25 



ONK AT A lilRTir. 



There is no antlieiitic record of the birth of twins. It is not likely that it ever 

 occurs. 



EQCALITY OF SEXKS IN XUMUKR. 



The sexes are apiiroxiniately equal in number. Of 658 pups examined as to sex 

 335 were found to be males. For the first year males and females aie alike in iorm, 

 size, and color. With the end of the first year the growth of the males is much more 

 rapid, and the woight of the bull (300 to 400 pounds) is probably nearly five times 

 that of the cow (80 pounds). 



IX. ALLEGED CHANGES OF HABITS. 



NO POS.SiniUTV OF DJUVIXG SEALS ELSEWHEKE. 



No notable changes in the habits of the fur seal have resulted from any action of 

 man. It is not ]iossil)le for man to "drive away" the fur seals from any of their 

 haunts except by killinj; them all. There is no Inundation for the idea that ii' the 

 fur seals are disturbed on one island or rookery they will go to some other. Their 

 harem or rookery is their home, and to it they will return so long as they live, and 

 the ordinary disturbances of man have only the slightest temporary effect on them. 



PUECAUTIOXS AGAINST DISTUUI5ANCK. 



The precautions against wanton invasion of the rookeries by the natives or by 

 casual visitors are well enough in themselves, but have been carried to absurd 

 lengths, as in the prohibition of snicdciug or the use of nailed shoes ou the rocks, 

 and the like, in Ibrce now on the Commander Islands. For such intrusions or dis- 

 turbances a herd of seals care no more than a Hock of sheeii wouUl do. 



FOOLISH FEAHS. 



The scientific observers of previous years have ofttm been hindered in accomplish- 

 ing their missiou by I'oolish fears* of overzealous officers that their studies might 

 cause the seals to take fright, and perhajis to leave the islands altogether 



If proper observations of the rookeries themselves had been permitted in earlier 

 years, the great and ustdess loss of pups traiiqiled in the "death-traps" of Tolstoi, 

 Zapadni, and other rookeries might have been disco\ ered and cheidced. 



In the log books of the islands we find such entries as these: 



'^Aiujunt ,jS, ISl'J. — * * s Complaint has been urged (by the natives) against 

 the disturbance of the rookeiies in getting specimens for Dr. White. « * '* 



^'Jinie 11. lS9].—\i is a plain fact tliat the hauling grounds are yielding four times 

 as many seals as were taken last year on the same dates. * * * ^Ve think that 

 the constant and persistent running over the rookeries of Elliott last year at this 

 time may be charged with a large part of the falling off of seals driven. ** * * 



" Xoremher 11, 1S9.'>. — Examinatiou of Reef, Lukanin, Folovina, and Tolstoi rook- 

 eries demonstrates the fact that the seals there are mixed bachelors, pups, and cows 

 together, well hauled back frcun the water — a condition which, I am told, has never 

 existed before to such an extent. The seals seem restless. * # * Whether this is 

 due to the constant disturbance during the sunnner or breeding season (1895) — they 

 being constantly subject to daily scientific and ])hotographic investigation— can not 

 be positively said, but I am of that opinion." * * * 



All these notions are without foundation in fact. In general they originate in 

 suggestions of the Aleuts, whose ideas in matters of this kind are untrustworthy. 

 These i>eople have had no ex])erience of any kind with domestic animals. We learn 

 from the log book that at one ])eriod the Keef, Kitovi, and Lukanin were culled over 

 annually to get the winter supply of pup meat. The driving up of all the cows, 

 bulls, and pups on a rookery, and the sorting out of the male pups from the females 

 (often done three times in succession on the same rookery within a week), to get the 

 (luota of 5,000 pups, was calculated to work more mischief than the properly con- 

 ducted observations of a whole year. And yet no complaint was made, and appar- 

 ently no evil efiect was experienced from these disturbances. To the Aleuts these 

 matters, with which they have been familiar all their lives, seem normal. The rest- 

 lessness of the seals noted in 1895 was frequently observed by us, and found to be 

 dependent upon the state of the weather. The mixed condition of the seals also noted 

 was not peculiar to tlie year in question, but occurs every year with the end of 

 August; and many entries in logs show that in previous years drives had to be post- 

 poned for the same reason. 



* In justice to the present Treasury agents it should be said that in 1896 no effort 

 was made to impede the work of investigation iu any way on account of fear of its 

 effect on the seal herd. 



