468 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



The Chairman. You have a report that you submitted to the 

 Bureau of Fisheries ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. One for 1912 and one for 1913. I wish to 

 be of service to the committee. I have prepared a statement of the 

 present conditions, and I should like to present it to you. I think 

 it is more important to deal with that than to deal with these various 

 questions that are not really so important, and I had hoped for an 

 opportunity to present that statement before the committee in an 

 orderly manner. 



Mr. Patton. I think it would be a good thing, in view of the 

 report we had last year in regard to the number of the herd up there. 

 Now, the number has changed so wonderfully, I would be glad to 

 have you submit something giving further light on it. 



The Chairman. I did not know that he had made a report last year, 

 but the department informed me that he was up there last summer. 

 Have you those reports with you ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir; but I think the committee should properly 

 call for them from the Secretary. However, I will be willing to 

 submit them. I have a statement here. 



The Chairman. Have you a statement that you wish to submit 

 also? 



Mr. Clark. Well, I have not prepared it so that I can submit it. 

 I should like to read it. It is not in condition to submit to the com- 

 mittee but I should hke to read it as I go along. 



The Chairman. Very well. 



Mr. Clark. Now, the condition of the herd in 1913 is a very im- 

 portant question. A careful estimate of the fur seal herd for 1913 

 shows it to number 268,000 animals. The estimate for 1912, made 

 under similar conditions shows 215,000. The gain between the two 

 seasons has therefore been approximately 25 per cent, chiefly in 

 bachelors, on account of suspension of killing. 



The Chairman. Mr. Clark, at that point, have you a tabulated 

 statement of how many cows, yearlings, and two-year-olds there are ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. You have that in your report somewhere, I suppose ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes. I wish to discuss the following points: 



First, the condition of the herd. The breeding female stock, the 

 important element in the above estimate, numbered 92,269 in 1913, 

 ascertained by an actual count of the pups on all the rookeries. A 

 similar estimate of the females for 1912 gave 81,984, also ascertained 

 b} T a count of all the pups. Of course, for every pup there must have 

 been a mother. In the stock of breeding females and their young 

 there was a gain of 12£ per cent between the two seasons — the first 

 two seasons of exemption from pelagic sealing. 



The stock of breeding males, the second important element, num- 

 bered 1,403 in 1913, as against 1,358 in 1912, a gain of 3 per cent and 

 something over. This was by actual count in the height of the 

 breeding season. The stock of harem masters has been practically 

 stationary for some years, that is, in 1911, 1,373; 1910, 1,381; 1909, 

 1,3S7; 190S, 1,365: 1907, 1,383; 1906, 1,471; 1897, 4,418. 



The stock of reserve males was 364 in 1913. It was 312 in 1912; 

 317 in 1911; 397 in 1910; 513 in 1909: in 1897, 5,000. These figures 

 are found by actual count at the height of the breeding season. 



