732 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



ence" to make that " discovery" that the pups do not return as year- 

 lings to the islands in June and July. 



It seems that a man who has had more than twice the official experi- 

 ence enjoyed by Mr. Clark on the hauling grounds of the seal islands 

 became suddenly aware of the fact that he had been strangely ob- 

 sessed ever since 1899, up to the season of 1907, about these yearling 

 seals. 



As in "the added light" of all this experience (which Mr. Clark so 

 feelingly described in his case) Mr. W. I. Lembkey "discovers" that 

 the "slow-moving yearlings" can not keep up with the gravid cows, 

 heavy laden with their unborn }^oung, when the return to the islands 

 is made by the latter by June 16 to July 25, annually. He therefore 

 solves the question without putting any hot irons on the gelatinous 

 skull plates of the newborn pups of 1906, by reporting their return in 

 1907, in his official capacity, as follows: 



It is seen thus that yearlings really represent such an inconsiderable portion of the 

 catch of the sealing schooners that no deduction for the effects of sea killing need be 

 made in an estimate of their number. 



This is readily explainable. They can not be taken in the sea during the summer 

 of their birth for the very plain reason that they are on land at that time, or have not 

 yet learned to swim beyond the borders of the rookeries on which they are born. 

 When afterwards in the late fall they do take to the sea for their first migration, pelagic 

 sealing has ceased for the year. They do not encounter it again until the following 

 spring. 



In the spring, however, the fleet follows the main body of the herd, composed of 

 adult seals, which are accomplished swimmers and which for this reason have left 

 the slow-moving yearlings far behind. This is indicated plainly by the fact of the 

 arrival of the yearlings at the rookeries six weeks later than the main body of the herd. 



(Report W. I. Lembkey, Sept. 9, 1907, Appendix A, p. 498.) 



Mr. Stephens. What time would that put the main body of the 

 herd there ? 



Mr. Elliott. I am coming right to it. The main body of the herd 

 is there between the 4th and 25th of July. 



But in 1912 the "slow-moving yearlings" do better — they all arrive 

 with the cows "in a mass" by July 25. 



But Lembkey, under oath, gets uneasy about his "discovery" of 

 1907 — he faces cross-examination; he hacl not fixed any pups of the 

 year previous so that they could not return in June and July; he tells 

 the truth, finally, as below, to vat: 



This habit of annually migrating from the place of its birth to southerly waters can 

 be explained in a few words. Probably 90 per cent of all female breeders give birth 

 to their pups within a period of three weeks, from June 25 to July 15 of each year. 

 These pups remain on the islands until about November 1 to 15 of each year, and then 

 depart southward. 



Mi-. Stephens. That is your contention? 



Mr. Elliott. That is his statement denying his statement of 1907. 

 Mr. Stephens. What is the fact? Do they return with the herd? 

 Mi-. Elliott. Yes, sir; that is the truth, which he has told under 

 oath. 



Mr. Stephens. That statement is correct ? 

 Mr. Elliott. Yes; they do. It was published 40 years ago. 

 Mr. Stephens. That is borne out by the old evidence? 

 Mr. Elliott. Yes. Then Mr. Lembkey says: 



"These pups return to the islands" 



Mr. Patton (interposing). About what time? 



