among the seals are all such as have their origin 
in wounds received during combats or result from falling or jumping 
from high places on rocky ground. 
REMEDIES FOR THE DECREASE. 
‘ 
If it be true that the present shrinkage of the rookeries is due to 
human interference, as I believe it is, the simplest and most effectual 
remedy would, of course, consist in stopping for a term of years all 
sealing operations of whatever character and wherever prosecuted. It 
is certain that no harm could result to the seal herds from this pro- 
ceeding, and even if the proposition that the decrease is due to human 
interference should not be sustained (improbable as that may. be), the 
experiment would be worth all it might cost. It may be deemed, per- 
haps, that the application of this remedy is impracticable for reasons 
of state, as well as on account of the injustice to those persons who have 
money invested in apparatus of thefishery. If the present international 
situation is such that no change covering the whole fishery can be made, 
it is useless to consider the subject of direct remedies. 
It is not within my province to decide whether such a cessation of all 
sealing operations can or can not be brought about. Taking it for 
granted that it can not, | may mention two plans, in the nature of indi- 
rect remedies, which seem tome worthy of consideration. Oneof these 
