8o BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



It is obvious that the breeding reserves should be made annually from a single class 

 or generation of seals. They should also be from a class not previously subjected to 

 killing and to one as advanced in years as possible, in order that there may be a short 

 interval between the age of reser\^ation and the age of harem service. The 3-year-olds 

 meet these conditions better than any other class. Furthermore, if 3-year-olds be 

 reserved it will then be possible to take any unbranded 4-year-olds with safety, and thus 

 the chances that any surplus males may come to maturity will be minimized. 



THE METHOD OF MARKING RESERVES. 



To insure their continued preservation as breeders, it is evident that nothing less 

 than a permanent brand will suffice for marking reserves. The temporary mark used 

 in previous reserves and made by clipping a patch of hair from the head is objectionable 

 because it disappears in a few months, making it impossible to distinguish the reserves 

 when they become 4-year-olds and older. If a permanent brand were given the reserves 

 for a period of years with some slight distinctive variation from year to year, it would 

 soon become possible to determine the relative ages of the stock of harem bulls. The 

 brand should be made on the head or neck with a hot iron or some device for producing 

 the same result. Brands on the body can not be distinguished readily on the killing 

 field, whereas those on the head or neck are easily seen at all times. The practicabihty 

 of branding on the head and neck has been demonstrated by the branding done in 191 2. 

 This consisted of branding on the head some 5,500 pups and about 300 3-year-olds. 

 They were seen in such numbers in 19 14 as to indicate that the branding was successful. 

 Although no exact enumeration of them was made, 5-year-olds with brands were seen 

 throughout the season on practically all the rookeries, and when the small number 

 originally branded is considered it is evident that practically all survived. Moreover, 

 it is plain that if young pups survive a brand on the head there can be no risk in placing 

 a similar brand on large vigorous 3-year-olds. Until methods of branding are perfected 

 and the natives instructed in them, branding operations should be conducted by someone 

 experienced in such work. In fact since natives can not be depended upon and since 

 previous branding has been done by persons no longer available, a special employee 

 should be detailed for one or more summer seasons with instructions to investigate the 

 subject of branding thoroughly and establish methods and apparatus for future use. 



THE PROPORTION OF MALES TO BE RESERVED. 



As shown elsewhere (see p. 49), the ideal number of harem bulls would be such as 

 to provide them in the proportion of i to 40 bearing cows, while at the same time idle 

 bulls should be present in the proportion of i to 30 virgin cows or approximately i idle 

 bull to 4 harem bulls. If these proportions could be maintained, there would never be 

 any question as to the sufficiency of males. It is too much to hope that such exact pro- 

 portions would in practice be possible, but it is believed that a consistent effort to keep 

 as near as possible to these proportions would serve all practical purposes. 



Since reserves must be made at the beginning of the season before the harems are 

 formed and before the size of the herd can be determined, the size of the reserve must 

 depend upon knowledge of conditions the previous year. Furthermore, since the reserves 

 will not enter the stock of bulls for at least three years the size of the reserve in a given 

 season will bear some relation to the reserves of the three preceding years. Therefore the 



