68 FUR SEALS OF ALASKA. 
of weight and age of skins by all parties concerned, Government officers, lessees, and 
natives, and it has been the rule ever since; it was published and posted on the seal 
islands in 1872: : ox . 
A ‘‘43-pound skin’? is the hide of an average yearling; a ‘‘5-pound skin”’ is the hide 
of a well-grown yearling. These are ‘‘eye-plasters.”’ Be 
A ‘6-pound skin” is the hide of an average 2-year-old; a ‘‘6}-pourid skin”? is the 
hide of a well-grown 2-year-old. These are ‘‘short’’ skins. : 
All ‘*7 to8 pound skins” are the hides of 3-year-olds; all ‘9 to 11 pound skins”’ are 
the hides of 4-year-olds. These are ‘‘prime’’ and extra fine skins. 
e 
Exurpit E. 
(Memorandum for Ways and Means Committee, by Henry W. Elliott, March 9, 1904,] 
In re the excessive killing of male seals on the seal islands, Bering Sea, Alaska—The official 
denial of the official assertion that ‘‘there is always a sufficiency of males reserved for 
breeding purposes.”’ 
THE ASSERTION.. 
1897, Report Secretary of the Treasury, December 6, 1897, p. xxviii: ‘‘From the 
report of the agent in charge of the islands, just received, covering the season just 
closed, it would appear by even the most strenuous efforts and an unusual number of 
drives the maximum number of 25,000 skins could not be obtained, and that but 
20,822 skins were secured. * * * The excess of full-grown and vigorous bulls 
present there is so considerable as to interfere materially with the process of breed- 
ing. To remedy this evil the agent recommends the killing of a number of surplus 
bulls.’’ 
1899, Report Secretary of the Treasury, December 5, 1899, p. xxxii: ‘‘Male seals 
only have been killed on the islands during many years past, and there is always a 
sufficiency of males reserved for breeding purposes.” 
THE DENIAL OF THE ASSERTION, AS ABOVE QUOTED. 
1902. Report Special Treasury Agent Lembkey for season of 1902: ‘‘A careful 
count of harems made this year shows a falling off of 25 per cent of breeding bulls.” 
1903. Report Special Treasury Agent Lembkey for season of 1903: ‘A count of 
all of the harems on the islands showed 1,979 harems in 1903 as against 2,391 in 1902. 
This represents a decrease of 17 per cent in the number of breeding bulls present.” 
Nors.—If there was ‘‘a sufficiency of breeding bulls reserved,’’ those vacancies on 
the breeding grounds would not occur. They would be naturally and instantly filled. 
Comment is unnecessary; the truth is apparent; the land killing has been ruinous 
to the life, and is go. 
FACTS AND FIGURES WHICH DECLARE THAT UNDER EXISTING RULES AND REGULATIONS 
THE MALE FUR-SEAL LIFE ON THE SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA WILL BECOME EXTINCT 
By 1907. 
1. In 1872-1874 there were about 90,000 breeding bulls and 1,250,000 cows (primi- 
pares, multipares, and nubiles) on the rookeries, thus showing an annual birth rate 
of 1,120,000 pups. 
2. In 1890 this herd was reduced to some 14,000 bulls and 420,000 cows (primipares, 
multipares, and nubiles) on the rookeries, thus showing a decreased birth rate of 
380,000 pups. 
3. In 1896 this herd was still further reduced to 5,000 bulls and 144,000 cows 
primipares, multipares, and nubiles) on the rookeries, thus showing a further 
ecreased birth rate of 130,000 pups. 
4. In 1903 this herd is now reduced to some 2,200 old bulls and 75,000 cows (primi- 
pares, multipares, and nubiles) on the rookeries, thus showing a birth rate of only 
68,000 pups. 
These 2,200 old bulls of 1903 are the survivors of those young males which were 
spared in 1890, and by the modus vivendi of 1891-1893, and thus permitted to grow 
up to the age of 6 years, and then take their places in 1894, 1895, and 1896 on the 
breeding grounds as 6 and 7 year old bulls. They must reach this age before they 
can serve. 
In 1894 and 1895 a few hundred 4-year-old male seals may have escaped the club 
ee grounds and gone onto the rookeries as 6 and 7 year olds in 1896 
an : 
But, however, in 1896 no 3-year-old seal ever passed over the killing grounds 
which was not killed in 1897 as a 4-year-old; and 
