SKAL LIF,. ON T11K I'KIWLOF ISLANDS. -33 



and hundreds were taken at only 4 pounds in order to lill the quota of 

 100.000. (A. Melovedotf.) 



Tntil the schooners eame into Bering Sea the rookeries were always 

 well tilled, and many of them had grown steadily for years, when it 

 was no uncommon thiug for tlie lessees to take the quota of 85,000 

 seals on St. Paul Island between June 1 and 20 of each year. After 

 1SSI, when the original two or three sealing vessels had grown to be a 

 well-organized fleet, we found a steady decrease of seals on all the 

 rookeries, and we found it ditticult to secure the quota of skins, and in 

 18S!) the lessees had to lower the standard of weight lower than ever 

 before in the history of the island. (Simeon Melovidov.) 



From the year 1874 till 1885 we were able to get from St. George and 

 St. Paul islands 100,000 male seals within the period known as the 

 sealing season of six weeks, from the 10th of June to the 1st of August, 

 and still leave a large percentage of marketable seals. In 1885, ami in 

 every year thereafter until 1 left in 1887, there was a marked decrease 

 in the number of marketable skins that could be obtained in each year 

 during the sealing season. We were able, down to the last year (1887), 

 to get our total catch of 100,01)0 seals, but in order to get that number 

 we had to take what in previous years we would have rejected, namely, 

 undersized skins, i. e., the skins of young seals. Prior to 1887 we had 

 endeavored to take no skins weighing less than 8 pounds, but in order 

 to make up our quota in the last mentioned year we had to take skins 

 weighing as little as G pounds to the number of several thousands. 

 (T. F. Morgan.) 



In the years 1885, 1880, and 1887 my attention was attracted not only 

 to a diminution in the number of killable seals appearing on the island, 

 but to a decrease in the females as well. Up to the year 1884 the breed- 

 ing space in the rookeries had increased, and from that year down to 

 1887, when 1 left the island, the acreage covered by the rookeries which 

 were occupied by seals constantly diminished. (T. F. Morgan.) 



My attention was called to the decrease of seals and the depletion of 

 the rookeries at an early date after my arrival. I attempted to study 

 the habits and conditions and to note the numbers of seal on the sev- 

 eral rookeries and hauling grounds. The natives and employees of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company were unanimous in their opinion that the 

 seal had been decreasing steadily and rapidly since 1884. 1 reported 

 the fact to Agent Goff, who had found similar conditions existing on 

 St. Paul, and he so repoited to the Department, and suggested that 

 not more than 00,000 seals should be taken in any one season in future. 

 In pursuance of instructions from Agent Goff, I left St. George Island 

 on the li>th of July. 1890, and landed on St. Paul Island on the 20th of 

 the same month, and remained there until August, 1891. During the 

 month of July, 1800, I Walked over the rookeries aud hauling grounds 

 of St. Paul Island, ami Agent Goff pointed out to me the lines to which 

 in former years the seals hauled, and the large areas which they cov- 

 ered ; and then he called my attention to the small strip covered by 

 seals on that date, which was smaller than the year previous. Agent 

 Goff stopped the killing of seals by the lessees on and after the 20th of 

 July, 1SUO, because of the depleted condition of the hauling grounds; 

 and 1 fully concurred in his order and action. I spent the sealing season 

 of 1891 on St. Paul Island, and pursuant to instructions of Agent Wil- 

 liams. I o-ave my time and special attention to the study of the condi- 

 tion of the rookeries, both the breeding and hauling grounds. I visited 



