90 PELAGIC SEALING. 



3. Pups crushed The third alleged cause, the crushing 1 of the 



hi stampedes. 



pups in stampedes, has no evidence to support it. 

 The only instance of even a supposed stampede 

 on any breeding grounds is mentioned in the 

 Report in the following words: " During the 

 summer of 1891 a panic was caused on the Reef 

 Rookery of St. Paul Island by the drifting over 

 it of the smoke from a steamer which was en- 

 tering the anchorage there" (Sec. 332). The 

 Commissioners do not specify the information 

 upon which this statement is made, and Mr. J. 

 Stanley-Brown testifies that no one saw such an 

 alleged stampede. 1 The difficulty and practical 

 impossibility to cause a stampede or create a 

 panic on a breeding ground are clearly shown by 

 Dr. H. H. Mclntyre, 2 Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, 1 and 

 others conversant with seal life. 3 If a stampede 

 ever did take place among the breeding seals, no 

 evidence has been advanced to prove it. 



4. Possible raids The fourth and last cause, which is stated to be 



as a causo dis- -iti ,n 



cussed. "within the bounds of probability (Sec. 356, 



p. 64), is that the female seals were killed by 

 raiders, or by a stampede resulting from a raid. 

 The Report offers no evidence whatever of such 



1 Post p. 388. 

 2 Pos«p. 371. 

 'W. H. Williams, post p. 398. 



