158 



FUR-SEAL HEED OP ALASKA. 



these might be short 3-year-olds, but I 

 will let the matter stand as stated. Ac- 

 cording to the observations of Dr. Merriam 

 and myself there is about 20 per cent vari- 

 ation from the average either way, so that 

 some 2-year-old sealskins would weigh but 

 4 pounds and others would sveigh 6 pounds. 

 The island weights of the skins in 1909 

 show that a few were taken under 5 

 pounds, these being small 2-year-olds; and 

 it is, of course, impossible to judge within 

 a half a pound of the weight of a skin while 

 it is on a seal. The accuracy of these 

 weights is corroborated by the London 

 weights given. Please bear in mind that 

 the terms "large pups," "middling pups," 

 etc., given in the London sales table, re- 

 fer to weights and not to ages. Conse- 

 quently I haven't the slightest hesitancy 

 in taking my affidavit that undersized 

 skins have not been systematically taken. 

 The yearling seals are very readily dis- 

 tinguished from all others, as I hope I 

 may have the pleasure of pointing out to 

 you some day either here or in Brooklyn, 

 and their skins would weigh from 3i to 44 

 pounds. 



Mr. Elliott. No, and therefore you 

 made no record that we could get hold of 

 to-day? 



Dr. Merriam. I doubt if I measured 

 any of the 2-year-old seals. 



Mr. Elliott. I have never been able to 

 find it. 



(Hearing No. 11, p. 699, May 16, 1912.) 



Pardon me for troubling you with a 

 number of explanatory details, but I wish 

 above all things to make it clear that I am 

 not speaking by hearsay, or making state- 

 ments without foundation, but that I am 

 writing of matters with which I have a 

 direct acquaintance. 



Faithfully, yours, 



F. A. Lucas. 



Hon. Edward W. Townsend, 



Committee on the Library, 

 House of Representatives. 



(Hearing No. 14, pp. 947, 948, July 27, 

 1912.) 



Just before his cross-examina- 

 tion, lie saw seal bulls fighting 

 fiercely on rookery. 



Dr. Merriam. I do not kno\"the relative 

 importance of the three natural causes 

 of destruction of young pups. The three 

 causes that seem to be the most potent, 

 after doing away, of course, with {)elagic 

 sealing, are (1) the destruction of pups by 

 the killer whale in the fall, when the killer 

 whales circle around the islands close to 

 shore and eat large numbers of pups; (2) 

 the destruction by trampling on the rook- 

 eries, especially during the battles be- 

 tween the bulls; and (3) the destruction 

 caused by an intestinal worm, which I 

 think of much less consequence than at 

 first supposed, though a number do die 

 from the hookworm disease. These thi-ee 

 causes kill a large numbc r of i)ups each 

 year — pups of the season . 



But, after his cross-examina- 

 tion, he never saw bulls fight- 

 ing — just effects of it. 



Mr. Elliott. Did you see any fighting 

 of the bulls? 



Dr. Merriam. I saw no general fighting 

 of the old bulls on the breeding rookeries. 



Mr. Elliott. That is right. 



Dr. Merriam. But I saw much evi- 

 dence of the fighting by lacerated bulls. 



Mr. Elliott. And do you not know it is 

 a matter of official record that this fighting 

 takes place many weeks before the fe- 

 males arrive? 



Dr. Merriam. It mainly takes place 

 early in the season. 



Mr. Elliott. That is right. 



Dr. Merriam. But is not entirely fin- 

 ished before the females arrive. 



Mr. Elliott. But you never saw the 

 finish, did you? 



