FUR SEALS OF ALASKA. _ 69 
In 1897 no 3-year-old eave the killers’ club except to die on the killing grounds 
in 1898 as a 4-year-old; and 
In 1898 the record of 1897 was repeated to the letter on these killing grounds of 
St. Paul and St. George islands; and 
In 1899 no 2-year-old seal was permitted to escape on these grounds unless to die 
as a 3-year-old in 1900; and 
In 1900 no well-grown 1-year-old seal was spared on these slaughter fields except 
to die under the club as a 2-year-old in 1901; and 
In 1901 every yearling that came ashore was taken unless ‘‘runty,”’ and if a few 
escaped they were killed in 1902 as 2-year-olds; and 
In 1902 every young male seal that landed was taken, so that the work of 1901 was 
rigorously duplicated; and 
In 1903 every young male that landed and could be found was taken, being an 
exact duplicate of the work of 1902. 
In this clear light of that close killing of the young male life, as given above, it 
will be seen that no young or fresh male blood has been permitted to mature and 
reach the breeding grounds since 1896. The average life of a breeding bull is from 
15 to 18 years; he can not keep his place on the rookery after that limit to his life, 
for good and obvious reasons. Therefore the youngest bulls to-day upon the rook- 
eries are not less than 12 years old—most of them older. 
An official report in 1902 declares that these breeding bulls had decreased in num- 
ber 25 per cent from their figure of 1901. 
An official report in 1903 again declares a decrease of 17 per cent in the number of 
breeding bulls from 1902, being a decrease of 42 per cent since 1901. 
The close of the season of 1904 will show another decrease of 20 per cent, and in 
1905 again 20 per cent reduction, to the end entirely of this male life in 1906 or 1907, 
unless steps are at once taken ‘to stop all killing on the land of the choice young 
male seals in 1904. 
Henry W. Exwiorr. 
WasHineton, March 9, 1904. 
Exaursir F, 
(Memoranda for Ways and Means Committee.] 
A tabulated statement which shows the annual rate of progress to the complete extermination 
of the fur-seal herd of Alaska which will take effect under existing rules and regulations 
by 1907 unless checked by Congress in 1904. 
f, in— 
Pribilof Island fur seals, class Numberot, i 
Sh jalive.on: the slands; 1903. | 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. | 1909. 
Old bulls (youngest to-day is F 
12 years of age).............- 2,200 1, 650 1,165 400 150? (2) None. 
Pupping cows (alive Aug. ae ai 65, 000 56, 250 87,885 | 22,825 15, 000? 5, 000? 3,000? 
Virgin cows (alive Aug. 1) . 10, 000 5, 000 3, 000 2,300? 500? None) |oseceeses- 
Pups (born June and July).. 65, 000 56, 250 37,885 | 20,000? | 10,000? 6, 000? None. 
Male yearlings (alive Aug. 1). 1, 000 500 300 300? @ ) NONE: | ssesiccesas 
Female yearlings (alive Aug. 1) 10; 000 6, 000 4,000 2,000? 500? (?) None. 
POA os se iisionrsecicier seis 153,200 | 125, 650 84,235 | 48,625? | 26,250? | 10,000? 3, 000? 
Land catch to Aug. 1.......... 19, 252 16, 000 8, 000 (?) NONE: lhakcntere|euscesenes 
Pelagic catch to Nov. 1........ 25, 000 20, 000 15,000 | 12,000 10, 000? 6, 000? None. 
Totalascn ctw cicaceavess 44, 252 36, 000 23,000 | 12,000 10, 000? 6, 000? (2?) 
EXPLANATORY REMARKS. 
Owing to the fact that the youngest of these old breeding bulls now left alive up to 
1st of last August was then at least 12 years old, and that the natural service imposed 
upon it, as a rule, ends its life in its 16th or 18th year, this life is rapidly passing 
away, since 42 per cent of its entire number of 1901 disappeared in 1903—not a single 
young male in sight alive and old enough to reach these breeding bulls before 1907, 
even if every one of them is spared next summer (1904). 
No young male seal above 2 years of age will appear next season (1904) on the 
hauling grounds. Therefore, unless we stop by act of Congress the killing by the 
lessees entirely, and at once, and for an indefinite time to come, no fresh young male 
life can mature quickly enough | to come onto the breeding grounds and save the birth 
