The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-13
ALASKA SEALS.
A Hundred Thousand Seals Killed There Yearly,
bsblgs- Worth $709,9oO. You AZ

A.-..
| bsEle- Worth $709,9o0. You ~
-eG.ae iGaiaxy lor MaEl s,Gai .ea 1
There is probably no 0parCof the earth's
surface, used for farming or stock rails
lag, that produces 30 handsome u yield
to the acre as tue narrow beaches of the |
| Prv4,tov Fur-Seal Islands in Behring's
| Straits. These are four in number
| St. PauHs, with twenty-one Thousand
| one hundred and twenty acres; st.
George, with about seventeen thousand
acres; Otter Island, a mile and a nall
\ long aAd less than half mile wide; and
! Walrus Island, mere fat rock, rising
but little above the surf, u quarter of a
4 mile long and one hundred yards wide.
l'rhe first Two have together seventy one
miles of coast line, bill so much Of The
1 shofe is bold and rocky that only eigh-
cen and three-foufth miles are visited
| by seals. l.h "''
/ On ST. Georges, several thousand sea-
lions have taken, possession foI hatf-
a-nile more of landing. The beaches on
which they breeu are narrow
Ireaches OF sand, varying from 40 10 100
feet wide, and covering total area ot
6 3S7 $40 square leet, or not quite l47
lacrrs. On This area W
ABOUT 100, QUO SEALS ARE KILLED EVERY
ia YEAR,
worth $T00, 1000. This Is a yield of 81, 49,
all acre. Tue United States Government
obtains irum these stands a rental oil
sos 900 yea1y, and $262,b00 for 100, 900
seaisklns, 1hiS is taxing these barren
6anQ-De achesJ To the amount OF ~, 100 per
acre. Figures like these deserve con-
sideratlon, tor il is only by SUCH COM
pubations that the value oil fisheries W
4 he country Will ever be made apparent.
La the present case it is satisfactory to-
know THAI the Government tax as q
blessing To the world.d ,GlL ,GG. 4lt
i The total number of seals which breed
annually on the islands is computed at
3, 1913, SO, and before the restrictions
placed on the hunt by the Government,
they We're killed al the rate OF 240, 900
monthly. TuIs would have eXtirpateu
: them III less tnan five years. Nov the
number is limited to 100 coo year, ana
they are said by some observers TO be
increasing at the rate OF per cent. au-
nually. Tne above number does not in
cMde those which are killed, but the
breeding community Which is pre-
: served. Or non-Dreeders, the number is
estimated at 1,5UO.000, SO that the total
seal-populaLi is about 4, 100, 900.
THE FAMILIES AVERAGE ABOUT FIFTEEN
\ .-f.. COWS EACH, .r-......
and they take up So lIitle room that a
q space Two ieet square su1iceS Tor COW;
while the bull, belng muCu larger, needs
about twice as mucn room. Within Two
D days after landing the young are born,
: and in three OF tour days m re The guar
= dian patriarch allows The mother 10 re-
: treat to the water. where she spends
: most of her time, returning to land When
: ever the young seal requires food. Seals
are good mothers, anu nurse their yUung
tor nearly year, or far more Than d
ear ii they do not have anoGner birth.
Y While the mothers are playing in the
o water, the old male remains on shore
= and takes care OF the pups. IL is thirty
= five or lorty days before the pup can be
= taken to the water, and four months bs-
a fire he is strong enough to follow the
a mother on her migratory journey through
= lie ocean. AS each mOtner has one pup,
9 the four square feet of ground which
+ formed her resting-place Carries Two
: lives, and the computation given above
Lot 8 1913 G70 breeding seals on these
: lislanus is made lr0m measurement oil
;, the area occupied by the ''rookeries."
Il In the autumn and early winter the
!. seals take their departure. Where they
go is not ascerLalned dehnitely, but they
h. probably .y.t..s.. -...... ..I
n SPREAD THEMSELVES OVER THE NORTH
I PACIFIC, f
!. following the SCHOOLS of fish, or fire
,f quenting banks and shoals where the,
q can tinu food, The amount oil food re
/ . n
d CURED py Them ~ Immense. Az nv
n pounds per DAY, winch Is not hal
l. enough lor iuil-SfoWh maze, theY, tA'
10 seais Oh ih9se TWO isiahas, VIII eat ul
g no less than thfee mHlioh tons OF ilsh II
Ie year. Inls lmMehSe quahtlty makes
d eVldeht that lman care eaa ~ hotA
j. Ing to assist tnelr propayatlon. IN th'
sea they haNs ehethles, pat ~ Wouia p'
n simply imposslole 70 obtain 100!
3, enough ioi snehi ~ wy iaiahus' even
lie thatWeIe The only point 10 De consld
II erea. 70 set suen supply, the!
o spreaa themselves over the ocean, AM
7, there come III contacs Win enemies al
,f voraclous as they are, hiHef-whale
A. anu shalhe Mthe euon hafoc anon
Q them that ol hlliloH pups" nlcl ~ th
le estimaCe Y yeats inpleaee, ho1 niof
d than one-nall return tne next spring
t. Some observers put tue proportion mue
ls lower, anu Win greae piooaolty con
e. slaefihg tne heiplesshess ol tne SUCK
is llngs. Inc second year, however, the
e are Detter ape W cure ior themselves
ana DO not lose more tnah ohc-'ehth Q
lr their huhfpers. Altel tnat they 90 no
e suner ihucn curing 1helr ilses o. nitee
Il L Nv !" N