136 TESTIMONY 



tliat tlie business was conducted on correct x)rinciples. Of tliis I am 

 fully convinced, and were I to have occasion to assume control of the 

 seal interest (outside destruction being prevented), I 

 meut^if^'ielseTs^"''^^' sliould most assurcdly follov/ the precedent established 

 ^ ' by the Alaska Commercial Company during the first 



ten years of its lease of the Islands. 

 Within a few days after landing- (it may be but a few hours or even 

 minutes, as I have seen) the female gives birth to her 

 ^"^®' young, but one being brought forth each year. The 



reported occasional birth of twins is not verified. Tliese little ones, 

 "pups," as they are called, are comparatively helpless, 

 Unable to swim. particularly awkward m movement, and, unlike the 

 hair seal, are unable to swim. They are nursed by the mother, who, 

 after copulation has taken place, IkS permitted by the old male to go at- 

 will in quest of food. At about six weeks old the 

 Learning to swim, y^^^^g gather in groups and shortly after learn to swim, 

 but depend for a long period upon the mother for sustenance, hence 

 her destruction must result in the death of the young through starva- 

 tion. 

 On the approach of inclement and wintry weather the seals migrate 

 to find places where food is abundant and where the 

 Migration. climatic conditions suit them best; but it is notable 



that they are governed in this solely by consideration of their own 

 comfort and convenience, and not by any fixed or even approximate 

 time. 



Indeed, so well are the people of the Islands aware of their habits in 

 this respect that they carefully watch for the approach of ice or of se- 

 vere storms from the northwest before taking their supply of seals for 

 winter food. 



I have seen many seals upon the Island each month in the year, with 

 a i^ossible exception of the month of March; and I have been informed 

 that, since I left the service, seals have been seen and captured on shore 

 in this month also. They evidently have no fixed or 

 on^Siands.''^ ""^ ''"^•^ definite " hauling ground " to visit, as it would have 

 been discovered long since, but as they can sleep as 

 well as find food at sea, they have no occasion to land until warned by 

 the reproductive instinct to return to the place of their birtii — their 

 home — which they do, and are often found at precisely the place occu- 

 pied during the preceding season or seasons. In evidence of this I 

 have observed seals bearing unmistakable marks for identification re- 

 turn to the same spot year after year. 

 It was the custom each year just prior to the migration of the young 

 seals to take a certain number, under supervision of 

 ^^^iiiing pups for the United States Treasury agent, for food of the na- 

 tives during the winter, and as females were in no case 

 killed, a selection of male "pups" had to be made. This was done 

 rapidly by catching each "puji" by the flipper, and upon releasing 

 the animal, after examination, to send it with the males for slaughter, 

 or with the females for return to the sea. On such, and on other occa- 

 sions, seals were often marked, or were noted as being marked by scars 

 from fighting among the males; such marks were used to obtain data 

 relative to their return to the Island, and during the latter portion of my 

 stay on St. Paul Island such marked animals were seen and identi- 

 fied in the herd or on breeding grounds. 

 These cases were sufficiently numerous to warrant my present belief 



