98 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



passed would be something of a compromise except as to its main feature, which was that 

 the seals receive immediate and practically unqualified protection. 



In 1 91 4, after three years without pelagic sealing and without commercial killing 

 on land, the herd is found to be in flourishing condition, the stock of breeding females 

 appreciably increased, an ample supply of breeding males assured, and a large surplus 

 of males immediately impending. To produce such conditions was doubtless the main 

 object of the law, and it is evident that as a purely protective measure the law up to 

 the present time has been successful and beneficial. This improvement in the herd, 

 however, seems to indicate that at least certain provisions of the law no longer accord 

 with its intent. 



EVILS OF LEASING SYSTEM NOT POSSIBLE UNDER GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT. 



The herd is now beyond the danger point, and with full governmental control, 

 protection of the seals and conserv'ative management would be assured without special 

 restrictions. Departmental officers having discretionary power, and even agents on the 

 islands, could have no possible incentive for furthering any interests other than those 

 of the Government itself. A law restricting killing does not guard against the cupidity 

 of any private individual or any Government employee, because under the new system 

 no one can gain by excessive kilUng. Under private leasing, whether or not irregular- 

 ities existed, it is conceivable that the system might have offered temptation to dishonest 

 parties; but under full governmental administration circumstances can scarcely be 

 imagined in which individual officers could derive personal profit at the expense of the 

 Government's interest. Detailed regulations influenced by real or supposed injurious 

 practices of the past, therefore, are entirely unnecessary at present. The general laws 

 against official misconduct cover practically every possible contingency. 



FLEXIBLE REGULATIONS DESIRABLE. 



The nature of sealing as a business is such that restrictions of a fixed and absolute 

 character are highly impractical. Living animals subject to the ravages of disease, 

 to the inroads of natural enemies, to the vicissitudes of an unusually stressful existence, 

 and to the varying results of peculiar breeding habits can not be successfully managed 

 under inflexible rules laid down long in advance. The establishment of close seasons 

 for game animals, especially those of the deer famil)', is quite a different matter from the 

 restriction of killing of fur seals. A comparison of fur seals with American elk, caribou, 

 or prong-homed antelope in this connection would scarcely be made by any one having 

 first-hand knowledge of the nature and habits of the seals as well as of the game animals. 

 If all the elk, caribou, or antelope living came annually to a Government reservation 

 where they could be enumerated and proportioned as to age and sex, there would be no 

 reason to prohibit the killing of males not needed as breeders. 



Among wild animals the fur seal is unique in many respects. Although not actually 

 under domestication, it is by nature and habits almost strictly comparable to a domestic 

 animal, and the principles governing its management should unquestionably be those 

 employed by breeders of live stock. Rigid rules of procedure, therefore, are as inadvis- 

 able in the case of the seals as they would be with horses, cattle, or sheep. So far as 

 possible, regulations should be sufficiently elastic to take advantage of conditions as they 



