ON PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 279 



every year thereafter until I left in 1887, there was a marked decrease 

 in the number of marketable skins that could be obtained in each year 

 daring the sealing season. We were able, down to the last year (1887) 

 to get our total catch of 100,000 seals, but in order to get that number 

 we had to take what in previous years we would have rejected, namely, 

 undersized skins, i. e., the skins of young seals. Prior to 1887 we had 

 endeavored to take no skins weighing less than 8 pounds, but in order 

 to make up our quota in the last-mentioned year we had to take skins 

 weighing as little as Gi pounds to the number of several thousand. 



In the years 1885, 1880, and 1887 my attention was attracted not 

 only to a diminution in the number of killable 

 seals appearing on the island, but to a decrease in t. f. Morgan, p. 64. 

 the females as well. Up to the year 18S4 the 



breeding space in the rookeries had increased, and from that year 

 down to 1887, when I left the island, the acreage covered by the rook- 

 eries which were occupied by seals constantly diminished. 



That my attention was called to the decrease of seals and the deple- 

 tion of the rookeries at an early date after my 

 arrival, and that I attempted to study the habits Joseph Murray, p. 73. 

 and conditions and to note the numbers of seal on 



the several rookeries and hauling grounds, and that the natives and 

 employe's of the Alaska Commercial Company were unanimous in their 

 opinions that the seal had been decreasing steadily and rapidly since 

 1884, and I reported the fact to Agent Goff, who had found similar con- 

 ditions existing on St. Paul, and he so reported to the Department 

 and suggested that not more than 00,000 seals should be taken in any 

 one season in future. 



In pursuance of instructions from Agent Goff I left St. George Isl- 

 and on the 19th of July, 1890, and landed on St. Paul Island on the 

 20th of the same month, and remained there until August, 1891. Dur- 

 ing the month of July, 1890, I walked over the rookeries and hauling 

 grounds of St. Paul Island and Agent Goff pointed out to me the lines 

 to which in former years the seals hauled and the large areas which 

 they covered; and then he called my attention to the small strip cov- 

 ered by seals on that date, which was smaller than the year previous. 



Agent Goff stopped the killing of seals by the lesses on and after 

 the 20th of July, 1890, because of the depleted coudition of the haul- 

 ing grounds; and I fully concurred in his order and action. I spent 

 the sealing season of 1891 on St. Paul Island, and pursuant to instruc- 

 tions of Agent Williams, I gave my time and special attention to the 

 study of the condition of the rookeries, both the breeding and grounds. 

 1 visited the rookeries daily from the 7th to the 22d of July — during 

 the period when the rookeries are fullest and at their best — and I care- 

 fully noted their condition and the number of seals; the number of 

 cows to the family, and the number of idle, vigorous bulls upon each 

 rookery. 



Upon my first visit to the rookeries and hauling grounds of the island 

 of St. Paul, my attention was attracted to the evi- 

 dences of recent and remote occupancy by the s. R. Nettleton, p. 75. 

 seals. Marked differences were noticeable in the 

 appearance of vegetation on large areas formerly occupied as breeding 

 and hauling grounds, while near the water's edge, more recently occu- 

 pied, the ground was entirely bare of vegetation, enabling one to trace 



