380 CALLORHINUS URSIXUS NORTHERN FUR SEAL. 



that in 1873 there were on the Prybilov Islands ''over four 

 mUUon seven hundred tJionsand " Fur Seals, and that one million 

 are born there annually, divided about equally between males 

 and females. So many of these are destroyed by their natural 

 enemies during the following six months that only about one half 

 return the succeeding spring. During the next winter about 

 one-tenth of the remainder are also destroyed at sea, after 

 which very few appear to die from natural causes. Only one- 

 fifteenth of the annual increase of males can, in consequence of 

 the peculiar habits of the animals, share in the office of repro- 

 duction. Assuming the above statement to be a fair estimate 

 of the number of Seals annually born on the islands, Mr. Elliott 

 states it as his belief that, after making due allowance for the 

 number that- perish at sea during early life, and for the perpet- 

 uation of the stock, 18Q,000 young male Seals may be annually 

 taken for their skins. 



"With regard to the increase of the seal-life," says Mr. Elliott, 

 ^' I do not think it within the power of human management to 

 promote this end to the slightest appreciable degree beyond its 

 present extent and condition in a state of nature ; for it cannot 

 fail to be evident, from my detailed description of the habits 

 and life of the fur-seal on these islands during a great part of 

 the year, that could man have the same supervision and con- 

 trol over this animal during the ivhole season which he has at 

 liis command while they visit the land, he might cause them to 

 multiply and increase, as he would so many cattle, to an indefi- 

 nite number, only limited by time and means ; but the case in 

 question, unfortunately, takes the fur-seal six months out of 

 every year far beyond the reach, or even cognizance, of any one, 

 where it is exi)osed to known powerful and destructive natural 

 enemies, and many others probably unknown, which prey upon 

 it, and, in accordance with a well-recognized law of nature, keep 

 it at about a certain number which has been for ages, and will 

 be for the future, as affairs now are, its maximum limit of in- 

 crease. This law holds good everywhere throughout the animal 

 kingdom, regulating and jweserving the equilibrium of life in a 

 state of nature. Did it not hold good, these Seal Islands and 

 all Bering Sea would have been literally covered, and have 

 swarmed with them long before the Eussians discovered them ; 

 but there were no more seals when first seen here by human 

 eyes in 1786-'87 than there are now, in 1874, as far as aH evi- 

 dence goes." 



