UNITED STATES FISHERIES. 285 



ago the sea-otter were as numerous in this vicinity and as readily taken 

 by the Indians as the fur-seal is at the present time. Sea-otters are but 

 rarely taken now and seem to have abandoned their ancient haunts on 

 the American coast and to have migrated in a body to the northeastern 

 shores of Asia and the islauds off the Siberian coast and Japan, where 

 they abound. Their places on the American shores are now taken by 

 the fur-seal, which of late years seem to be steadily on the increase. 



From 1857, the date of the first white settlement at Neah Bay, to 

 186G, but few seals were taken. They were in those years very scarce, 

 and it is only since 180G that they have been known to resort to the 

 vicinity of Fuca Strait in such large numbers. 



The majority of the seals killed by the Makahs, or Cape Flattery In- 

 dians, at the commencement of the season are females and yearling pups ; 

 the older males appear to keep well out to sea and are seldom taken 

 near the shore until toward the close of the season. 



The female seals killed by the Indians invariably have foetuses in 

 them in various stages of development, according to the month when 

 taken. 1 



I procured of an Indian two foetal seal pups on the 20th of May last, 

 which I selected from a lot the Indian was skinning ; they were far 

 enough advanced to be skinned, although their pelts were worthless for 

 trade. These two specimens I gave to Professor Jordan, who has them 

 among the collection he made at ISTeah Bay. 



The time the fur-seals make their appearance in the vicinity of Cape 

 Flattery varies; generally they do not appear before the 1st of March, 

 but this season the first were taken on the 18th day of January in Fuca 

 Strait near Waadda Island, at the entrance to Neah Bay. The Indians 

 killed on that day forty-five. This is as early as I have any recollection 

 of, although the old Indians tell me they have known them to make 

 their appearance, but rarely, as early as the last of December. I think 

 their appearance for an average period of ten years past would be about 

 the 1st of March. They remain some seasons as late as July and August, 

 but in 1880 the last catch was made about the 20th of June. 



Until within a few years past the Indians have gone to sea boldly in 

 their canoes, starting out by daybreak and returning at night. Three 

 men usually go in a canoe at such times. Latterly they have put their 

 canoes on board the sealing schooners which take them to the sealing 

 grounds and lay by while the Indians went off in them and speared 

 the seals. The canoes taken on board the schooner have but two In- 

 dians in each. 



# # # * # * # 



The Indians here never use fire-arms to kill seals. They say the re- 

 port would scare them away, and they strongly object to white men 

 using rifles on the scaling grounds. 



Of the catch on the American side, that portion taken by Indians 

 who went on the schooners, 4,710 skins, one-third were given by the 

 Indians to the vessels to pay for transporting them and their canoes to 

 the sealing ground, amounting to 1,570 skins. The remainder 3,140, 



'Mr. Swan thinks it possible that the seals bring forth their young in the ocean, 

 and says that many of the sealers agree with that opinion. Mr. H. W. Elliott, how- 

 ever, feels certain that it would be impossible for the newborn seals to live in the 

 ocean, and thinks that no seals at Cape Flattery are so far advanced in pregnancy as 

 to be unable to reach the Fribilof Islands before the pups are born. — A. Howard 

 Clark 



