220 MOSTLY MAMMALS 
embraced Kamtchatka and the Komandorksi and Kurile 
Islands. 
Numerous accounts of the habits and capture of this 
valuable animal have been published as the results of the 
observations of naturalists and hunters on both sides of its 
habitat, many of these relating to times when it was still 
more or less abundant, and its pelts consequently did not 
realise the extravagant prices now current. The attention 
recently directed to the fur-seals of Bering Sea has resulted 
in equally important observations with regard to the sea- 
otters of the same region, and the results of some of these 
are recorded in a pamphlet issued by the Treasury Depart- 
ment of the Washington Government, drawn up by the 
Commandant of the Bering Sea Patrol Fleet, Captain 
C. L. Hooper. As in the case of the fur-seals, the same 
sad story of ruthless destruction and relentless persecution 
is unfolded; and while the animal has already been com- 
pletely swept away from several of its original haunts, 
there is great danger of its complete extermination from 
this side of the Pacific unless adequate means for its pro- 
tection are promptly devised and effectually carried into 
execution. 
From the same report it appears that when the Russians 
first visited Alaska its shores literally abounded with sea- 
otters, which were relentlessly hunted and slain, affording 
a rich harvest to their captors. In consequence of this, 
after a period of about fifty years—that is to say, towards 
the close of the eighteenth century—a notable decrease 
in numbers was observable; and by the same date the 
otters, which were said to have swarmed on the Pribiloffs 
at the time of their discovery in 1786, had almost com- 
pletely disappeared from these islands, From the close of 
he eighteenth century till the taking over of the country 
