134 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES ITSH COMMISSION. 
V.-CONCLUSIONS. 
SUMMARY. 
To gain a clear understanding of the fur-seal question, in so far as it relates to 
tlie Eussian Seal Islands, it may be well to sum up the essential points as follows: 
The topographical character of the rookeries on Bering Island and on Ooi^per Island 
are essentially different. On the former the grounds are low and accessible, and the 
drives are unusually easy, involving but little hardship on the seals, even compared 
with the rookeries on St. Paul Island, Pribylof group. On Copper Island, however, 
the rookeries are situated at the base of high precipices, very difficult of access, and 
the drives, from the mountainous nature of the island, are as harsh and trying as it is 
possible to imagine. 
Notwithstanding this difference in the topography, the conditions of seal life on 
the rookeries were practically alike on both islands previous to, during, and some time 
after my first visit to the islands in 1882-83. It is an indisputable fact that the seals 
were increasing markedly in number during that period on both islands. 
Of late years the seals have been rapidly decreasing on both islands, the decrease 
corresponding to the same iihenomenon on the Pribylof Islands, but taking place 
proportionately about five years later on an average. 
When I again visited the islands, in 1895, 1 found the conditions of seal life on the 
rookeries had so changed as to radically differ on the two islands. On Bering Island, 
in addition to a marked decrease in killables, there was a notable scarcity of old bulls, 
Avhile the decrease in breeding females was less apparent. On Copper Island, while 
the number of killables was small, sexually mature male seals were, on the contrary, 
plentiful, and at the same time the number of females had decreased enormously. 
Prior to 1892 the Commander Islands seals had suffered but little from i^elagic 
sealing in general and practically nothing from jireying upon the feeding-grounds of 
the female seals, at the very time when the Pribylof Island sealing-grounds were 
being rapidly exhausted. 
Since 1892 the whole body of the pelagic sealing fleet has preyed, during the most 
precarious season of seal life, largely iipon the female seals visiting the feeding-grounds 
off“ Copper Island. 
An unusual mortality of starving seal pups has not been observed until last year 
on Bering Island, but the natural conditions of the Copper Island rookeries are such 
as to make it easy to overlook such a fact. 
The 30-mile zone stiimlated in the Eussian-British arrangement of 1893 has only 
put a stop to the raiding of the rookeries, but has been found utterly valueless as a 
protective measure against pelagic sealing. 
The rookeries of the Commander Islands will become exhausted within a few years 
if the present conditions are allowed to continue much longer. 
CAUSES OF THE DECREASE. 
Three different causes, either of them alone, or in combination with the others, 
have been generally regarded as responsible for the undeniable decline of seal life on 
the seal islands of the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean, viz, excessive driving of 
the male seals, raids on the rookeries, and pelagic sealing. It may be well to inquire 
