Arizona republican., 1907-10-24

out on land to feed or rest or to give birth to their young. but lived entirely in the watea> resorting to the keip beds for the functions of breeding. So pronounced is this change of habit that some writers have described the sea-otter as a strictly marine animal by nature. living entirely In the water. whereas. 1t is naturally no more so than the fur-seai which passes a considerable portion of each year on dry land.
 In the belief of the best authorities there Is but one spot on the earth-that Is Copper Islapd-where the ea-otter may he found adherfng 70 fits natural habits and-ssys Stejneger-"there Is no other place in the world where SO many sea otters can be seen at the present day" Careful management has there preserved the herd, so that from one to two hun dred-a large catch under existing con- ditions-may be taken each year without detriment to it. The rookeries are con- stantly guarped against intrusion. Shoot ing or making fires in their vicinity are strictly prohibited. The method of taking the animals Is restricted to nets and all females and yearlings caught alive are libernted. The extent of the seasons catch Is determined In advance by the administration and the hunt Is conducted by the natives eR masse under the direction and control of the chief. The Russian government buys all the skins at a fixed price aad derives a handsome revenue from the trade, whilst the Income accruine to the Aleuts places them in a position of comparative af- fuence. Ste1neger, writing ten years ago and passing his opinion upon actual observation, said: ''The animal. which is now nearing it's extermination on all the American islands and shores. where It Is not protected at all, Is actually in- creasing on Copper Island"
 By refraining from resort to the land, the sea-otter rendered Its capture more difficult and so prolonged its passing. but 1t could not escape Its doom- With the diminution of its numbers the skin rose in value and the pursuit became closer and. if possible. more ruthless. The "ot- ter canoe" secured the waters in which the creature fed and in the breeding sea- son descended upon the keip beds in such numbers that the survival of q wretched remnant of the former herds Is a subject of wonder. By nature gre garious. the animals have. in recent years, displayed a tendency to consort in cou pies and their timidity has long since h. creased to point that made 1t impost sfble to approach them within spearins
 
 schooners have depended upon the rife for many years, with the result that. perhaps. one in every i've killed has been secured. for, like the fur-seal. the sea- otter dives instantaneously upon being hit
 Between 1873 to 1883. the annual catch of the Indians of the Aleutian Islands was from 5000 to 4.ooO. From that pc riod 6 steady decrease has brought it down to practically nothing ar with the expiry of the industry has vanished the mainstay-almost the sole source of sub sistence. in fact-of the Aleuts. The skins handled by the Alaska Company represented the largest proportion of the entire catch since 1870. except for the take of the Copper island preserves. In 1873. the Company purchased-i round numbers-2,5UJ sea-otter belts: in 16I2 Mir. Charles D. Walcott. the secretary of 5000; fin 1883. 4,O0o: in 1888. 2.5OO. ,ince 1892. the figures have never reached 1000 and In recent years have fallen far be- low 800.
 The pelage of the sea otter has always been one of the most highly prixed of all Surs. Tn c work published in 17sO. 1t Is stated: ''Of all these furs uhose secured