436 INVESTIGATION" OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



The Chairman. You took it from that and from nothing else? 



Mr. Clark. Well, I considered that official, of course. 



The Chairman. Well, I mean you did not examine them and you 

 did not weigh the skins, did you ? 



Mr. Clark. I was present at the weighing of the skins of 1909. 



The Chairman. Did you then take the report of the agents? 



Mr. Clark. Yes. 



The Chairman. And that is where you get this table ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir; but what I want to make clear at this point 

 is this : We will admit that abou t 500 skins in the five years were below 

 the weight of 5 pounds, which was the legal weight. It was the 

 ntent of the regulations that the killing should not be below 5 pounds. 

 Now, might I explain further what I consider the reasons for the 

 killing of those animals ? 



The Chairman. Yes; you can explain anything you like. 



Mr. Clark. The law does not prohibit th3 killing of yearlings. It 

 says, "Animals under one year," but the regulations have fixed a 

 minimum limit at various times. In 1896-97 the limit was 6 pounds, 

 in 1904 it was 5J pounds, and since 1906 it has been 5 pounds. The 

 reason for fixing 5 pounds as a limit of 2-year-old skins, or the limit 

 below which yearlings would be taken, was that Mr. Henry W. Elliott 

 in 1872-1874 established 4h pounds as the average weight of a yearling 

 sealskin. Four and one-half has been considered as the average of 

 skins ranging from 4 pounds to 5 pounds; in other words, 5 pounds 

 is the maximum weight, or 4 pounds and 15 ounces, of a yearling 

 skin. That is why 5 pounds has been fixed as the minimum limit of 

 killing, because that limit is supposed to protect the yearlings fully. 

 This statement of weights of skins, which nobody has questioned 



The Chairman (interposing). Why not leave the standard at 6 

 pounds? That would be better protection, would it not? 



Mr. Clark. No; that would merely mean that the 2-year-olds 

 were protected as well as the yearlings. 



The Chairman. Then why not leave it at 6 pounds? Why reduce 

 it to 5 pounds ? 



Mr. Clark. Because there is no reason why 2-year-olds should not 

 be killed. 



The Chairman. Why should it not stay at h\ pounds, then? 



Mr. Clark. Well, I do not know. 



The Chairman. But j'ou ought to know. You gave us your ex- 

 planation as to why this reduction was made. Why not leave it at 

 5h pounds ? 



Mr. Clark. I suppose the intention was to get all the 2-year-olds. 



The Chairman. And no yearlings? 



Mr. Clark. Xo yearlings, because no yearlings would be taken 

 until you got below 5 pounds. 



The Chairman. How about blubber? If you put blubber on it 

 would make it easier for them to weigh b\ pounds. 



Mr. Clark. Of course; that matter of blubber, I do not agree to 

 that. 



The Chairman . But if the skins were blubbered, that would make 

 the skin of a small seal weigh 5h pounds. 



Mr. Clark. Xo : the blubber on the skin of a large seal, would be in 

 proportion. It would not make a particle of difference in the amount 

 of blubber or the ability to put blubber on or take it off. 



