FUR SEALS OF ALASKA. 25 
Mr. Wiuutams, of Mississippi. I do not think Iam misunderstand- 
ing you. The point Iam getting at is this. If the seals are decreas- 
ing at that rate, if our negotiations do not hurry up and come to some- 
thing very shortly, there will not be anything to negotiate about. 
Mr. FAutxner. Oh, yes; you gentlemen are mistaken about that. 
You will find that these scientists maintain without any question at all 
in their minds—and I will give you the authorities—that there is no 
question that you could not destroy the herd by killing in the sea . 
entirely. You could not, in other words, exterminate the species, as 
Mr. Ellott expressed it yesterday; that as soon as the herd was 
reduced to that condition that it would not pay pelagic sealers to fit 
out their boats the decrease would stop, and when that point was 
reached the increase in the herd would begin. You will see by all 
the authorities that it is an admitted fact that the killing of .the sur- 
plus idle bulls is a benefit to the herd. It prevents the bulls from 
reaching an age when their fighting propensities are such that they 
not only kill the cows but the young pups. Excessive male life is an 
injury to the herd. The seal is polygamous in his habits. It takes 
but one bull for a great many cows. There are recorded instances on 
the Russian islands where two bulls supplied over four hundred cows, 
and those cows had pups the succeeding years. 
The Cuarrman. I suppose there has never been any question but 
what the making of so many steers or geldings has not had the effect 
of extinguishing either cattle or horses ¢ 
Mr. Wittams, of Mississippi. That is a different proposition. 
Mr. Crarx. I understand they drive these bull seals up there through 
some kind of a chute and pick out the best ones and kill them. Now, 
that is precisely the opposite operation which we employ to get good 
horses and cows and sheep, and if they keep that up long enough 
would not that kill the herd off by the deterioration of the herd? 
Mr. Fautxner. No; you are mistaken in the view you take, I think. 
Mr. Crare. That is what I understood—that they drive them up 
there and take the best ones. 
Mr. Faurxner. No; in the drives they take the seals of a particular 
age. Their trade demands seals of a certain age to obtain marketable 
skins, and those younger or older are rejected. For instance, a bull 5 
years old has passed the age when his skin is marketable. 
Mr. CrarK. What is the matter with him? 
Mr. Fautxner. It is the condition of the skin; they do not want it; 
it is not marketable. Then the Government fixes the limit of the age 
as to the young ones. The young rejected seals are virile, just as good 
as the ones that have been taken; the same with the bulls that are too 
old to be taken for their skins; they are just as virile and good animals 
in every other way as the accepted seals except as to the quality of 
their skins. 
Mr. Crark. But the young ones that escape this year they drive up 
ee next year the same way, and tap the best ones on.the head and get 
them ? 
Mr. Faurxner. It is not the best ones; it is simply those of a par- 
ticular age. It is not a question of a better seal skin that determines 
the ones to be killed, but it is the age of the seal under the regulations 
of the Department. 
Mr. Watson. And you say that is necessary to preserve the herd? 
Mr. FautkKner. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Watson. Then if none were killed and the herd were left alone 
