64 REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



travel against tbe wind tbaii with it. So far, therefore, as this evidence 

 goes, it seems to show that the seals found at sea, even in the regions 

 in which they are not very far from the breeding islands, are not ani- 

 mals which have only temporarily left tlie islands, for in this case their 

 movements would almost certainly show some obvious relation to the 

 prevailing wind and weather. The fact that they do not do so, in itself 

 suggests that the seals met with at sea really form practically inde- 

 pendent i)elagic schools of a diffuse kind. 



220. An examination of the area surrounding the Pribyloff Islands in 

 which seals were abundant in 1891, together with such other facts bear- 

 ing on former years as could be obtained from pelagic sealers, indicates 

 that the maximum limit to wliich this area may reach from the islands 

 in the summer months in any direction is not more than about 180 miles, 

 and it is probable that similar conditions obtain with regard to the 

 Commander Islands. 



221- Eespecting the number of fur-seals to be found at sea within the 

 areas of abundance above referred to, and exclusive of those frequent- 

 ing the islands and their immediate shores, it is difficult to attain to 

 anything like certain results. The endeavour has been made, how- 

 ever, in a tentative way to reach some roughly approximate estimates, 

 by finding the number of seals actually seen in measured lengths of 

 runs in or across such areas, chosen as typical, and made at different 

 times in both monthly periods. The results obtained varied somewhat 

 widely, as might be expected, not alone in consequence of the actual 

 difference in density of the seals, but also from circumstances con- 

 nected with the weather and the state of the sea surface. The obser- 

 vations made were, however, combined in a general average, which, 

 when thus treated, showed about one seal noted to each mile run. On 

 the assumption (which cannot be very far from the fact) that on the 

 average a width of half-a-mile was efliciently scanned from the deck, 

 this would give a mean number of two fur-seals to each square mile of 

 sea surface within the area referred to. 



222. As to the much larger area of scattered seals, it is still more 

 difficult in this case to arrive at any even approximately accurate 

 results, for though long runs were often made without meeting any 

 seals, limited patches of relatively abundant seals were sometimes met 

 with, and these seemed to be quite irregularly distributed. It appears 

 probable, however, that the density of seals within these areas does not 



exceed, but may reach, about one to five square miles. 

 37 223. ]S[o connected body of observations is in existence as to 



the actual abundance of seals at sea and their distribution in 

 various parts of their range in different years, but more attention has 

 naturally been paid to this since the development of pelagic sealing. 

 The following references on this subject have been found in documents 

 already published, or obtained in evidence. They are together suffi- 

 cient at least to show that the distribution of the seals at sea, particu- 

 larly as between different parts of their winter habitat, is subject to 

 considerable variation. 



18G0. Judge J. G. Swan says, that between 1857 and 1866 fur-seals 

 were very scarce about Cape Flattery, and that it is only since the last- 

 mentioned year that they have begun to resort to the vicinity of Fuca 

 Strait in such great numbers.* 



[This statement is probably based on the number of skins actually 

 taken by the Indians, and may iu part, at least, be explained by the 



* "Fishery luduatriea of tbe TJuitcd- States," vol. ii, p. 394, 



