CONCLUSION. 



The United States, upon the evidence here- 

 with submitted and referred to, claim that tlio 

 following propositions of fact have been fully 

 established : 



First. That the Alaskan fur-seal, begotten, charactf^ristics 



of the Alaskan 



born, and reared on the Pribilof Islands, within iierd. 

 the territory of the United States, is essentially 

 a land animal, which resorts to the water only - 

 for food and to avoid the rigor of winter, and 

 can not propagate its species or live except in a 

 fixed home upon land of a peculiar and unusual 

 formation, suitable climate and surroundings, a 

 residence of several months on shore being 

 necessary for propagation ; that it is domestic in 

 its habits and readily controlled by man while 

 on the land ; that it is an animal of great value 

 to the United States and to mankind, is the 

 principal source from which the world's supply 

 of fur-seal skins is derived, and is the basis of an 

 industry and commerce very important to the 

 United States and to Great Britain ; that tlie 

 only home of the Alaskan seal herd is on the 

 Pribilof Islands ; that it resorts to no other land ; 



295 



