ANTICIPATION OF THE QUOTA. 123 
needs of the heard. By the extraordinary reservations of male life which we have 
just noted more than sufficient bulls were supplied to the rookeries from and after 
1880 to meet their needs. This was in addition to the regular reservations which 
were made from year to year and, further, in addition to those which escaped naturally 
on hauling grounds not driven. ~ 
In the history of this period, as recorded in the log of St. Paul Island, there is 
nothing to show that the breeding grounds were not amply stocked with bulls, and 
on the killing grounds systematic provision was made for the necessary reserve of 
male life. 
KILLING OF MALES NOT A FACTOR IN DECLINE. 
When we consider all these things in connection with the difficulties which we 
have shown to stand in the way even of a deliberate attempt to kill too closely, we 
believe ourselves fully justified in asserting that land killing has not, through too 
close killing of the males, been a factor in the decline of the herd. 
PREMATURE KILLING. 
It remains to be noted that there is another class of close killing which, while it 
does not injuriously affect the herd as a whole, produces effects which are unfortunate 
and which may appear to be harmful although they are not so. 
We have said that from 1884 to 1889 an average of 104,400 male seals were killed 
on the islands each year. This would seem to indicate a normal condition of the 
herd, while as a matter of fact we know that during this period the herd was rapidly 
declining, and the immediate drop from 100,000 skins in 1889 to 21,000 in 1890 
proves it. 
ANTICIPATION OF QUOTA. 
To understand how this killing could be thus maintained it is only necessary to 
remember that the quota of killable, or nominally 3-year-old seals, is culled from a herd 
of bachelors which contains also the quota of two subsequent years as 2-year-olds 
and yearlings. When in 1885 the killable seals began to gradually become scarce 
upon the hauling grounds, it at first became necessary to drive oftener, to include 
more hauling grounds, and finally to increase the period of driving. This matter can 
be made clear by the following table: 
& 
Table showing date of filling quota, number of hauling grounds and drives, St. Paul Island. 
Date ; Hauling | Number 
Year. uota | grounds of 
lled.! driven.?| drives.? 
July 17 i 78 38 
July 20 99 34 
--| July 20 86 36 
-| July 19 81 39 
--| July 21 | 101 42- 
--| duly 27 | 106 63 
-| Daly 26 | 117 74 
July 24 | 101 66 
July 27 | 102 73 
July 31° 110 | - 74 
1 Date at which last regular drive for the quota was made. is : , 
2Several hauling grounds are included in a single drive; as, for example, Tolstoi, Middle Hill, and English Bay are 
regularly included in one drive.. : 
