ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 275 



Table shoiving the relative growth, iveight, etc., of the fur seals — Continued. 



Note. — All male fur seals, from yearlings to puberty, are termed "bachelors " or '' holluscliickie, " 

 and all male fur seals, from the age of 5 years on, are termed ("virile") bulls or " seacatchie." All 

 female fur seals, from 1 year and upward, are termed "cows" or "matkamie" ("mothers"). All the 

 young, under yearlings, are termed "pups" or "kotickie" ("little cats"). 



lu conclusion, I desire to state that, as to the relative ages of the 

 male and female Callorhinus., I have hitherto, in referring to it, taken 

 the general ground of estimation which is commonly accei)ted in rating 

 the duration of mammalian life. Nevertheless, on this point especially, 

 .1 feel that if the real facts of the comparative longevity of the two 

 sexes could be positively ascertained the great discrepancy which the 

 table above faithfully portrays and suggests would be so modified as 

 to make the relative length of life for the female much greater, and that 

 of the male correspondingly less. 



In my discussion of the reproduction of these animals 1 clearly show 

 that the male is physically qualified to procreate liis race at the age of 

 4 years, but that he is not allowed to do so until he is G or 7. Also, 

 that the female becomes a mother at the expiration of the third year of 

 her life and the immediate opening of the fourth. So, really, viewed 

 from the point of sheer physical ability, if undisturbed the male fur 

 seal wears the " toga virilis " at the close of the third and beginning of 

 the«fourth year of his life, while the female comes out eager for fecunda- 

 tion and prospective maternity at the end of the second and the begin- 

 ning of the third summer of her existence. 



Tabulated exhibit of method of killing, and seasons of the 



YEAR IN WHICH IT IS DONE, ON THE PrIBILOF ISLANDS. — In order 



that the reader may the more clearly understand the time of killing, 

 the seasons in which it is done, and the relative selection of the difi'erent 

 classes of seals for slaughter, food, etc., I take much satisfaction in 

 being able to submit the following tabulation, which gives at a glance 

 a succinct and comprehensive epitome of one entire sealing season and 

 its work on the Pribilof Islands. This table is literally brought down 

 to date, and the figures upon which it is based I have taken from the 

 recent official report of Col. H. G. Otis, who is the Treasury agent in 

 charge of the interests of the Government therein represented. I 

 ought, also, in simple Justice to the authority from whom I have taken 

 these enumerations, to state that those specifications of fact are evi- 

 dently compiled from his field notes with scrnpulous attention, both in 

 their original registration and also in their transcription. As I here 



