164 REPORT OP BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



very fact that these statements, though taken at different times, and 

 while varying considerably from the x^oint of view of numerical propor- 

 tions, tally very well in the main, one with another, is an inherent proof 

 of their credibility. 



635. It must not be forgotten, however, in examining these statements, 

 that the complementary information derived from the breeding islands 

 shows that the persistent killing of young males has led of late years 

 to the existence of a very large surplus of females, and that, therefore, 

 the proportion of females to the whole number of seals, whetlier at sea 

 or ashore, is, at the present time, according to the information obtained 

 by us, quite abnormal. 



The term ''coast catch," often used in the following statements, must 

 be understood to mean the seals taken to the south of the Aleutian 

 Islands, and, as a rule, to those taken south of any part of the coast 



of Alaska. 

 110 The evidence first quoted below, is that obtained from Indian 



hunters. 



The Indians of Neah Bay, accustomed to hunt about Cape Flattery, 

 in the State of Washington, informed us that in the early part of the 

 summer they often found living young in females killed, of which at that 

 season there was a considerable proportion; but later in the summer no 

 gravid females are found, most of the catch consisting of young males or 

 young females. Of the total catch, they thought that about one-twen- 

 tieth consisted of grey i^ups. In 1890 seals of this class were abundant, 

 but in 1891 very few. 



636. At ISTawitti, near the north end of Vancouver Island, the Indians 

 find young in the females killed in the early summer. These are quite 

 strong, and if thrown into the water swim well. One man kept such a 

 young seal alive for six days. 



637. At Bella-Iiella, the Indians think that the larger proportion of 

 the seals they kill in the early part of the season are females, and these 

 are often with young. Young taken from females often live for three 

 weeks or a month. They drink water, but will not eat, and so probably 

 die of starvation. Some time in May the females disappear, and the 

 greater i)art of the catch then consists of young males, by which they 

 mean males somewhat smaller than the full-grown female. 



638. About the Queen Charlotte Islands, many of the seals killed are 

 females, and a large pro])ortion of these, in the latter part of Ajiril and 

 early part of May, are with young. The Indians state that the young 

 taken from the mother might live a couple of hours, but they are inva- 

 riably killed, as it is believed that if allowed to live the hunters will be 

 unlucky. A White hunter, Avho had been with the Indians here, stated 

 that he had tried to keep such young, which could, in some cases, swim 

 quite strongly, but that the Indians had begged of him to kill them. 

 Mr. A. Mackenzie, when buying skins for the Hudson's Bay Company 

 at Masset, refused to purchase the skins of unborn pups on any terms; 

 but after a time the Indians found they could sell them to the Chinese, 

 working at salmon canneries on the Skeena Kiver. 



639. About Bonilla Island, in the northern part of Hecate Strait, the 

 seals obtained in spring are chiefly females, but after the 1st June these, 

 leave, and the catch is then composed of non breeding seals, supposed 

 to be about three years old. The young are often fully matured in the 

 female, and Indians say that they will swim if thrown into the water. 

 The people here have not the same superstition as those on the Queen 

 Charlotte Islands, and have sometimes kept the young seals alive for 

 three weeks or a month. Mr. Lockerby, connected with the Hudson's 



