396 CALLORHINUS URSINUS NORTHERN FUR SEAL. 



u At this point it is necessary to take up another thread of 

 this subject. I have already stated that, under erroneous infor- 

 mation as to the relative proportion of the numbers of Seals 

 breeding on Saint George's and Saint Paul's Islands, the quota 

 had been fixed at 75,000 for the latter and 25,000 for the former 

 island. Samuel Falconer, my assistant in charge of Saint 

 George's Island, had reported a rapid decrease in the number 

 of Seals of the quality desired for their skins. Assistant Agent 

 H. W. Elliott, who had resided with me on Saint Paul's during 

 the season of 1872, 1 now assigned to assist Mr. Falconer on 

 Saint George during the season of 1873. He, by his residence 

 on Saint Paul's, was able to give the relative difference in the 

 proportionate number of Seals on the two islands. After his 

 examination it was found necessary to change the original di- 

 vision, and assign to Saint Paul's 90,000 and to Saint George's 

 only 10,000. This, however, disturbed the relative compensa- 

 tion allowed the natives for the support of their families, and 

 twelve of the sealers were removed from Saint George's to 

 Saint Paul's to assist in taking the skins on that island. 



" In 1875 the sealing began, as usual, June 1, and with this 

 additional assistance and the improved facilities for doing the 

 work, 85,000 skins were taken by July 24, leaving the balance 

 to be supplied from Seals killed for food. The agent of the 

 company, whose duty it was to select the skins, having become 

 convinced that it was detrimental to the future increase of the 

 Seals to kill the half-bulls, confined the killing to those less 

 than five years old. This left a larger number to mature as 

 breeding males. This year more two-year-olds were taken 

 than previously since 1870. This proved to be an important 

 change, resulting in the sparing of a much larger percentage 

 to mature. The moyements of the females were the same as in 

 1873; that is, they occupied the breeding-grounds with their 

 young until the time of leaving the island, and when departing 

 left (Directly from the breeding-ground. But it was observable 

 that there were many young Seals born in August, or later in 

 the season than formerly, showing that a portion of the females 

 had been covered out of season. The weather proved favorable, 

 continuing warm till into January, thus affording the Seals 

 born in August time to learn to swim and get strong enough to 

 insure their safety at sea. Many of the bachelor class also 

 remained around the island until February, when the ice com- 

 ing down drove them away 



