164 MANAGEMENT OF THE SEAL ROOKERIES. 



Improvement in sancl skinS had accumulated, there being- no prof- 

 treating the skins. 



itable sale for them at Kiakhta (the Chinese 

 market town), and besides a large proportion of 

 the skins became spoiled, and more than seven 

 hundred thousand were burned or thrown into 

 the sea." But under American control all skins 

 are salted, as will be seen by an examination of 

 the London Trade Sales, and there is no waste. 

 Increase. Under this careful management of the United 



States Government the seal herd on the Pribilof 

 Islands increased in numbers, at least up to the 

 year 1881. This increase was readily recognized 

 by those located on the islands.^ Capt. Bryant 

 says that in 1877 the breeding seals had increased 

 to such an extent that they spread out on the sand 

 beaches, while in 1870 they had been confined to 

 the shores covered with broken rocks.^ Mr. Fal- 

 coner mentions the fact that in 1871 passag-es or 

 lanes were left by the bulls through the breeding- 

 grounds to the hauling grounds, which he ob- 

 served to be entirely closed up by breeding seals 

 in 1876,^ and in this statement he is borne out 

 by the testimony of Dr. Mclntyre.'^ It must be 

 remembered also in this connection that two 



■ GnstaveNJebaum, Vol. II, p. 77; H. W. Mclntyre, Vol. II, p. 138; 

 Daniel Webster, Vol. II, p. 181; J. C. KedpatU, Vol. II, p. 151. 



2 Vol. II, p. 7. 



3 Vol. II, p. 161. 

 * Vol. II, p. 44. 



