688 INVESTIGATION OF THE EUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



fully matured for breeding purposes, but not quite as strong, com- 

 pact, and courageous as an adult bull. 



The Chairman. At what age is that ? 



Mr. Clark. Anywhere from 6 up. These three categories of males 

 have definitely separated themselves from the bachelors and haunt 

 the breeding grounds, the active bulls in charge of the harems, the 

 idle bulls back of them, and the younger bulls hovering in the rear. 



The cows are the adult females, of the age of 3 years, when they 

 bear their first pup, and upwards. The virgin cows are the 2-year 

 olds which come late in the breeding season to the breeding grounds to 

 receive the bull for the first time. The yearlings are animals of both 

 Bexes. They leave the islands late and come to the islands late. 



The bachelors are the young males from 4 years down to 2. They 

 occupy hauling grounds separate from the breeding grounds through 

 fear of the adult bulls. A bachelor appearing in the harems would be 

 summarily dealt with by the bulls in charge. The bachelors there- 

 fore herd by themselves, and it is from their hauling grounds that ani- 

 mals are driven off for killing purposes, which is done without dis- 

 turbing the breeding females at all. They are driven up m groups 

 near the salting houses and killed. The groups brought to the 

 killing field contain 5-year olds, 4-year olds, 3-year olds, and 2-year 

 olds. The animals killed come chiefly from the 3 and 2 year old 

 classes. They are knocked on the head and skinned, the other ani- 

 mals being turned back to the sea to return to the hauling grounds or 

 do what they please. That is the order of life of the animals, all 

 classes considered. 



Mr. McGuire. The breeding bull is with the harem? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. Is the 2-year-old female served? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. Late in the season? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Air. McGuire. Where are they up to that time? 



Mr. Clark. Probably at sea. 



Mr. McGuire. When you refer to the bachelor seals, you mean, as 

 ft rule, the seals that congregate back of the harems and back of the 

 inactive bulls ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes. 



Mr. McGuire. Those bulls are how old ? 



Mr. Clark. From 6 to 8. 



Mr. McGuire. And the younger bulls have been driven away by 

 the bulls in charge of the harems? 



Mr. Clark. Not exactly driven away, but kept from coming in 

 closer through fear of their full-grown rivals. 



Mr. McGuire. In charge of the harems? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Stephens. Can you tell why Dr. Jordan was so anxious that 

 this treaty should not be affected by legislation and why he sent this 

 telegram to Mr. Sulzer ? What interest did he have to serve which 

 caused him to send that telegram? 



Mr. Clark. In the first place, Mr. Sulzer called upon him for help; 

 in the second place, Dr. Jordan had fought for 12 years to secure the 

 treaty, and he was well satisfied that it was the one thing necessary 

 to preserve the herd. When he saw that a resolution had been intro- 



