52 FUR SEALS OF ALASKA. 
Mr. Extiorr. Yes; [ think that isright. I would give the prefer- 
ence to ‘‘ food skin” killing over everything, for the main thing now 
is to have only the inferior seals killed. The ‘‘food skin” seals are 
antiscorbutics in the late fall, winter, and in the early spring. That | 
is the time they need them most. I thinkif you did that you would 
do exactly right. If that is the trouble between the company and the 
Government, that can be easily fixed; but the point is to fix it so that 
they can not get beyond, for a number of years, 5,500 skins annually, 
and give all of the best young bullsa chance to grow up and fight. 
Why, gentlemen, just think of the mistake of so killing these young 
bulls off as to prevent their being in sufficient number to fight among 
themselves for places on the breeding grounds. You in doing that 
thing. actually nullify the very fundamental law of their life, and 
you prevent any elimination of feeble and inferior bulls from the 
breeding grounds; you defy a law of nature, and the moment you do 
so you destroy this life. You make no selection of the best young 
bulls; you kill them all under existing rules, and then call in ‘‘ scien- 
tists” who, as naturalists, approve the work and deny nature. Save 
all of these young bulls from this hour on for at least six or seven 
years and then we will do what is sane. 
The Cuairman. That would increase the herd? 
Mr. Exxiorr. That would allow the bulls to increase, to fight, and 
thus permit only the best of their race to go onto the breeding grounds 
as sires for the herd. We can not do this work of selection for them. 
The.Cuatrman, Do you think that would increase it? 
Mr. Exuiorr. Yes, it would; it has done so before, in 1834-1847, 
as I have explained; history will repeat itself. 
The Cuarrman. And make more seals for those pelagic sealers to 
operate on? 
Mr. Exrrorr. I hope we will do something on that line. I think we 
ought to do it; I think it would be a good thing to amend this resolu- 
tion by inserting the fur-seal bill you adopted last winter immediately 
after the enacting clause. The Senate is wrestling with the subject 
now; so let it rest here. 
Mr. Crark. Are those bachelor bulls good food for the natives? 
Mr. Exriorr. Oh, yes. 
Mr. CrarK. But those old surplus bulls 
Mr. Exxiorr. Those are not ‘‘bachelors.” The idle bulls are not 
good for any purpose; they are practically dead bulls. 
Do you want me to bring in these figures about the pelagic catch? 
The Cuarrman. Bring in anything, as you like. 
Nors.—For exhibits, etc., submitted by Mr. Elliott, see Appendix, 
page 59. 
ADDITIONAL STATEMENT OF MR. FRANK H. HITCHCOCK. 
(See p. 34.) 
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I should like to say to the committee 
that some years ago I was engaged professionally in biological work. 
In 1801 I was one of the assistants of Doctor Merriam, the Biologist of 
the Agricultural Department, at the time he was serving on the Alaskan 
Fur Seal Commission. From that time to this I haye maintained a 
cleep interest in the seals. Ihave studied them from what I consid- 
