COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 175 



accurate, figures given by Bi itish witnesses are taken as a 

 basis, the percentage of females which could j)0ssibly be 

 gravid is reduced to an iusignificaut uuaiber. 



The British Conmiissiouers, after carelully considering 

 all the circumstauces respecting the killing of seals at sea, 

 write as follows: 



The general conchision to be derived from an examination of the British Com- 

 statements above noted is, that in proportion to the number of skins mJssioiiers' Re- 

 obtained, that part of the pelagic catch made in the early part of the ^""^ ' ^^^^- °^- 

 season, and to the sonth of the Aleutian Islands, is the most damaging 

 to seal liie as a whole, while the skins taken after this date whether 

 without or within Behring Sea are obtained at much less proportion- 

 ate cost of seal life. 



SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE AS TO PROPORTION OF MALES 

 AND FEMALES IN PELAGIC CATCH. 



In the Report of the British Commissioners much evi- 

 dence is quoted as to the composition of the catch at sea 

 in respect to proportion of females, «&c. This evidence 

 may be summarized as follows: 



Captain IV. O'Lcaii/. — South of Behring Sea half cows, of which two- 

 thiidswith young. In Behring Sea, cows with young not 1 in 100. 



Mr. G. Hone. — South of Behring Sea one-third of catch cows with 

 young, or capable of bearing. In Behring Sea got 4 cows with young 

 in a season's catch. 



Mr. A. J. Bertram. — Out of 230 seal, 25 or 30 cows with young 

 south of Behring Sea, and in Behring Sea 6 or 7. 



Mr. C. J. KeUeij. — Proportion of females always less than that of 

 males. 



Captain W. Pctii.—ln 1886, off Barclay Sound, took 104 seals, of 

 which only 3 were females. In 1887, on Portlock Bank, took in one 

 day 29 seals, of which 2 were females. In 1891 catch was 75 per cent, 

 males. Of 765 seals killed, 18 were females with young. 



Captain W. E. Baker. — Proportion of his catch in 1891, 3 males to 1 

 female. 



Captain C. N. Cox. — In 1889, 90 per cent, of his catch males. In 1891, 

 of 848 seals taken south of Behring Sea, 75 per cent, were males, 15 

 per cent. I'emales with young. 



Captain A. Bis.set. — More males than females taken. In 1891, 70 to 

 80 per cent, of his catch males. 



Captain T, Maymsen. — In February to April about equally divided 

 as to sex. Near Behriug Sea about 80 males taken to 1 female. 

 202 In 1891, about half his catch females, 12 to 14 per cent, bear- 

 ing females, the rest barren. 



Mr. H. Crocker. — Of the seals killed, 80 per cent, males. 



Mr. JR. Thompson. — Of the seals taken, 70 to 80 per cent, were males. 



Mr. A. Laing. — South of Behring Sea, 3 in D males. In Behring Sea, 

 4 in 5 males. 



Captain W. Cox. — Females are most abundant in February to April. 

 About 65 or 70 per cent, of seals taken males; 15 per cent, of the 

 females barren. Of 2,434 seals taken in Behriug Sea 5 per cent, were 

 females with milk. 



Captain C. Hackett. — In 1890, about one-fourth of his catch females; 

 in 1891, about one-half; of 1,555 seals taken in Behring Sea between 

 the middle and end of July only ten were lemales with young. 



Captain C. McDougall. — Of 1,100 seals taken in Behring Sea, 800 

 were males. 



Captain A. Douglas. — Has found one or two females with young in 

 Behring Sea in a season. 



Captain S. S. McLean. — Finds more males than females south of 

 Behriug Sea; in Behring Sea about equally divided. In 1891 his 

 catch consisted of two-thirds males, one-third females. 



Captain Bod. — Took 600 seals in Behriug Sea, of which less than 20 

 were with young. In 1890, of 2,000 seals taken by schooner " Viva" 

 in Behring Sea, only 2 were females with young. 



