RELATING TO ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 161 



appointed assistant Treasury agent for the seal islands in Berini* 

 Sea, I proceeded to said islands, and from tliat time until August, 187(5, 

 I remained constantly in charge of St. George Island, excepting during 

 the winter of LST-l-'To. For a few days during each one of these years 

 I visited St. Paul Island, uever remaining there for any length of time, 

 however. Each season while I was located at the islands I nmde a 

 careful examination of the breeding grounds on St. George Island, not- 

 ing particularly the areas covered by them. The result of my obser- 

 vations was that there was marked increase in these ^ . , , 



J, -1 o^-^ ±. -lor-/. i •! 1 IlK TflVSC III breed- 



areas from 18^1 to 18/0, and necessarily a correspond- i,in ^rounds from 

 ing increase in seal life, for no matter whether the seals i*^'i-i'^^c. 

 are few or many in number they always crov:d together on the breed- 

 ing grounds as closely as possible. In my judgLueut this increase was 

 fully 25 per cent. One fact alone proved conclusively that there had 

 been a considerable increase, for in 1871 1 noticed passages left by the 

 old bulls through the breeding grounds Ibr the bachelors to pass to 

 and from the hauling grounds located back of the breeding grounds. 

 In subsequent years these passages were entirely blocked up by the 

 breeders. There was always during these six years an 

 excess of adult, vigorous bulls, for breeding purposes, "^^cesso 

 and large numbers of these hauled up back of and about the breeding 

 grounds awaiting an opportunity to take the place of some wounded 

 or aged bull unable longer to maintain a harem. 



Ill 1873 I assisted Prof. Henry W. Elliott in making his measure- 

 ments and estimates of the number of seals on St. 

 George Island. We set up stakes at some distance esUnlted™'^*"' '^''^ 

 from the breeding rookeries while they were occupied. 

 Then when the seals were gone we sighted along these stakes to de- 

 termine the back lines of the rookeries and measuretl the areas thus 

 determined with a tape line, using our judgment by observing the 

 nature of the ground to determine the curvature of these ai-eas. We 

 then calculated from our observations three seals to a square yard, and 

 multiplying the yards in the areas measured by tliree made our estimate. 

 I think tlie measurements were made as accurately as could be done 

 by the means and instruments employed; however, I am convinced 

 that no estimate of any kind, no matter how accurately the measure- 

 ments are made, would give even approximately the number of seals 

 on the island, for the animals are constantly in motion, coming and 

 going, and there seems to be almost as many in the water as on land. 

 It is as impossible to estimate them as it is to estimate a swarm of bees. 

 But accurate measurements would show conclusively, if made from 

 year to year, whether or not the seals were increasing or decreasing. 



I have no recollection of ever having seen a dead pup on the breeding 

 grouads, but I have seen a considerable number of silver 

 gray pups— that is, those that have learned to swim— ro^ferkr^ ^'"^' °° 

 which had been killed by being dashed against the 

 rocks by the surf. 



While I was on the island I became familiar with the methods of 

 driving and handling the bachelor seals pursued by the 

 natives, who were the only persons who ever drove, ,iijviu,t"" ^^^ °^'^^' 

 handled, or killed these seals. I am positive the meth- 

 ods can not be im])r(»\<'d ujton, and that if no other agency is at workiu 

 destroying seal life 1()(),000 bachelor seals can be taken ^',.,„.,„,,,„,.„t 

 from tlie Pribilot Islands yearly for an indeiiniteix'viod, ' ''"■'^""•" • 

 pI■o^■ided the rookeries were in the same condition they were in 1871. 

 Of this I am convinced from the fact that the seals continued to increase 

 2710— VOL II 11 



