THE SEA-OTTER FISHERY. 489 



composed of clams, mussels, and sea-urchins (Echinoderms), of which they are very fond. The 

 shells of the last-mentioned animal they are said to break by striking them together, one held In 

 each fore paw, and suck out the contents as they are fractured by these efforts. Of this, however, 

 I am skeptical, for their puny fore hands do not, in my opinion, warrant any such action. They 

 also undoubtedly eat crabs and small fishes, perhaps large ones, together with the juicy, tender 

 fronds of kelp or sea weed. 



They are not polygamous, and it is very rarely, indeed, that more than one individual is ever 

 seen at a time when noticed out at sea. 



THE SEA-OTTER AT PLAY. They are said to be exceedingly playful, and I am assured by 

 several old sea-otter hunters that they have watched the kalan for more than half an hour as it 

 lay upon its back in the water, and tossed a piece of seaweed up in the air alternately from paw to 

 paw, taking all this time great delight in catching it before it could fall into the water ; they also 

 told me that it was tireless in its manifestation of affection for its young, and would humor the 

 juvenile gambols of its offspring for hours at a time. 



SENSE OF HEARING AND SMELL. The quick hearing and the acute smell possessed by the 

 sea-otter are not surpassed by any other creatures known to sea or land. They will take alarm 

 and leave from the effects of a small fire as far as 4 or 5 miles to the windward of them, and the 

 footsteps of man must be washed by many an ebb and flood before its traces upon the beach cease 

 to alarm this animal and drive it from landing there, should it happen to approach for that 

 purpose. 



PHYSIOGNOMY. The physiognomy of the sea-otter is ugly, its small, glittering, snaky, black 

 eyes enhance the mal contour of its repulsive globose face. The ears are insignificant, situated 

 remarkably low down, far below the eyes, and in fact little above the level of the commissure of 

 the mouth. They are very small, flat, obtusely pointed, and sparsely and very shortly pilose out- 

 side, and only partially furry within. 



3. METHODS OF CAPTURE. 



There are four principal methods of capturing the sea-otter, namely, by surf-shooting, by 

 spearing surrounds, by clubbing, and by nets. 



SURF-SHOOTING. This method is the common one, but has only been in vogue among the 

 natives for a short time. The practice is borrowed from the keen hunting of our own people 

 along the Oregon coast. The young Aleuts of Alaska have nearly all been supplied with rifles by 

 the traders, and with these rides they patrol the shores of the islands and inlets, and whenever a 

 sea-otter's head is seen in the surf, even at 1.000 yards, they fire at it. The great distance and 

 the noise of the surf pre vent the sea-otter fiom taking alarm until it is hit, provided the wind 

 blows right; and in nine times out of ten when it is hit in the head, which is the only part ever 

 exposed, the shock is fatal and the hunter waits patiently for hours until the surf brings his 

 quarry when it is too rough for him to venture out in his " bidarkie." This shooting is kept up now 

 the whole year round, and this constant " pop," " pop," " pop," by vigilant, experienced, and tire- 

 less marksmen is the only danger that threatens the sea-otter with extinction. 



The practical result of the destruction of the sea-otter in Alaska means simply the reduction 

 of the entire Aleutian population to a savage life and method of existence. It is therefore a sub- 

 ject well worthy the serious attention of our Government, especially the Secretary of the Treas- 

 ury, upon whose action the entire responsibility is devolved by Congress. He has it in his power 

 to protect these interests, and he should not neglect it. 



