142 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
896 seals on the same coast, fully two-thirds of which were also females, ~ 
according to the statement of one of her hunters. In nearly every 
instance where the writer has spoken with hunters on this subject they 
have admitted that in all waters where the northern seal herd is found, 
with one exception, females largely predominate. This exception is the 
Fairweather ground, where, a few years previous to the beginning of 
the close season now in force, most of the pelagic sealing was carried 
en during the month of May. On this ground, as recorded by the 
writer in a previous report, is found a great number of large males, 
and according to the statement of all sealers and of others it is now 
quite well established that large breeding males frequent this ground 
in greater numbers than any other known region. 
It may be well to illustrate briefly a few of the conditions under which 
the record of seals is kept. When seals are brought on board in small 
numbers it is very easy to identify the sex, but when they arrive in 
large quantities, a hundred or more, it requires considerable time to 
examine each one, and sealers have, to them, more important duties to 
attend to. It often happens that the hunters are forced to return on 
account of bad weather or an approaching storm, at which times the 
safety of the canoes and vessel is of more consequence than the deter- 
mination of the character of the catch. When the boats and canoes 
are being hoisted in, the officers and men are stationed at either side of 
the vessel to do this work, as well as to keep the records, and, as is to 
be expected, in the bustle and excitement a very correct account of the 
sexes is not given. In many cases the seals are not examined at all. 
By the time the last canoe is lashed on board the weather is rough and 
stormy and the hunters are anxious to go below; and if it be dark the 
seals will be left until morning for skinning. No further examination 
is made, and, right or wrong, the first account rendered is accepted. 
The fact of the matter is, that in only a few cases is the sex correctly 
recorded. 
Inaccuracies in this respect also result when the seals are skinned in 
the boats. Upon arrival at the vessel the skins are at once thrown into 
the hold without examination, and nobody knows or cares whether they 
are male or female. 
Although United States revenue cutters have the privilege of board- 
ing vessels and overhauling the catch made in Bering Sea, the condi- 
tions under which this work is carried on, however zealous the officers 
may be,render it difficult for the sexes to be separated, and they return 
to their ship little wiser than when they came. 
CONDITIONS OF THE FEMALE SEALS TAKEN BY THE DORA 
SIEWERD. 
Of the 982 female seals secured by this vessel, 882 were opened and 
examined by the writer. Of this number 839 were found to be adults, 
and 668 were clearly in milk. Many of the remaining 171 may also 
have been nursing females, which at the time of their capture had not 
obtained sufficient nourishment to cause their milk glands to fill. 
SEALS MADE SHY BY HUNTING. 
Inquiry was made of several captains and hunters as to whether 
seals were as easy to capture this year as last in Bering Sea. They all 
give it as their judgment that seals were more difficult to approachth is 
season than in 1894. Captain Cox, of the schooner Sapphire, said he 
