AN ALLEGED CAUSE OF DECREASE. 79 



elude Zapadnie and Polavina rookeries, or the Alleged resort 



to reserved areas 



hauling grounds adjacent to them, shows con- in in- 

 clusively that a great change for the worse had 

 already occurred at that date" (Sec. 684). 

 This statement is not in accord with the facts. No hauling 



grouuds ever re- 



Prior to 1879 Polavina had been driven from serve(1 - 



every year but two, and Zapadnie had supplied 



its portion to the quota of skins every year of 



the lease prior to 1879, as is shown in the 



table cited. 1 The United States, therefore, insist 



that this statement in the Report should not be 



considered, in examining the question as to the 



cause of the decrease of the seal herd. The overdriving and 



P T . . i -, . . -, • i -, redriving subs e- 



question ot overdriving and redriving has already qU ent to 1880 ir- 

 been fully treated of in the Case of the United 

 States; 2 it may be noted, however, that Mr. 

 Elliott is quoted as stating that overdriving was 

 first begun in 1879 (Sec 714), which is the year 

 mentioned in the erroneous statements, above 

 referred to, as to the commencement of driving 

 from Polavina and Zapadnie. 



It is insisted by the United States that driving 

 and redriving after the introduction of pelagic 

 sealing, if any occurred, are directly chargeable 

 to the condition created by open-sea hunting. 



The United States, therefore, deny that any Denial of de- 

 valid evidence has been advanced by the Com-isso! 6 pr 



1 Appendix to Case of the United States, Vol. II, pp. 117-127. 

 *Case of the United States, p. 158. 



