218 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



As a matter of fact, there is sufficient evidence to convince us that 

 by far the greater part of the seals taken at sea are females ; indeed, 

 we have yet to meet with any evidence to the contrary. The state- 

 ments of those who have had occasion to examine the catch of pelagic 

 sealers might be quoted to almost any extent to the effect that at least 

 80 per cent of the seals thus taken are females. On one occasion we 

 examined a pile of skins picked out at random, and which we have 

 every reason to believe was a part of a pelagic catch, and found them 

 nearly all females. When the sealers themselves are not influenced by 

 the feeling that they are testifying against their own interests, they 

 give similar testimony. The master of the sealing schooner J. G. Stcan 

 declared that in the catch of 1890, when he secured several hundred 

 seals, the proportion of females to males was about four to one, and on 

 one occasion in a lot of 60 seals, as a matter of curiosity, he counted the 

 number of females with young, finding 47. (Report of American com- 

 missioners.) 



The decrease in the number of seals is the result of the evil effects 

 of pelagic sealing. (Report of American commissioners.) 



Opinion of Dr. Allen. 



From the foregoing summary it is evident that the decline in the 

 number of the killable seals at the Pribilof rookeries and the immense 

 decrease in the total number of seals on the Pribilof Islands are not 

 due to any change in the management of the seal herd at the islands, 

 but to the direct and unquestionably deleterious effects of pelagic seal- 

 ing. At the islands the killing is regulated with reference to the num- 

 ber of killable seals on the rookeries, the designated quota is limited 

 to nonbreeding young males, and every seal killed is utilized. The 

 killing, as thus regulated, does not impair the productiveness of the 

 rookeries. In pelagic sealing the slaughter is indiscriminate and unlim- 

 ited, and a large proportion of the seals killed are lost. The catch also 

 consists almost wholly of breeding females, which at the time of cap- 

 ture are either heavy with young or have young on the rookeries 

 depending upon them for sustenance. Thus two or more seals are 

 destroyed to every one utilized, and nearly all are drawn from the class 

 on which the very existence of the seal herd depends. (Article by Dr. 

 J. A. Allen.) 



Opinions of experts. 



I have always taken a great interest in the sealing industry and felt 

 a great desire 'to have them protected from destruction, and I say with- 

 out hesitation that the great decrease in the number now annually 

 arriving at the seal islands is due entirely to the killing of female seals 

 by pelagic sealers. (George Adams.) 



From my general knowledge of natural history, from my study of the 

 habits of seals, as well as from the opportunities I have had to acquaint 

 myself with the sources of destruction which are at work, I firmly 

 believe that pelagic sealing would not only account for the diminution 

 of the seal herd, but if continued the seals will inevitably be commer- 

 cially destroyed. (A. B. Alexander.) 



I believe there has been a great decrease of seals on the islands 

 since I left there, and this is no doubt due to pelagic sealing. (James 

 Armstrong.) 



