80 ALASKA. 



liide in tbe blubber. From one animal Qfteen shot were taken, 

 and tbe holes wbicli they mnst have made in the skin wer<2 

 entirely healed so as not to leave a scar. These bullets were 

 undoubtedly received from tbe natives of the northwest coast, 

 anywhere between tbe Straits of Fuca and tbe Aleutian 

 Islands, used by them in attempting the capture of the animals 

 some season or seasons previously. A small number of seals, 

 not dcfiiiitely known, however, are taken by the Indians every 

 year along tbe coasts above mentioned, who surprise them 

 while soundly asleep in the water, either by shooting or spear- 

 ing. Tbe number taken in this way every year will not average 

 5,000 ; some seasons more, some seasons less. 



That these animals are preyed upon extensively by killer- 

 whales, {Orca gladiator,) sharks, and other foes now unknown, 

 is at once evident ; for were they not held in check by some 

 such cause, they would quickly multi|)ly to so great an extent 

 that Bering Sea itself could not contain them, and the present 

 auHual killing of one hundred thousand out of a yearly surplus 

 of over a million males does not, in an appreciable degree, dimin- 

 ish tbe seal- life, or interfere in the slightest with its regular 

 perpetuation on the breeding-grounds every year. We may 

 jjroperl^- look upon this number of four and fis^e millions of fur- 

 seals, as we see them here every year on these islands, as the 

 maximum limit of increase assigned by natural laws. I think 

 I make this clear in my chapter upon tbe habits of these valua- 

 ble and interesting animals, without a knowledge of which it 

 is not i)0ssible for any one to fully appreciate the truth of these 

 generalizations. Before, however, the subject of tbe possible 

 increase or diminution of tbe seal-life is taken up for discussion, 

 it is best to consider tbe — 



III. MANNER IN WHICH THE SEALS ARE ANNUALLY TAKEN. 



Talcing the seals. — By reference to tbe habits of tbe fur- 

 seal, it is plain that two-thirds of all the males that are born 

 (and they are equal in number to tbe females born) are never 

 permitted by the remaining third, strongest b^' natural selec- 

 tion, to land upon the same ground with tbe females, which 

 always herd together en masse. Therefore, this great band of 

 bachelor seals, or " holluscbickie," is compelled, when it visits 

 land, to live apart entirely, miles away frequeutli', from tbe 

 breeding-grounds, and in this admirably perfect manner of na- 

 ture are those seals which can be properly killed without injury 



