INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 565 



had air in them were heavy and would sink in water. Those were 

 the two factors by which we determined. We could get these indi- 

 cations even from the rotten pups. 



So we went over the rookeries with those facts in view, and found 

 that smothering at birth was a large cause of death, due simply to the 

 ordinary crowding of the animals on the rookery. The mother seal 

 pays little attention, compared with ordinary animals, to the birth 

 of her pup. Another cow might lie upon its head, and it might never 

 establish breathing. 



That impressed upon Mr. Marsh and myself the undesirability of 

 any increase of confusion on the rookeries. As an outgrowth of this 

 information comes hry energetic protest against this law, which, if car- 

 ried out, will put 95,000 bulls on those rookeries, where not more than 

 10,000 can be used. The result of the fighting of the bulls with one 

 another will cause incalculable loss in pups on the rookeries. 



Mr. Stephens. In order to avoid that, Mr. Clark, I understand that 

 you desire that the yearlings be killed ? 



Mr. Clark. Not the yearlings. I desire that the 3-year-old males 

 be killed, so as to leave just half as many 3-year-olds each year as 

 there were active bulls the preceding year. All the other 3-year-olds 

 should be killed. 



Mr. Stephens. When is a seal of full age? 



Mr. Clark. The female bears her first pup at 3 years old. The 

 male, of course, does not develop his full strength until he is 7 or 8 

 years old. 



Mr. Bruckner. Has he the same weight at 3 years as at 7 or 8 ? 



Mr. Clark. Not at all; his weight is only 75 or 80 to 90 pounds at 

 3 years, but at the age of 7 he weighs 400 to 500 pounds. 



Mr. Bruckner. Yes. 



The Chairman. Mr. McGuire, have you finished with your ques- 

 tions ? 



Mr. McGuire. No; I have a number more; I can not tell how long 

 it will take. I am trying to avoid a reiteration, and at the same time 

 trying to develop some of these important facts. 



(Thereupon, at 3.55 p. m., the committee adjourned until to-mor- 

 row, Tuesday, February 24, 1914, at 10.30 o'clock a. m.) 



House of Representatives, 

 Committee on Expenditures in the 



Department of Commerce, 



Tuesday, February 24, 1914- 

 The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. John H. Rothermel 

 (chairman) presiding. 



The Chairman. Before we proceed with the examination, Mr. 

 McGuire, I want to call attention to a fact which seems to me was 

 misunderstood yesterday. If you will open the hearing No. 1 at 

 page 416 you will remember that we had trouble with that date of 

 July 25, 1897. It looked as if Jordan was quoted as saying, "In 

 1897," but if you turn back to page 415 the date is 1896. " Jordan 

 denies seeing any yearling seals on the hauling grounds up to July 25, 

 1896." This 1896 evidently is a mistake of the printer. It is cor- 

 rectly stated on the page following. It is 1896 instead of 1897. I 



