FUR-SEAL HERD OF ALASKA. 



17 



ground are not less than 12 years old — most of them older. They are now rapidly 

 dying of old age — witness the following: 



An official report in 1902 declares that these breeding bulls had decreased in number 

 from 1901 to the end of 1902 at least 25 per cent. 



An official report in 1903 again declares a decrease from 1902 to the end of this season 

 (1903) of 17 per cent; 42 per cent since 1901. 



The close of the season of 1904 will show at least 20 per cent reduction again; and in 

 1905 again 20 per cent at least, to entirely cease by 1907 unless steps are taken at once to 

 stop the run on this life by land (and sea killing) clubbing in 1904 of the choice young 

 male seals, yearlings and upward, to the end of the season of 1906 — stop it entirely. 



I now submit a tabulated statement, which is in the form of a prophecy, based upon 

 the foregoing figures of fact, with the reasons guiding my forecast. 



A table which shows the annual rate of progress in the extermination of the fur-seal 

 herd of Alaska which will take effect under existing rules and regulations by 1907 

 unless checked in 1904: 



Owing to the fact that the youngest of these old breeding bulls is at least 12 years old 

 in 1903 and that the service imposed upon it, as a rule, ends in the sixteenth and 

 eighteenth year of its age, this life is rapidly dying off and will entirely go by the end 

 of the season of 1907; 42 per cent of its form in 1901 disappeared by 1903. 



No young male seal above 2 years of age will appear next season (1904) on the haul- 

 ing grounds, unless an order prohibiting the killing of all choice male seals above 10 

 months of age shall be made for the seasons of 1904, 1905, 1906, and 1907 on the seal 

 islands of Alaska; no fresh young male blood can mature quickly enough to come onto 

 the breeding grounds and save the birth rate from total collapse in 1907. Even if 

 this is done it will be a close call for that life anyhow. To postpone such an order 

 to 1905 would be too late, if the species itself is to be saved from complete extirpation. 

 This result wdll ensue as sure as fate unless the killing is at once held up on the seal 

 islands. 



The full number of old bulls carried on this table from 1903 to 1907 represents all 

 that will be seen in those years and alive on the breeding grounds; but this number is 

 greater every season than the real number of virile or potent sires; for instance, in 1903 

 we count 2,200 old bulls, but a large number of them lay upon the rookery without 

 cows.' Why do they thus lay idle when the bulls in active service around them have 

 more than twice as many cows in 1903 as they should have were the service normal 

 on this field? These bulls were somnolent and idle in 1903 when the cows in the 

 harems around them increased from a normal ratio of 22 females to 1 male sire to 44 

 cows to the bull. 



They were thus idle because they had lost through age the vigor to attract and 

 control a harem. I saw this state of affairs on these breeding grounds in 1890 and raised 

 the note of alarm then for the first time; stopped the killing on July 20, when only 

 19,000 of the 60,000 quota had been taken, and forced my modus vivendi through, 

 which took effect in 1891, 1892, and 1893. 



1 The following official entry made in the journal of the United States special agent in charge of St. George 

 Island, under date as given below, describes in detail what Mr. Elliott alludes to as "impotent bulls": 



St. George Isl.\nd, July 20, 1906. 

 At a favorable point on north rookery a cow in heat was teasing a bull, biting his neck and lifting up 

 her hind parts, which the bull smelled. Shortly afterwards he endeavored to copulate, but soon gave up 

 the attempt, spread out on the rock and went to sleep. The cow renewed her blandishments from time to 

 time, but the bull had evidently reached his limit. 



11864—13 2 



