PINNIPEDIA 245 



aggregated over 242,000 barrels, valued at $540,000. 32 In 1906 it was 

 reported that the California species had been practically exterminated 

 for its oil, 200 gallons of which were sometimes obtained from a single 

 individual. 



Only the isolation of their present habitat and some official efforts 

 to protect the small remnant of the herds have prevented the extinc- 

 tion of the species. In 1892, nine were found on Guadalupe Island. In 

 1911, 125 were reported. This report caused an attack upon them for 

 their skins, which are not of much value. The United States govern- 

 ment issued an order forbidding the importation of the hides into this 

 country unless accompanied by a written permit from the Mexican 

 government. In 1922 there were 264 adult males and a few young. 

 The Mexican government posted notices forbidding any killing of 

 the animals, under heavy penalty. In 1924 soldiers were placed on 

 guard, because of plans of whaling and fertilizer companies to "clean 

 up" the herd. The island has now been made a government reserve 

 for the protection of the fauna, and landing is permitted only upon 

 government permit. In 1923 Anthony enumerated 266 males, and 

 estimated that the missing females and those doubtless absent on 

 feeding expeditions would make a total of I25O. 33 Ten stomachs 

 examined by Anthony contained only sand, gravel and " large quantities 

 of parasitic worms," except a bass and fragments of kelp in one. 

 One stomach examined by Huey contained a double handful of 

 rock, numerous large stomach worms and a pile of kelp ; another con- 

 tained a pint of rocks, sand and stomach parasites and part of the beak 

 of a squid; a captive one ate fish greedily. 3 * In 1925 he examined three 

 more stomachs, which contained squid beaks, and one which contained 

 only sand, pebbles and a small piece of kelp. 35 



The walrus, which was one of the principal sources of food for the 

 Eskimo, furnishing also skins for his clothing, etc., has been hunted 

 so relentlessly by the oil, ivory and hide industries that the natives were 

 in danger of starvation when the government introduced reindeer for 



K Stevenson, Aquatic products in arts and industries, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm. for 

 1902, pp. 211-214. 



33 Anthony, Notes on the present status of the northern elephant-seal, Mirounga 

 angustirostris, Journ. Mammalogy, v, 145-153, 1924. Huey, Past and present status 

 of the northern elephant-seal, with a note on the Guadalupe fur seal, Journ. Mam- 

 malogy, xi, 188-194, 1930, with bibliography. 



** Huey, Recent observations on the northern elephant-seal, Journ. Mammalogy, 

 v, 237-243, 1924. 



35 Huey, Late information on the Guadalupe Island elephant-seal herd, Journ. 

 Mammalogy, vi, 126, 1925. 



