UTILIZATION OF THE SKINS OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 335 



cleaning acid, such as oxalic acid or sulphuric acid, then "struck out" 

 and lightly oiled. They are afterwards selected for coloring, and 

 dyed if desired. To "finish''' the skins, they are dampened, sammied 

 or partly dried, and "struck out'' — that is, stretched out on each side 

 with a tool. If a bold grain be desired, in using the skins of old seals, 

 the}^ are embossed and dried out; but if the natural grain is retained 

 they are blacked at once. A finish is imparted by a good bottom coat 

 of logwood, prepared b}- subjecting 1 hundredweight of Campeachy 

 hard wood and 5 pounds of carbonate of soda in 50 gallons of water 

 until the logwood is extracted, the liquor being at once drained off. 



After airing slightly in a warm place the skins are ready for "wet 

 graining.'' They are again dried out in a warm place, laid away to 

 cool, and then seasoned with three-fourths of a pint of milk and 

 about li pints of blood added to a gallon of water, which is rubbed in 

 well with a stiff brush. The skins are now moistened with a mixture 

 of milk and water, in the proportion of 1 to 6, and rolled up, half a 

 dozen skins together, grain to grain. After a few hours they are 

 rolled, grained off, and oiled with warm cod oil, when they are ready 

 for the market. 



When carefully prepared, seal leather has greater strength and dura- 

 bility in proportion to its weight than almost an}" other on the market, 

 and on account of its choice and attractive grain it is very popular for 

 such articles as cardcases, pocketbooks, shopping bags, etc. Much 

 of it is enameled for belts and upper shoe leather. The market value 

 of seal-skin leather in the United States is from $20 to |30 per dozen 

 skins, equivalent to about 50 or 60 cents per square foot. 



The " fast furs" or "wool-seal " skins are blubbered in the same way 

 as the ordinary pelts, and are sold to the fur trade in the salted state. 

 By the fur-dressers they are washed and leathered as in the first stages 

 of fur-seal dressing. The thickness of the pelt is reduced by shaving 

 or by friction on an emery wheel. When the dressing is completed 

 the hairs are d3"ed black or brown, scarcely any of these skins being 

 left in the und3^ed state. They are used for various purposes, especially 

 for gloves and military busbies. During some seasons the}" are fash- 

 ionable for trimmings, and a brisk demand exists for them. This was 

 especially the case during the early eighties, when they sold for $3 to 

 $6 each, dressed. At present the average price in the dressed condition 

 is $1 to ^2 each. Many furriers — in America, at least — fail to recog- 

 nize the fast furs as from a species of hair seals, considering them 

 as the skins of a distinct and separate species, to which they give the 

 name " wool-seal." 



On the Continent of Europe the bluebacks are used mostly for fur 

 trimmings after they have been dressed with the hair on; but in Great 

 Britain and America they are usually tanned for leather purposes. 

 During the last season some blueback skins were tanned in this country 

 with the hair on, but they did not take very well. 



