96 THE ALASKAN SEAL HERD. 



The differences between the several classes of skins are very marked, 

 and enable anybody who is skilled in the busi- 



Geo. Rice,p.51Z. ness or accustomed to handling of fur-seal skins 



to distinguish the skins of one class from the 

 skins which belong to either of the other two classes and these differ- 

 ences are evidenced by the fact that the skins obtain different prices in 

 the market. * * * 



The difference between the Copper Island catch and the Northwest 

 and Alaska catches, which two last-mentioned classes of skins of the 

 fur-seal apparently belong to the same family, are such as to enable any 

 person skilled in the business to distinguish the Coppers from the 

 Northwest and Alaska skins, or what I may call the Bering Sea seal- 

 skins, but the manner in which the skins are distinguished is difficult 

 to describe to any person not accustomed to handling skins. The 

 difference again between the Alaskas and Northwest catches, although, 

 as deponent has said, they are of the same general family, is yet very 

 marked by reason of the difference of the color of the hair, the length 

 of the wool, which is, of course, perceptible mainly upon examination 

 of the pelts and of the fact that the female skins show the marks of the 

 breast. 



The differences between the three classes of skins above mentioned 

 are so marked that the skins belonging to the three catches have 

 always, since deponent had any knowledge of the business, com- 

 manded, and do now command, different prices in the markets. For 

 instance, the Alaska skins of the last year's catch fetched about 125s. 

 per skin; the Copper skins of the last year's catch fetched 68s. 6d. per 

 skin, and the Northwest skins of the last year's catch fetched about 55s. 

 per skin. 



Among the skins classed as the Northwest catch there have for the 

 last few years been included a- considerable number of skins which de- 

 ponent says he thinks were formerly called Japanese skins, which are 

 distinguished from the remaining Northwest and Alaska skins by rea- 

 son of the different color of the skins in the raw state. This difference 

 in color is so distinct as to be practically unmistakable. 



I have handled many sealskins coming from both north and south of 

 this port, and can readily distinguish the differ- 

 Leon . Sloss, p. 92. gnce between them. Those from the southern 



islands are from a different species from the Alas- 

 kans, and both differ from the Asiatic skins. The skins from the 

 warmer latitudes are greatly inferior. The fur is short and thin and of 

 a reddish brown color. They can be detected at once. It is not as 

 easy to distinguish the Alaska from the Asiatic skins, but experts in 

 handling them, nevertheless, do it with unerring accuracy. 



The skins of these several catches are readily distinguished from 

 each other, and the skins of the different sexes 



Wm.C. B. Stamp, p. 515. may be as readily distinguished from each other 

 as the skins of the different sexes of any other 

 animal. * * * 



The differences between the Copper and Alaska skins are difficult to 

 describe so that they can be understood by any person who has no prac- 

 tical knowledge of furs, but to any one skilled in the business there are 

 apparent differences in color between the Copper and Alaska skins, and 

 a difference in the length and qualities of the hairs which eonrpose the 



