The Audubon Societies 93 
nue cutter. While it was impossible to 
effect a landing upon the deserted sand 
spit, the vessel went close enough to the 
island to note that there had been no 
human habitations upon the spot for 
quite a period. Many birds were dis- 
covered there, and, as one of the Thetis 
boats neared the shore, a large number 
of sea-lions were found. No evidences of 
depredations from poachers were dis- 
covered, and the Thetis then resumed 
her cruise, returning to Midway Island, 
where she took on mail from the cable 
station. 
In order to make sure that the de- 
struction of the uncured skins left on 
Laysan had been complete, the Thetis, 
upon leaving Midway for the last time, 
called again at Laysan. A visit ashore 
showed that the skins left there were 
rendered worthless, and that their 
destruction had been complete. On 
Daro, or Dowsett Reefs, which was the 
next point visited by the cutter, but few 
birds were found hovering about the 
island. No attempt was made to effect a 
landing there but the cutter cruised about 
the reefs, and several observations were 
made which satisfied the officers that no 
poachers had visited the Dowsett reefs 
recently. A boat was sent ashore when 
the Thetis arrived off the French Frigate 
shoals. No birds were found there. The 
shoals were inaccessible, and no landing 
was made. On several sand islands near 
the shoals no sign of human habitation 
was noted. It was also a noteworthy fact 
that throughout the tour of the Thetis 
to the outlying bird islands, the officers 
failed to note the presence of Japanese 
fishing craft there. The French Frigate 
Shoals was the last stop made by the 
Thetis before returning to Honolulu. 
‘The weather from the time of leaving the 
shoals was very rough. The elements 
served to retard the progress of the cutter. 
and she was much delayed by the strong 
northeasterly winds and seas. 
Almost immediately after dropping 
anchor, the Thetis was visited by a 
party of Federal and Territorial officers. 
United States District Attorney Breckons 
and United States Marshall Hendry were 
among the first to go aboard, and to take 
charge of the twenty-three Japanese 
who were virtually prisoners upon the 
cutter. The vessel was also boarded by 
representatives from the customs service, 
whose duty it will be to take charge of 
the ten tons or more of confiscated bird 
plumage. Captain Jacobs estimates that 
he has secured 259,000 bird wings, be- 
sides a number of cases of stuffed birds. 
It is possible that the Thetis may be 
moored alongside one of the wharves 
today, in order to permit of her discharging 
the large quantity of plunder. 
The disposition of the feathers is a 
matter which will lie with the Treasury 
Department officials at Washington. It 
is understood that the plumage will be 
destroyed, though it is conceded that the 
confiscated feathers and skins are of 
considerable value. 
Four small boats found by the officers 
of the Thetis, two on Laysan and two on 
Lysiansky, were left there, as they were 
small, and practically valueless, owing 
to exposure to the elements. 
Saving the Fur-Seal 
About four months ago, the Committee 
on Game Protective Legislation of the 
Camp-Fire Club of America decided that 
the fast-vanishing fur-seal needed the 
assistance of independent citizens. Sta- 
tistics show that the seal herd has dimin- 
ished from about 360,000, in rg00, when 
an official survey was made by the United 
States Fish Commission, to an estimated 
30,000, in Ig09. 
Accordingly, a campaign was inaugu- 
rated for the purpose of inducing Congress 
and the Cabinet to stop the killing of seals 
on our islands, and to make treaties with 
foreign governments which would lead 
to the total suppression of seal-killing at 
sea, or “pelagic sealing.” 
The Camp-Fire Club approached the 
Senate Committee on the Conservation 
of National Resources, and submitted a 
resolution providing against the making of 
a new lease for seal-killing, in place of the 
