410 ORAL ARGUMENT OF FREDERICK R. COUDERT, ESQ. 



Capt. Alexander McLean, brother of the above witness, who is also termed an 

 expert sealer by Mr. Mowat, bears out fuUv the foregoing. (Case U. S., AppendiXf 

 vol. n, p. 436.) 



The next is 



James Kieknan, of San Francisco, sealing captain. 



{Case of the U. S., Appendix, vol. 11, p. 419.) 



He has been engaged in sealing for many years since 1843, his early experience 

 being in Sonth America where the rookeries have now to a great extent been 

 destroyed. He made bis first sealing voyage in the North Pacific in 1868 and has, in 

 more recent years, been in Behring Sea. 



My experience has been that the sex of the seals nsually killed by hunters 

 employed on vessels under my command, both in the ocean and Behring Sea, were 

 cows. I should say that not less than 80 per cent of those caught each year were 

 of that sex. I have observed that those killed in the North Pacific were mostly 

 females carrying their young, and were generally caught while asleep on the water, 

 while those taken in Behring Sea were nearly all mother seals in uulk, that had left 

 their young and were in search of food. 



The mother does not leave the rookery in search of food until she has dropped her 

 young and become pregnant again, hence when she lias been slain, it means the loss 

 of three, as the young pup will unquestionably die for lack of sustenance. 



Then we have 



Captain Charles Lutjens, of San Francisco, owner and master of sealing schooner. 

 (Case of the U. S., Jjypendix, vol. II, p. 121.) 



He has been engaged in the sealing business as master since 1886, with the excep- 

 tion of two years. 



Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in the Pacific and 

 Behring Sea? — A. Principally females. 



Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows?— A. About 90 per 

 cent. 



Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? — A. About 70 

 per cent, I should say. 



This witness was subsequently cross-examined by the British Government. (See 

 British Counter Case, Appendix, vol. II, p. 121.) He there states: 



Of my catch along the coast going north four-filths woukl be females, and I think 

 about four-fifths would be carrying pups. That agrees with the testimony, 80 per 

 cent. 



Very few old bulls are caught. The proportion of males to females in the Behring 

 Sea appears to me to be about the same, but the cows are then in milk, and I have 

 seen the cows caught in milk as far as 150 miles from the islands. About one-fifth 

 of the cows taken are barren. 



Then we have the testimony of Fkanck Mokeau, of San Francisco, sealer. 

 {Case of the U. S. Appendix, vol. 11, 467.) 



Q. Have yon been engaged in catching seals in the Pacific and Behring Sea, and 

 for how long? — A. For five or six years I have been catching seals. 



Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in the Pacific and 

 Behring Sea? — A. Mostly females. 



Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cows? — A. I should judge 

 about 90 per cent. 



Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? — A. About Tn 

 per cent were with pup. 



This witness was subsequently cross-examined by the British Government. (See 

 British Counter Case Appendix, vol. II, p. 135.) He says: 



We get more females than males. I think tliere may be 80 per cent of the seals on 

 the coast females; I think that perhaps of the cows 75 per ceut carry pups, and in 

 Behring Sea tlie same percentage would apply to cows in milk, though I did not pay 

 particular attention to the matter. We get plenty of barren cows. . . I have seen 

 seals taken in milk 100 miles i'roni the rookeries. 



The next is the testimony of Michael White, of San Francisco, sealing captain. 



