190 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



whicL have deserted them because of the death of their 

 young; though iu the autumn it is also possible that some 

 cows whose pups are alreadj' practically or entirely weaned, 

 may eventually travel to considerable distances, and pos- 

 sibly with no intention of returning to the islands. 



FEMALES IN MILK TAKEN WHERE NO CONNECTION CAN 

 BE ASSUMED V^ITH PRIBYLOFF ISLANDS. 



United States Somc explanation of this kind must be found to account 



vor'ii^pp!"32i; for the killing of a few seals iu milk, late in August, iu and 



337, 348. about the passes of the Aleutian [slands, referred to by 



several witnesses cited by the United States. In the evi- 



Appemiix, vol. dcnce of scalcrs contained in the Appendix to this Counter- 



ii, pp. 49, 70, 73. ^^gg^ Messrs. W. Shields and J. Hi-own state that they 



have killed females in milk, in different years, off Kadiak 



Island. E. Lorenz and G. C. Errow have similarly found 



females in milk in several years. Iu none of the above 



cases can the females so killed be i^upposed to have left 



suckling young upon the Pribyloff Islands. 



FEMALES IN MILK TAKEN AFTER YOUNG ARE WEANED. 



Ibid., pp,22,23. Further evidence to the same effect is given by other 

 witnesses, who state that though some seals in milk were 

 taken by them in Behring Sea, those got after the end of 

 July showed only traces of milk; and this, in such a man- 

 ner as to prove that they were running dry, either because 

 the young had already been naturally weaned, or in con- 

 sequence of the loss of their young, or abandonment of 

 the breeding-grounds. 



FISH ABOUND NEAR THE BREEDING-PLACES. 



Appendix, vol. It will be remembered that the evidence is such as to 

 *'^' ' show that, if any clasM of seals go systematically in search 



of food during the breeding season, this can only be the 

 females. But from the facts obtained respecting the abun- 

 dance of fish in the immediate vicinity of the breeding- 

 islands, it appears to be certain that these are not preyed 

 ui)on to any great extent by the masses of seals frequent- 

 ing the shores. 

 British Com- The British Commissioners report that such fish as cod 

 port, para! 23i!^ ^^^^ halibut aic takcu by the natives at distances 



220 varying Irom 1 to 3 miles from the rookeries on St. 

 Paul and St. George Islands, and add that when at 

 anchor M'ithin less than half-a-mile off" the largest rookery 

 on Behring Island, cod and other fishes were caught in 

 abundance at a depth of 6 to 7 fathoms. 



Mr. Macoun, as the result of his observations in 1892, 

 presents further evidence in detail, such as to show that 

 fish abound in the immediate vicinity of both the Pribyloff 

 . and Commander Islands, and adds: 



■ -^PPf"^^^' ^°^- It is thus evidcut tliat should seals, whether males or females, 

 ''P" ■ require food during the time they resort to the islands (which has not 



been proved), it is to be had in abundance close to the rookeries. 



I 



