of bending forward at the knee. When on land the animal cannot walk or run, but merely wriggles with a belly-wise motion, the neck being short and the head scarcely capable of being raised. There is no external ear. The fur seals belong to the suborder of the Gressigrada. The feet are plantigrade, the anterior limbs only being used in swimming, having rudimentary claws, if any. The head and neck can be raised as in the bear. The external ear is moderately developed, and the animal can run or lope along the ground as do ordinary mammals and with considerable rapidity. The internal structure of the two animals shows equally marked differences. The hair seals, whatever their origin, must have come from a different parent stock and their relation to land carnivora must be more remote. Beyond the fact that both are carnivorous mammals, feeding on fish and perfectly adapted to life in the water, the two animals have little in common. In both the thick blubber goes with life in the icy waters of the north. They resort, in one case to certain island shores, in the other to the ice floes, to bring forth and rear their young. But these resemblances, associated with aquatic habitat, are only analogies and have no value in scientific classification. In structure, appearance, degree of intelligence, habits, disposition and method of locomotion, the two types are entirely distinct and their evolution as pelagic animals has been along separate lines.

Hair Seals.-The hair seals are found off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, in the waters of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the Greenland seas, and about the island of Jan Mayen, and in the White and Caspian seas. In these places they occur in sufficient numbers to make their hunting profitable. In small isolated groups they are found about the British Isles, among the pelagic islands of the southern seas and about the island shores of the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. The principal species hunted are the saddleback or harp seal (Phoca grænlandica), so named from the peculiar marking thought to resemble an ancient harp; the rough or ringed seal (P. fætida), having its name also from color markings; the harbor or common seal (P. vitulina), so-called because of its wide distribution and its fondness for bays and sheltered waters; the Caspian seal (P. caspica), confined to the sea of that name; the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), so named because of its crest or hood; and the gray seal (Halichorus grypus). The two last are unimportant, being taken only when met with in search for other seals. The harbor seal is the commonest form and most widely distributed. But the most important in point of numbers and value of its products is the harp seal, the seal of Newfoundland, of the Greenland seas and the Arctic.

The hair seals show considerable variation in size and coloration. The harp seals are in general whitish or yellowish-white, the nose and head black, the throat and chin spotted with black. The harbor seal is yellowish-gray above, varied with irregular spots of dark brown or black, and yellowish-white beneath with smaller spots. The ringed seal is the smallest form, the gray seal the largest, attain ing a length of eight to nine feet. The ordinary species are from five to six feet in length

and weigh from 60 to 300 pounds. The female is slightly smaller than the male, in the case of the harp seal about one-fourth less; but there is no such wide disparity between the sexes as exists in the case of the fur seals. The animals are said to be monogamous. With the exception of the harbor seal, which is nonmigratory, the hair seals obey a more or less well-defined semi-annual migration, although their movements are nowhere so. definite as those of the fur seals of the north Pacific Ocean. In a general way the herds move southward on the approach of winter, returning to the north and eastward in the spring as the ice recedes. They are found, however, with unfailing regularity at certain definite localities in the breeding season, as for example, the ice fields off Newfoundland, and about Jan Mayen Island. In the vicinity of Newfoundland the young are born between the middle of February and the latter part of March. At Jan Mayen the season is somewhat later, approaching April. The single young, whitish in color. at birth, changing to darker, grows very rapidly, attaining a weight and size approximating that of its mother in six weeks or two months. It remains on the ice, the mother returning from her feeding excursions to nourish it. In the course of a month it takes to the water, reluctantly at first, finding it necessary to learn to swim. The young seals form the most valuable part of the catch and yield the best quality of oil. The food of the hair seal consists of fish, in certain species supplemented by mollusks and

crustaceans.

Of the various sealing grounds or districts, by far the most important is that of Newfoundland, to which the seals flock in February of each year in "countless numbers." The sealing fleet clears principally from the port of Saint Johns, sailing vessels being allowed to depart as early as 1 March, steam vessels on the 10th, and to begin sealing as soon as the seals can be found. The sealing season extends until the 1 May. In addition to the sealing on the ice the hunting is also carried on by means of nets and guns along the shores of Newfoundland and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. This form of sealing has been practised from the earliest times and constituted the beginning of the industry, which, however, attained no considerable importance prior to the beginning of the 19th century, the yearly catch probably not exceeding 5,000 seals. Vessels seem to have been first used in this sealing in the year 1763. For the year 1805 we have record of a catch of 81,000. We know that in 1807 the sealing fleet numbered 30 vessels. The catch for 1815 was 126,000 and that for 1822, 306,000. In the period from 1830 to 1850 the Newfoundland sealing industry was at its maximum development. The fleet numbered approximately 400 vessels, with crews aggregating 10,000 men and an annual catch ranging from 500,000 to 700,000 seals. From the close of this period the industry declined, and fewer but larger vessels were employed. In 1871 we find the fleet reduced to 168 vessels. The catch for 1856 was 361,000. It rose again in 1876 to the 500,000 mark, but in 1880 it fell to 223,000. For the 21 years (1881-1901) it averaged 226,000 seals. The catch for 1907 was 245,051 seals and for 1913, 272,065. For the period 1906-13 the ex

:

40 to 300 pounds. The female than the male, in the case about one-fourth less; but wide disparity between the in the case of the fur seals. said to be monogamous. With the harbor seal, which is nonhair seals obey a more or less vesi-unual migration, although ons are nowhere so definite as for seals of the north Pacific acnera! way the herds move southapproach of winter, returning to 3d eastward in the spring as the They are found, however, with arity at certain definite localiing season, as for example, the Newfoundland, and about Jan In the vicinity of Newfoundare born between the middle of de latter part of March. At Jan canon is somewhat later, approachThe single young, whitish in color ing to darker, grows very rapidly, ight and size approximating that in six weeks or two months. It the ice, the mother returning from 5 excursions to nourish it. In the a month it takes to the water, reluFirst, finding it necessary to learn to The young seals form the most valuable the catch and yield the best quality of food of the hair seal consists of fish, essay specics supplemented by mollusks and

Of the various sealing grounds or districts, most important is that of Newfoundwhich the seals lock in February of sa countless numbers." The sealing principally from the port of Saint sedling vessels being allowed to depart 481 March, steam vessels on the to begin sealing as soon as the seals found. The sealing season extends until May In addition to the sealing on the hurting is also carried on by means and runs along the shores of New

and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. fan of sealing has been practised from earliest times and constituted the beginning the industry, which, however, attained no underable importance prior to the beginning of the 19th century, the yearly catch probably not exceeding 5,000 seals. Vessels seem to have heon first used in this scaling in the year 1763. For the year 1805 we have record of a catch of 81,000. We know that in 1807 the sealing fcet numbered 30 vessels. The catch for 1815 was 126,000 and that for 1822, 306,000. In the period from 1830 to 1850 the Newfoundland scaling industry was at its maximum development The ficet numbered approximately 400 vessels, with crews aggregating 10,000 men and an annual catch ranging from 500,000 to 70034x scals. From the close of this period the industry derifuel, and fewer but larger vessels were Muplayed. In 1871 we find the Acet reduced by Hat vessels. The catch for 1856 was ose pain in 1876 to the 500,000 19 it fell to 223,000. For the )it averaged 226,000 seals 1997 was 245,051 seals and for the period 1906-13 the

21 ye

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