25 G PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION. 



A close seasoiiuouslyfroni then till August." Professor Huxley 



iujpriicticable. 



also says: "In such a case as this I do not believe 

 that the enforcement of a close time, either in 

 Bering Sea or on the Northwest Coast, would 

 be of any practical utility, unless the fishing is 

 absolutely prohibited."^ 

 Prohibition of The sccoiid mcaiis of protection, the prohibition 



iisu of tiretirms. 



of the use of firearms, is naturally advanced by 

 the Indian hunters.^ It is but necessary to recall 

 the fact that with less than twenty vessels engaged 

 in sealing during the years from 1880 to 1885, 

 when spears were practically the sole weapon 

 used in the chase, the seals ceased to increase.^ 

 If, then, the present fleet of over a hundi'ed ves- 

 sels carried only Indian hunters it is evident the 

 seals would still decrease, for the catch of the 

 Indian, like that of the white man, is composed of 

 the same proportion of female seals and is entirely 

 indiscriminate.^ 

 Prohibition of rpi^g ^|^.^.^| propositioii is to closc Bering Sea 



]ii'lai!jic sealing mil o 



Buriug Scu. from the invasion of sealing vessels.^ The same 



suggestion made on the last point stated, that the 

 seals ceased to increase from 1880 to 1885, with 



I statement of Prof. T. J. Huxley, Vol. I, p. 412. 



^Twongkwak, Vol. II, p. 246; King Ivooga, Vol. II, p. 240. See 

 also F. r! King-Hall, Vol. II, p. 334. 



^ Ante, p. 165. 



^Michael Wooskoot, Vol. II, p. 275; Robort Kooko, Vol. II, p. 

 296; Jack Shucky, Vol. II, p. 280; Charlie Tlaksatan, Vol. II, p. 270. 



'William H. Smith, Vol. II, p. 478. 



