426 



THE SEAL-HOOK. 



will be readily understood, is covered with sea-weed, and 

 when, therefore, the seal, tired of contending with the 

 waves, seeks in all innocence to rest its wearied limbs on 

 what it takes to be a rock, the trap-door T swings on its 

 axle, and the yawning gulf beneath presently receives the 

 poor animal ; and as the aperture through which it falls is 

 at once closed again, the trap is in readiness to receive 

 others of its comrades who may allow themselves to be 

 similarly beguiled. 



THE SEAL-HOOK. 



In certain parts of the Norwegian coast, and probably 

 elsewhere in Scandinavia, seals are captured by means of 

 barbed hooks, in the manner depicted above. Fig. 1 

 shows the hook used for the purpose. These, Rosted tells 

 us, should be made of tough iron or steel of at least the 

 thickness of one's finger, with shanks some eighteen 

 inches in length. They must necessarily be large 

 to penetrate the jlesh, as, if only lodged in the skin or 



