REPORT OF AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS. 357 



reduced fa nearl}^ one-lialf of what it would be Explanation of 



diagrams. 



in tiie undisturbed condition, and that about 

 twelve to thirteen years would be required to 

 reduce the male herd to this condition of stability 

 under constant killing. Taking such a herd as 

 is considered in the construction of the diagrams, 

 it would number about 80,000, equally divided 

 between the two sexes, 20,000 being added by 

 birth and the same number subtracted by death 

 each year. 



In order to represent more clearly the 

 enormous herd of seals which it may be sup- 

 posed at one time frequented the Pribilof 

 Islands, undisturbed by man, these numbers 

 may be midtiplied so as to give a total of 

 3,000,000 seals, 750,000 being born every year 

 and the same number dying from natural causes. 

 Of the 1,500^000 females about 800,000 would 

 be breeding, the remainder mostly too young to 

 breed, a very small number being barren. Of 

 the 1,500,000 males about 65,000 would be on 

 the breeding rookeries, and the remainder, 

 excluding the young just born, would haul out 

 as ^hoUuschickie,' and would include 285,000 

 of a suitable age for killing, on account of the 

 superior character and condition of their skins. 



In undertaking to utilize the products of this 

 herd for the good of man, the problem wliicli is 



