SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 339 



ity were under si/e for killing jinti required the additional year's growth 

 that we were enabled by the very abundant supply ot seals to give 

 them. We could confidently count on their return the next season in 

 prime condition. 



The season's work for a catch of 100,000 skins was then finished from 

 the 14th to the 20th of July, determined by our ability to do the work 

 and not by the condition of the hauling grounds, for we had always 

 seals enough in sight after the 10th of June, and sometimes even earlier, 

 to keep our force fully occupied. 



The breeding rookeries, from the beginning ot the lease till 1882 or 

 1883, were, I believe, constantly increasing in area and population, and 

 my observations in this direction are in accordance with those of Mr. 

 Morgan, 31 r. Webster, and others who have been for many years with 

 me in your service, and of the late Special Treasury Agent J. M. Mor- 

 ton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880. Even as late as 1885 

 Special Treasury Agent Tingle reported a further increase of breeding 

 seals, but his estimates were made in comparison with those of Prof. 

 H. W. Elliott in 1872-73, and he was probably not fully aware of the 

 fact that the increase had occurred prior to 1883, and that in 1885 there 

 was already perhaps a slight diminution of breeders. 



The contrast between the present condition of seal life and that of 

 the first decade of the lease is so marked that the most inexpert can 

 not fail to notice it. Just when the change commenced I am unable 

 from personal observation to say, for, as you will remember, I was in 

 ill health and unable to visit the islands in 1^83, 1884, and 1885. 1 left 

 the rookeries in 188:! in their fullest and best condition, and found them 

 in 188G already showing a slight falling oft", and experienced that year 

 for the first time some difficulty in securing just the class of animals 

 in every case that we desired. We, however, obtained the full catch in 

 that and the two following years, finishing the work from the 24th of 

 June to the 7th of July, but were obliged, particularly in 1888, to con- 

 tent ourselves with much smaller seals than we had heretofore taken. 

 This was in part due to the necessity for turning back to the rookeries 

 many half grown bulls, owing to the scarcity of breeding males. I 

 should have been glad to have ordered them killed instead, but, under 

 your instructions to see that the best interests of the rookeries were 

 conserved, thought best to reject them. The result of killing from year 

 to year a large and increasing number of small animals is very appar- 

 ent. We are simply drawing in advance on the stock that should be 

 kept over for another year's growth, reserving as far as possible, of 

 course, all desirable half-grown bulls for breeders, but at the same time 

 killing closer, 1 believe, than a wise policy would indicate. 



The deduction need hardly be drawn, as it is only too apparent that 

 the lessees, for the next two or three years at least, must, in any event, 

 if the rookeries are to be stocked up to their best condition, be content 

 with very small catches. I estimate that not more than 15,000 or 20,000 

 desirable skins can be obtained next year, and it is possible that taking 

 even a much smaller number would sooner restore the rookeries to their 

 former vitality. 



The change in the breeding rookeries, though not so immediately 

 alarming as that observed in the hauling grounds, owing to the large 

 number of seals still in sight, is sufficiently marked to excite curious 

 inquiry as to its cause. Large patches of ground on the outskirts of 

 every rookery, which were covered with breeding seals and their young 

 a few years ago, are now bare; the lanes and paths across the rookeries, 

 along which the nonbreeding seals pass to and from their grounds, are 



