SEAL LIFE ON THE PRTBILOF ISLANDS. 23 



Mr. Alexander reports the seals takeu by the Olseri to have been 

 feeding on pollock, whenever identification was made with certainty. 

 Several seals were speared in the act of eating pollock, the fresh rem- 

 nants making identification certain. During the cruise large cod were 

 takeu at sealing stations iu depths of 60 and 70 fathoms, and were so 

 abundant that the decks could have been filled with them, although 

 the stomachs of the seals taken contained pollock. The stomachs of 

 the cod contained starfish, prawns, squid, jelly-fish, and a few small 

 fishes; nothing of the kind being found in the stomachs of seals taken 

 at the same positions. Some of the cod weighed 30 pounds, the aver- 

 age being 9 pounds, while an examination of the fish eaten by the 

 seals shows the fish to have been of the size of pollock or smaller. 



It would appear that the seals taken by the Olsen were feeding near 

 the surface. 



PROBABLE USE OF FIREARMS IN SEALING DURING SEASON 



OF 1894. 



In regard to the surreptitious use of firearms in Bering Sea, I have 

 to state that conspicuous blood stains were noticed on several rookeries 

 between September 9 and 12, 1894, both by the Treasury agents and 

 myself, and indicated the presence of wounded animals. In a few cases 

 dead seals were found. The blood as noticed in a dozen or more of 

 places was spattered upon the rocks from the beach well back into the 

 rookeries, leaving distinct bloody trails, with occasional bowlders well 

 stained where the animals had paused. The stains were fresh, although 

 being rapidly effaced by moving seals and wet weather. 



DEAD SEALS FOUND (ALL ADULTS). 



North rookery, 1 female; Starry Arteel, 1 female; Garbotch, 1 male 

 and 5 females; Tolstoi, '■'> females; Zapadnie, 1 male and 1* femalesj 

 total, U. 



The carcasses on Zapadnie were comparatively fresh, the others had 

 been dead probably three weeks. From the fact of these carcasses 

 being in the rookeries and rubbed and fouled by seals constantly crawl- 

 ing over them, I could not determine the presence of gunshot marks. 

 I have left out of the above couitt three rotten carcasses found on Gar- 

 botch, that apparently died early in the season. 



Mr. A. B, Alexander reports that while cruising with the Louis Olsen 

 firing was heard from the vessel on August 10 during foggy weather, 

 and that the hunters reported hearing guns constantly while out iu the 

 boats the same day. The crew are of the opinion that the firearms 

 were being used for sealing, although nothing was seen. 



The hunteisof the Favorite reported in Unalaska on August 27 that 

 they heard firearms in Bering Sea on teveral occasions. When I 

 boarded the Walter Rich in Bering Sea September 0, the captain 

 reported having speared a seal on tlie ^th freshlj' wounded with buck- 

 shot. 



Reports of a siniihir character came to our ears at times during the 

 season. The patrol fieet found it impracticable to searcii vessels at 

 sea — nothing more than a cursory examination being ])ossible under 

 the circumstances. If guns are to be prohibited, sealing vessels should 

 be searched at the Unalaska wharf, or some other favorable place 

 where there is a possibility of overhauling their cargoes in an effective 

 manner. 



