INVESTIGATION OF THE FUE-SEAL INDUSTEY OF ALASKA. 441 



The Chaieman. Now, just answer my question. Did you not say 

 a while ago and tell us how many yearlings were in this table that you 

 reported to the Government? Didn't you do that? 



Mr. Clark. I pointed out the number of skins which I am willing 

 to admit were skins from yearling animals. 



The Chaieman. Now, if no man can tell the difference, why did 

 you make such a report ? 



Mr. Claek. Because these skins are under the maximum weight of 

 yearling skins. 



The Chaieman. You depended on the weight entirely, did you not? 



Mr. Claek. Yes; everybody has to depend on the weight. That 

 is the only thing you can depend on. 



The Chaieman. Now, turn to page 893. 



Mr. Claek. I want to add here by way of further explanation how 

 I consider these yearlings came to be killed. In the first place, the 

 regulations distinguish between food killings and commercial killings; 

 and in the case of the food killings even pups could be killed — that is, 

 animals of any age could be killed in food killing, and the natives like 

 the smaller animals. They are plumper, they are fatter, and the 

 meat is juicier and better. Now, when you have a food killing on 

 hand it is almost impossible to keep the natives from killing little 

 seals. That accounts for a certain number of them. These skins 

 are from food killings as well as from commercial killings. Now, 

 another factor enters into that. In the work of killing the clubber 

 has to distinguish the age of the animal by the weight of the skin 

 that the living animal carries. 



The Chaieman. So, if he kills a small seal and finds out afterwards 

 he has killed a yearling 



Mr. Claek (interposing). It is an accident. Suppose he is hitting 

 at a big seal and strikes a small one on the head, he can not recall his 

 act, and that is an accident. But he may also make an error of judg- 

 ment. He may see the head of an animal that looks big enough for 

 a 2-year-old and hit it and then it may develop to be a yearling. I 

 want to call attention to the fact that in this table are given only 

 about 500 seals out of a considerable total of animals. They are not 

 figured out here, but on page 504 of hearing No. 10, you will find a 

 table which gives the individual weights of the sealskins taken for the 

 years 1904 to 1911, 93,323, and of that number exactly 711 are 

 under the weight of 5 pounds. We will admit then that 711 of those 

 animals might have been yearlings, but no more; and if you can find 

 a cattle range where the cowboys in rounding up and taking care of 

 93,000 cattle, make as few mistakes through killing of small animals 

 or accidental killing, I confess I would be surprised. The point is, 

 very few accidents have occurred. The errors of judgment are a 

 negligible quantity and the whole thing is an admirable recommen- 

 dation to the vigilance of the agents in controlling the natives in their 

 work of clubbing the seals because they are forced to meet a limit 

 that is fixed by the weight of a skin on a living animal. 



The Chaieman. Mr. Clark, if the London catalogues should state 

 there, were about 7,000 small pups and extra small pups killed in 

 1909, would you stil 1 adhere to your opinion? 



Mr. Claek. Yes, sir. 



The Chaieman. What is the size of a small pup and an extra small 

 pup as noted in the London catalogues ? 



