272 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



with previous years? A. I have not been on tbe islands in the last few 

 years, but I should imagine there has been a great decrease. 



Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? A. To the number of 

 vessels that are up there engaged in killing seals, nearly all of which 

 are females. Last year there were 72 vessels fitted out from Victoria 

 alone, to say nothing of vessels that are fitted out at other places. 

 (Luther T. Franklin.) 



The seals are not so numerous off Cape Flattery as they used to be 

 some years ago, and it is my opinion it is owing to the constant hunting 

 by so many schooners. (Thomas Fra/er.) 



Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared 

 with previous years? A. There is a decrease of about 20 or 30 per 

 cent. 



Q. To what do you attribute the decrease ? A. 1 attribute it to their 

 being overhunted. (Edward W. Funcke.) 



I am decidedly of the opinion that fur-seal life has considerably 

 decreased of late years, and believe it is due principally to pelagic 

 sealing. (A. J. Gould.) 



While at anchor off St. Paul Island, the pups playing about the vessel 

 were very few, and while making a passage between Unalaska and 

 Pribilof Islands, during the breeding season, did not see a dozen in the 

 open sea during the whole trip, where formerly I met hundreds. In 

 going from Unalaska to Atka and returning, during the last of May 

 and the first part of June of this year (1892), I did not see a single fur 

 seal in the water. I attribute this great decrease to the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of the species by pelagic sealers and their wasteful methods 

 of securing skins. (Charles J. Hague.) 



Q. To what do you attribute this decrease? A. Too many in the 

 business, I suppose; too many after them. 



Q. Would you attribute it to the killing of the females, and thereby 

 there are not nearly as many born? A. Certainly; it has got all to do 

 with it. 



Q. 'Then really you attribute the decrease to the killing of the fe- 

 males'? A. Yes, sir. (H. Harmseu.) 



I am decidedly of the opinion that the decrease in numbers of seals 

 in the North Pacific and Bering Sea is owing to pelagic hunting, and 

 that unless discontinued they will soon become so nearly extinct as to 

 be worthless for commercial purposes. (J. M. Hays.) 



I think the seals are not near as plenty as a few years ago, and they 

 are much more shy and harder to catch now than they were when I 

 first went out sealing. I think this is caused by hunting them so much 

 with guns. (James Hay ward.) 



Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? A. To the 

 amount of seal hunters and hunting that is actually going on. (Andrew 

 J. Hoffman.) 



Seals have decreased very fast the last three years. The decrease is 

 caused, I think, by the indiscriminate killing of seals in the water. 

 (E. Hofstad.) 



Q. To what do you attribute the cause? A. Killing off the females. 

 Whale killers and sharks kill a good many. (Gustave Isaacson.) 



Q. To what do you attribute the cause of this decrease? A. The 

 increase of the fleet and killing off all the females. (Frank Johnson.) 



