THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY 317 



coarse hair which is longer than the fur. In addition 

 to the long coarse guard hairs, the pelt contains 

 many short coarse hairs which must be removed be- 

 fore the final finishing operation. For the removal 

 of these hairs, the seal skin is passed several times 

 through a machine consisting of an ingenious 

 arrangement of air-blasts, combs, and revolving 

 knives. In passing through the machine, the pelt is 

 bent sharply over a dull knife-edge, and the downy 

 fur is parted and blown down by the blast of com- 

 pressed air. The short coarse hairs, because of their 

 relative stiffness, are not blown down by the 

 blast but stick up and are clipped off by the 

 revolving knives. This operation greatly im- 

 proves the softness and smoothness of the fur. 

 The final finishing operation consists of working 

 the pelt into an extremely soft and pliable condition 

 and setting the fur so that all the strands lie parallel. 

 The finished skins are now sold at public auction by 

 the government and are ready to be made into gar- 

 ments. The efforts of the United States Bureau of 

 Fisheries to conserve the fur-seal have greatly in- 

 creased the potential supply of this fur and have 

 thereby reduced the cost. Perhaps some day it may 

 be no more expensive than its imitation, Hudson seal. 



Hair-Seals and Sea-Lions 



There are fifteen species of hair-seals, two species 

 of sea-elephants, and five species of sea-lions which 

 are valued for their blubber, from which oil is made. 

 Since leather has become very valuable^ the skins arq 



