FUR-SEAL HERD OF ALASKA. 



23 



Mr. Nagel made no answer to Mr. Elliott, but on May 7, 1909, he 

 selected and appointed George A. Clark as an agent of the department 

 to proceed to and investigate these charges on the seal islands of 

 Alaska (said Clark being urged for this work by Dr. Jordan). 



On September 30, 1909, Clark filed an elaborate report and con- 

 firmed Elliott's charges m re killing yearlings without any qualifica- 

 tion, thus; and I contrast it with that of his associate, Lembkey, up 

 there in 1909, who denies the same, to wit: 



lembkey. under oath, declares that 

 he does not kill yearling seals — 

 and never has. 



Committee on Expenditures 

 IN the Department of Com- 

 merce AND Labor, House of 

 Representatives, 

 Washinqion. D. C. Thursday, 



Febrnm-y 29, 1912. 

 The committee met at 11 o'clock a. m., 

 Hon. John H. Rothermel (chairman) pre- 

 siding;. 



Testimony of Walter I. Lembkey, agent 

 Alaska Seal Fisheries, Bureau of Fish- 

 eries, Department of Commerce and 

 Labor. 



Mr. Lembkey. Our killing is confined 

 to 2 and 3 year old males exclusively. 

 The seals which they desire to kill are 

 dispatched at once by means of a blow on 

 the top of the head with a heavy club, and 

 the seal struck is rendered unconscious 

 immediately, if not killed outright. 



Briefly, Mr. Elliott has accused those 

 charged with the management of the seal 

 fisheries with malfeasance in office in 

 that — 



1. They have allowed the killing of 

 thou.sands of yearling seals. 



Mr. McGiLLicuDDY. What do you call a 

 yearling seal? Do you mean a seal that 

 is 12 months old and no more? 



Mr. Lembkey. S. yearling seal, in the 

 island nomenclature, is a seal which has 

 returned to the islands from its first 

 migration . 



Mr. McGiLLicuDDY. It may be more 

 than 12 months old then? 



Mr. Lembkey. It may be more, it may 

 be a trifle less. 



Mr. McGiLLicuDDY. How much more 

 than 12 months could it be? 



Mr. Lembkey. It could not be but a 

 little more, because all these seals are 

 born during a period of three weeks, gen- 

 erally speaking, from the 25th of June to 

 the 15th of July. Now, they return to 

 the islands in a mass about the 25th of 

 July. 



Mr. Madden. If they were killed it 

 would be a violation of law. 



but CLARK, SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR OP 

 secretary nagel, REPORTS THE KILL- 

 ing of yearlings by lembkey and 

 lessees! 



The yearlings of both sexes for the sea- 

 son must number about 12,000 each. 



This question of the proportion of the 

 sexes surviving to killable and breeding 

 age is a fundamental one. It could ba 

 settled in a very few seasons by such regu- 

 lation of killing for the quota as would 

 limit it to animals of 3 years of age and 

 over, leaving the 2-year-olds untouched. 

 The quota would then fall where it be- 

 longs, on the 3-year-olds, and give a close 

 approximation of the survivals among the 

 young males, which in turn could be ap- 

 plied to the young females. This was the 

 method used in 1896-97, when a minimum 

 of 6 pounds in weight of skins prevailed. 

 During the present season and for some 

 seasons past a minimum of 5 pounds has 

 been in force, the skins taken ranging in 

 weight all the way from 4 to 14^ pounds, 

 bringing all classes of animals from year- 

 lings to 4-year-olds into the quota. 



The result of this manner of killing is 

 that we have no clear idea from the quota 

 of the number of younger animals belong- 

 ing to the herd. From the irregularity of 

 the movements of the yearlings of both 

 sexes and the 2-year-old cows, they can 

 not be counted or otherwise accurately 

 estimated on the rookeries. (Report of 

 George A. Clark to Secretary Charles Nagel, 

 Sept. 30, 1909 (suppressed Nov. 17, 1909). 

 See pp. 850-851. Appendix A, June 24, 

 1911, H. Com. Exp. Dept. of Com. & L.) 



