COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 133 



FUR-SEALS EVEN ENTER INLAND AVATERS OF BRITISH 

 COLUMBIA, AND PREY UPON FISU THERE. 



Neither are the dei^redations of tlie far-seal on the 



154 British Columbian coast entirely conlined to such 



lishes as at certain seasons frequent the open sea, for 



though it is stated in the Case of the United States that 



the seals — 



do not enter tho inland waters of the roast during their migration, United States 

 reuiaiuiiig always in the open sea or at the mouths of large bays, inlets, Case, p. 127. 

 and gulls — 



this statement shows only an imperfect acquaintance with British com- 

 the facts. The notes obtained by the British Commission- pJrt,' paras, m- 

 ers on the coast of British Columbia prove, in fact, that the ^'^^■ 

 fur-seals frequent Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait, Observa- 

 tory Ink't, Queen Charlotte's Sound (sometimes even goiug 

 to the head of Kniglit's Inlet), tlie Strait of Fuca, and in 

 former years resorted even to the Gulf of Georgia. Mr. J. iwa., para. iss. 

 W. Mackay further Avrites as follows : 



During the spring, numbers of the young animals fish in the broken ibUl., para. 183. 

 waters inside tho half-tide rocks and reefs which fringe the western 

 shores of Vancouver Island and ot the other islands which lie west of 

 the mainland from Queen Charlotte Sound to Dixon Entrance. 



And Captain John Devereux, formerly Commander of the 

 Canadian Government steamer "Douglas," says: 



When they are found along the bank on the west coast of Vancouver ihid., para. 18<. 

 Island thev are feeding on their natural feeding-grounds. 



*o 



Adding that^ — 



Though often far off tho land, he has freciuently found them inshore, 

 an<l even 18 miles up Barclay Sound; as well as in the Strait of Euca, 

 and, on rare occasions, in the Gulf of Georgia. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



It iS contended on behalf of Her Majesty's Government 

 that, in view of the facts set forth in the ])reseut Chapter, 

 there is no just ground for regarding the Pribyloff" Islands 

 as the sole home or habitat of the fur-seals which generally 

 resort there for breeding purposes. That, having regard 

 to the large i^roportion of the year during which they fre- 

 quent other coasts and other waters, and the fact that the 

 whole of their food is obtained from the open sea, no claim 

 to treat them as property, or as a "natural product of the 

 soil,"' can be supported, on the ground that for a limited 

 portion of the year they frequent the shores and territorial 

 waters of the Pribyloft" Islands for breeding i)urposes. 



