THE SEA-OTTER AND ITS EXTERMINATION 221 
by the United States, the Russian-American Company had 
the practical control of the Alaskan territory, and formu- 
lated regulations for otter-hunting, by which the total 
catch was limited and a restriction placed upon the number 
captured by individual natives. 
In the earlier days the sea-otters were in the habit of 
coming ashore, both to feed on the sea-urchins and shell- 
fish thrown up by the tide, and also for the purposes of 
repose and breeding. The otters were either captured in 
nets or killed by means of spears or clubs. Only males 
were, however, then slaughtered ; the hunters being taught 
to distinguish the females, even when in the water, by the 
difference in the colour and shape of the head and neck. 
And when hunting on shore the utmost care was taken to 
prevent disturbing the animals more than necessary, and 
also to leave as few traces as possible of human presence. 
Notwithstanding these regulations, the sea-otters con- 
tinued to diminish in number; and, in addition to the 
Pribiloffs, had already disappeared from certain districts 
at the date of the transference of Alaska to America. 
After this date, although the hunters for several years 
adhered to some extent to the old rules, the destruction 
became much more rapid, and all precautions for the 
preservation of the breed were ignored. Numerous cod- 
fisheries were established on some of the banks; and the 
people thus collected, together with the refuse left on the 
shore, rendered many districts unsuitable to the otter. 
Moreover, there were no regulations to prevent white 
men from killing as many animals as they pleased; and 
as the sea-otter was by far the most valuable inhabitant 
of the shores, it naturally came in for the largest share 
of attention. 
Harassed on all sides—netted in the sea, clubbed and 
