Report l>y Professor D'Arcy Thompson on his Mission to the 



Sea in 1*9(5, dated March 4, 1897. 



MvLord. MarcA4, 1897. 



. \FTKR visiting. according to your Lordship's instructions, (he Pribyloff and Com- 

 mander Island- tin- tin- purpose of investigating tin- condition of the seal rookeries thereon, 

 I have tin- honour to submit the following Report: 



'2. The main object of my mis-ion was tin- collection of information and statistics 

 with regard to the working and effectiveness of the Peculations for the fur-seal fishery 

 prcM-ihed hy the Award of the Puri- Arhitration Tribunal. 



3. It was particularly enjoined on me to inve<iiuate the breeding rookeries with a 

 view to asei-rtaiuin the extent anti can-e- of the alleged mortality of unweaned pups. 



. -\. I was further instructed to inspect and estimate the number of seals resorting to 

 the islands, and in particular to the Pribyloff Islands, and to compare the phenomena that 

 I witnrv-ed with the information and statistics supplied for the season of 1895 by the 

 American Agents. (.V4th Cou-n M, 1st Session. Sen. Doc. 137, Part I, pp. 372, 373.) 



5. I a-tl\. I was din (ted to call upon the authorities in Washington and Ottawa, and 

 to obtain there, and collect also from per>ons connected with the sealing industry in 

 Victoria, information bearing on the business of my mission. 



6. .Mr. (;. i'. II. iiarrett-Mamilton u eiated with me and placed under ray 

 orders, with instructions to proceed, in the first instance, to Robben Island and the Com- 

 mander Islands, and to involute those localities in particular. Mr. James Maeoun w.i- 



ii with me as an Agent of the Dominion (-Jovcnimenf, and .Mr. A. Halkctt was 

 directed at the same lime by the same (Government to proceed to Behring Sea on hoard a 

 in-i-scl.ooner, and to watch during the summer the methods and results of the pelagic 

 industry. 



7. I left KiiL'laru on the 2-3rd May. and arrived in Washington on the morning of the 

 3(ltl; May. Hi- Kxcellcncy Sir .Julian Pauncefoie presented me to Mr. Olney and to 

 Mr. (_'. S. llamlin. A.->:>ta:;t Secretary to the United States' Treasury. With the latter 

 gentle-Mian, who had himself visited the seal islands in the summer of 185)4, I had the 

 benefit of much conversation, tcgether with the advantage of introductions to the whole 

 body of naturalists resident in Washington who had uiven thought to the matter, or 

 partici| ih ; in the research. Amotu: those who did mo>' to entertain and enlighten me 



.Mr. .). I5rowne Goode, of the Smithsonian Institute, the ntws of whose untimely and 

 lamentable decease was to reach me ere my return ; Commander .1. .1. Hrice, of the 

 I eries Department; Mr. Ridgwajr, Asmtanl in the Mine Department ; Dr. L. Stejue-c!-. 

 Mr. K. True, and Mr. K. A. Luca-.'ot' the National Museum, who had all been, or were 

 about to be, employed in this particular inquiry. 



8. On the liight of the :'.rd June, 1 "left Wa>hington for Ottawa, in company 

 with Mr. .1. Maconn, who had met n.e in New York. From Ottawa I journeyed to Quebec, 

 at the lecpiest ot \i\< Kxcellency the (io\ ei in r-< ieneral, in order to confer with bis Kxcel- 

 leney regarding the object of my mis-ion. Keturninu to Ottawa on the 9th June, I 

 discussed the whole cpiestion at len-th with Dr. (>. M. i):i'\>oii. who was kind enough to 

 draw up a collection ol notes am. r my iulo: matiou and guidance. In 

 company with Mcssr.-. Macoun and ilalkett, 1 left Ottawa on the !0lh June, ami arrived 

 in Victoria, liiitish Columbia, on the loth June. 



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