24!) I'ROTIOCTION AND PRESERVATION. 



liritisii lecogui- States, Great Britain, Russia, and other nations 



tiou. 



interested.^ 

 Opinions of nat- Professor T. H. Huxle v, in considering- this qnes- 

 Professor iiux- tion of the decHne of tlie ALaskan lierd and the 



ley. 



need of protecting it, says: "That the best course 

 would be to prohibit tlie taking of fur-seals any- 



Dr. Sciater, where exccpt on the Pribilof Islands."^ Dr. 

 Sclater, secretary of the Zoological Society of 

 London, says "that in his opinion as a naturalist, 

 unless proper measures are taken to restrict the 

 indiscriminate capture of the fur-seal in the 

 North Pacific he is of the opinion that the exter- 

 mination of this species will take place in a few 

 years, as it already has done in the case of other 

 species of the same group in other parts of the 



Dr. M e r r i am 's world." ^ Dr. C. Hart Mcrriam, one of the Ameri- 



lotter. ' 



can Bering Sea Commissioners, sent out a letter 

 to a number of the principal zoologists and 

 scientists of the world, stating briefly the results 

 of his investigations as to the condition of the 

 Pribilof rookeries and the cause of the decrease; 

 ~ the letter closes with the following conclusions: 

 "It seems to be a fair inference, therefore, that 

 the only way to restore the depleted rookeries to 

 their former condition is to stop taking seals at sea, 



1 Mr. White to Mr. Bayard, April 20, 1888; Marquis of Salislmry 

 to Sir L. West, April 16, 1888. 



2 Vol. I, p. 412. 



3 Vol. I, p. 413. 



