DESTRUCTION OF PREGNANT FEMALES. 443 



My experience in four years sealing is that nearly all the seals 

 taken along the coast are pregnant females, and 



it is seldom that one of them is caught that has Edwin P. Porter, p. 347. 

 not a young pup in her. 



I have been out sealing this year and caught 16 seals; 5 of them 

 were fall- grown cows that had pups in them. 

 The rest were young seals about 2 years old, both Wilson Parker, p. 392. 

 male and female, excepting one, and that was a 

 gray pup. 



In the trip just made off this coast, I have taken eighty-one seals, of 

 which three were bulls, three were bachelors, two 

 were yearlings, about fifty were females pregnant, w. Roberts, p. 241. 

 rest females barren. This is a fair average. 



Most of the seals taken by me have been cows Rondtus, p. 242. 

 with pups. 



The majority of seals taken by me have been females with pup. Once 

 in a great while I catch an old bull. A few year- 

 lings have been taken and the majority of males Abel Ryan, p. 299. 

 are two and three year olds. 



Of the females taken in the Pacific Ocean, and early in the season in 

 Bering Sea, nearly all are heavy with young, and 

 the death of the female necessarily causes the l. g. Shepard, p. 189. 

 death of the unborn pup seal ; in fact, I have seen 

 on nearly every vessel seized the pelts of unborn pups, which had been 

 taken from their mothers. 



While cruising along the coast our principal 

 catch was female seals with pup, the balance being Wm. Short, p. 348. 

 principally yearlings, about half male and female. 



The majority taken are females with pup. On ce 

 in a while an old ball is taken, but very seldom, jack Shucky, p. 289. 

 A few small yearlings are taken, but not many. 



We had 315 skins when we arrived here. Mostly all of them were fe- 

 males heavy with pup asleep on the water, and we „ 

 killed them' with shotguns. Peter Stmes > *■ m - 



Most of the seal taken by me were cows with Aaron Simson, p. 290. 

 pup. 



The last three years about half the seals I have killed were females 

 with pup. A few male seals and yearlings have 

 been killed by me. Have killed but four large Martin Singay, p. 268. 

 bulls in the last four years. 



From personal observation, as well as from the most reliable infor- 

 mation, it is quite certain that there has been 



taken by the Indians of Vancouver Islands and c. M. Scammon, p. 474. 

 Washington Territory during the last spring about 

 5,000 fur-seals, and almost inevitably each animal was with young, so 



