568 
THE FUR-SEAL INVESTIGATION OF 1897. 
THe result of this season’s work has 
mainly been to emphasize those of previous 
years, and particularly of 1896, and to show 
the futility of the suggestion that it is pos- 
sible to preserve the numbers of the seals 
so long as pelagic sealing is continued. Care- 
ful examination of the breeding grounds 
and a count of the young made in several 
places shows that there has been a decrease 
of not far from fifteen per cent. among the 
females and thirty per cent. among the 
killable males. This loss is practically in 
accordance with the conclusions reached 
by the American commissioners in 1896, 
when the total number of seals was com- 
puted at between 450,000 and 500,000. It 
is known that after the census of seals was 
made 35,000, not less than eighty per cent. 
of them females, were killed at sea and that 
certainly 16,000 pups starved in conse- 
quence of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea. 
If to this is added the loss from natural 
causes, which is believed to be high, it is 
easy to see that a decrease of fifteen per 
cent. would be well within the mark. 
To one familiar with the seals the loss 
shows itself in many ways; the seals play- 
ing in front of the breeding grounds, once 
so numerous and still to a considerable ex- 
tent present in 1896, have nearly disap- 
peared; places filled by breeding seals last 
year were this season occupied by old males 
alone, who waited in vain for any females, 
and localities which were inaccessible to 
the investigator last summer could easily 
be reached this summer. The average 
number of females present in a harem was 
also found to be smaller this year than last, 
and wherever it was practicable to count 
the live pups there was in every case a fall- 
ing-off from the figures of 1896. The 
greater proportional falling-off of the bach- 
elors, or killable males, was expected, and 
is the result of the pelagic killing of 1892- 
94, during which time over 100,000 seals 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Vou. VI. No. 146. 
were taken on the nortwest coast and 31,000. 
in Bering Sea. 
The evil results of the small quota of 
seals killed on the Pribilof Islands between 
1892-95 are seen in the superabundance of 
full or nearly full-grown males, hundreds 
of these being turned away from almost. 
every drive. So numerous have the males. 
become that should it ever prove possible 
to bring about a cessation of pelagic seal- 
ing it will be necessary to kill several 
thousands of the old bulls, whose relatively 
great numbers led to continuous fighting 
throughout the past summer, with a conse- 
quent disturbance of the breeding grounds. 
and loss of many females. 
Up to August 20th none of the yearlings 
branded as pups last year had made their 
appearance, nor was it expected that many 
of them, possibly not any, would be seen 
this year. This is partly for the reason 
that the yearlings arrive late and also be- 
cause all the seals branded were females. 
and few of these come on shore until they 
make their appearance on the breeding 
grounds as two-year olds. As probably not 
more than thirty per cent. of seals born 
reach the age of two years, it will be seen 
that comparatively few of the 377 pups. 
branded may be expected next year. Six 
of the eleven adult females branded as an 
experiment were, however, seen, a large 
number when it is remembered that not 
over half of the females are on shore at any 
one time, that the total number of females. 
is over 100,000 and that they are scattered 
over eight miles of shore. In every case 
the brands were plainly visible, although 
the seals had shed their coats after the 
branding was performed, and there is every 
reason to believe that branding is a success. 
It is scarcely necessary to say that reports. 
of branded seals being taken on the coast 
of Japan have no foundation, as are the 
mythical herds which have been driven 
from the Pribilofs to parts unknown. 
