PELAGIC SEALING. 



237 



reported by American vessels, from all hunting grounds is tnree times that of tlie 

 males, while Canadian vessels report the two sexes in nearly equal numbers, the 

 females being slightly in excess. 



Comparison of Canadian and American figures on proportion of sexes represented in pelagic catch for 1896. 



The effect of these inspections on the returns made by masters of American 

 vessels has been wholesome, and the difference in the figures for each sex, as reported 

 by the two fleets may be seen in the above tables. 



In the Northwest coast catch of 1896, made by the American schooner J. Uppinger. 

 we have 1,340 females against 17 males. It is unnecessary to cite further differences 

 in this respect. The facts are against the possibility of a preponderance of males 

 being taken on any sealing ground. 



Following the. pelagic sealing season in Bering Sea a loss of young seals takes 

 place on the islands that is proof of the great numbers of adult females destroyed, 

 while the killing of most of the nonbreeding males on the islands, and the fact that the 

 . breeding males remain on land during the best of the pelagic season, precludes the 

 possibility of any such proportion of males being found in the Canadian pelagic catch 

 as has been reported. In addition to this, advices under date of January 8, 1897, 

 &om London establishments, where the pelagic catch is prepared for market, show at 

 least 85 per cent of it to consist of the skins of females. This is also true of preceding 

 seasons. 



The log-book records of the two fleets during recent years being at hand, inter- 

 esting comparisons have been made. 



Canadian vessels reporting a preponderance of male seals having been sealing 

 side" by side with American vessels proved to have taken a majority of female seals, it 

 is evident that the returns of the Canadian fleet in this respect are unreliable. The 

 records show also that a few Canadian vessels reported a large majority of females. 



WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE PELAGIC SEALING GBOUNDS. 



The following tables have been prepared from the log records of the Oanadian 

 and American vessels engaged in pelagic sealing in Bering Sea from 1894 to 1897. 

 They are interesting chiefly as showing the large number of days during the season 

 when the weather conditions were such as to permit of seals being taken. Sealing 

 begins in Bering Sea on August 1 and is continued actively until some time after the 



