6 Geo. 5 



Provincial Museum Report. 



N 13 



this matter during the summer, and that to this end a special committee had been formed. 

 Dr. A. B. MeCallurn, who is Secretary of the Board, arrived in Victoria towards the end of 

 Julv to make arrangements for a meeting of this special committee, which is composed of 

 C. F. Newcombe, M.D., Chairman ; Dr. McLean Fraser, of the Biological Station at Departure 

 Bay : and W. Hamar Greenwood, Esq., of Vancouver, Secretary ; to carry on investigations 

 for the Biological Board throughout the summer. Until this special committee hands in a 

 report of their findings it is impossible to say what will be done in the matter. 



It will be seen by the following data received from Mr. F. H. Cunningham, Chief 

 Inspector of Dominion Fisheries, New Westminster, dated August 10th, the amount of 

 damage and the ruthless destruction that has been carried on at the sea-lion rookeries on the 

 Coast : — 



Bounties paid. 



Year. 



Hair-seals. 



No. 



Amount. 



1913 



1914 



1915 



2',237 

 750 



87,829.50 

 750.00 





2,978 



88,579.50 



Year. 



1913 



1914 



1915 



Totals, 



Sea-lions. 



No. 



Amount. 



2,875 

 2,875 



$5, 750 '. 00 



85,750.00 



Further information was received from Mr. J. A. Pauline at Bella Bella, to whom the 

 Director wrote, having heard of certain persons in that vicinity killing large numbers for 

 bounty. Quoting from Mr. Pauline's letter : " The largest lot we received here were shot by 

 Jno. Wootten and Lome Williams (the last man is an Indian), they shot three days and 

 brought to Bella Bella over 1,600 noses, and killed easily half that amount to get on the 

 islands, which were lost in deep sea and not recovered. Below is a list of those who worked 

 seals and sea-lions this year : — 



"Sea-lions. — Killed outside of Price Island, on rocks, Indian of China Hat killed to show 

 noses 123, and half the number sunk. 



"Hair-seals. — Bella Bella Indians were after hair-seals, and killed for money about 639 ; 

 number killed would be easily 1,000. 



" J. Wootten and Indian shot at Queen Charlotte Sound, in the groups you name (Sea 

 Otter Group, Pearl Rocks, and Watch Reef), and in three trips, costing $78 in launch got 

 cheques as follows: §40, 5684, $98, #2,348; total $3,170." 



On making further inquiries, I find that one man presented a claim for 1,173 sea-lions 

 from one rookery ; of this number, 800 representing about 75 per cent, were pups probably 

 not more than a few days old. The pups are born about the middle of June. There are only 

 three main rookeries along the Coast, all north of Vancouver Island and south of the southern 

 end of the Queen Charlotte Islands — namely, Cape St. James Group, Sea Otter Group, and 

 the Cape Scott Islands. (See Report of Commissioner of Fisheries of British Columbia, 1913, 

 page 131, "Sea-lions on the Coast of British Columbia," by Dr. C. F. and W. A. Newcombe.) 



I am thoroughly convinced that placing a bounty of $2 per lip on each sea-lion taken will 

 in a very short time rid our Coast of this life entirely, as they are mammals which do not. 

 migrate far north and south along the Coast, but are to be found on hauling-out and feeding 

 grounds not far distant from the main rookeries. I know from personal experience, having 

 visited some of these rookeries, that if a man or men go there with the intention of killing 

 these mammals for bounties, that for every matured specimen they shoot and secure they will 

 lose at least six, as the animals when shot fall off the rocks and disappear almost immediately 

 beneath the surface of the water and seldom float. Further, they are easily frightened off the 

 rocks and come within 30 or 40 yards of the boat, roaring constantly, and are an easy mark 

 for an ordinary shot. Landings can be made on almost all of the rookeries in moderate 

 weather and the poor puppies slaughtered indiscriminately. If it is found that the sea-lions 

 do the damage which the canners say, it would be far better for their numbers to be kept 



