ALASKA. 89 



and comparing this area with that which they have deserted, 

 I feel justified in stating that, for the last twelve or fifteen 

 years at least, the fur-seals on these islands have not dimiuished, 

 nor have they increased as a body to any noteworthy degree; 

 and during all this time the breeding-grounds have never been 

 disturbed, and they have been living in a perfectly quiet and 

 natural condition. Without some natural check upon this life, 

 with a million of young born every year, during the last ten at 

 least, the annual taking of a hundred thousand males would 

 not in the slightest degree retard the increase which would set 

 in at once were it not for this check aforesaid. 



What can be done to promote their increase 1 We cannot 

 cause a greater number of females to be born every year ; we 

 do not touch or disturb these females as they grow up and live, 

 and we save more than enough males to serve them. Ifothing 

 more can be done, for it is impossible to protect them from 

 deadly enemies in their wanderings for food. 



This great body of four and five millions of hearty, active 

 animals must consume an enormous amount of food every year. 

 They cannot average less than five pounds of fish each per 

 diem, (this is not half enough for an adult male,) which gives 

 the consumption of over three million tons of fish every year ! 



To get this immense food-supply the seals are compelled to 

 disperse over a very large area of the North Pacific and fish. 

 This brings them into contact more and more with their enemies 

 as they advance south, until they reach a point where their 

 annual destruction from natural foes is equal to their increase, 

 and.at this point their number will remain fixed. About the 

 Seal Islands t have failed to notice the least disturbance amon j 

 these animals by anything in the water or out, and from my 

 observation I am led to believe that it is not until they descend 

 well to the south in the North Pacific that they meet with 

 sharks and voracious killer-whales.* 



In view, therefore, of all these facts, I have no hesitation in 

 saying quite confidently that, under the present rules and regu- 

 lations governing the sealing interests on these islands, the in- 

 crease or diminution of the life will amount to nothing; that 

 the seals will continue for all time in about the same number 

 and condition. 



To test this theory of mine, I have put the Government in 



*"Iu the stomach of one of these animals (year before last) fourteen small 

 harp-seals were found." — Michasl Carroll's Report, Canadian Fislierica, 1872. 



