ALLEGED CHANGES. 107 



period each year shed their hair, and it is a fact "Stagey" seals 



1 J taken at sea. 



that many taken in the water are " stagey," 1 the 

 cause alleged by the Report being undoubtedly 

 the true one. A seal must, therefore, of necessity 

 be on the Islands each year at some period, and 

 it is insisted by the United States that observa- 

 tions on the rookeries and hauling grounds are 

 the only criterion of the numerical condition of 

 the seal herd. 



The Commissioners also present a table giving Table of average 



catch per boat ami 



the average catch per man and per boat to showP. erman « 



that the number taken respectively from year to 



year has not materially changed, notwithstanding 



the continual decrease (Sec. 409, p. 74). This 



compilation begins with 1887 and includes 1891. 



The years 1885 and 1886 are not used, for a 



reason which becomes obvious when the statistics fo ^^ 85 anYiS 



in the Report are examined, namely, the average nofc used * 



per man in 1885 was 127 seals, or 68 more than 



in any year given in the table, and in 1886, 77 



seals, or 18 more than the highest number in any 



following year. In the year 1886 the average 



per boat was 241, or nearly one-third more than Such averages 



of no value. 



in any year thereafter. 2 It must also be recol- 



1 Charles Behlow, post p. 357; C. W. Preiss, post p. 384; Walter 

 E. Matin, post p. 376; see, also, title-page of London catalogue of 

 sales, post p. 412. 



' 2 These averages are taken from the tables of catches trans- 

 mitted with the Report, pp. 209, 210. 



