REPORT OP BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 215 



tion; and points out that, for lack of a close time during the breeding 

 season between November and January, a great number of females 

 have been destroyed "either about to give birth or suckling their 

 young." Pelagic sealing is unknown, the system of killing adopted 

 being that of landing men in boats, armed with clubs. He speaks 

 specially of the ease with which seals are scared from their resorts by 

 steamers and other vessels coming close in. He also mentions that 

 "by a happy provision of nature a female seal will suckle any young 

 one, whether her own or not." 



887. There are no special protective laws, but the islands are Gov- 

 ernment property and are leased upon short leases, so that the Govern- 

 ment has power, if it will, to control this profitable fishery. 



888. In the Australian waters fur- seals were found on the coasts and 

 islands of Victoria, Tasmania, and New Zealand in very great abun- 

 dance, and they are still seen and obtained. 



889. In regard to Victoria, Sir F. McCoy reports as follows : 



(1.) Tlie seal fishery of Australia was never so extensive as that of the Nortli 

 Pacittc, and for more than thirty years the trade in Australian fur-seal skins has 

 entirely ceased, although of some exient in Sydney a little before that time. 



(2.) In Victoriii, the only fur-seal is the eared sea\,{J<Jiintaria civerea), the size, 

 s]ia])e, and habits of which very nearly recall those of the North Pacific. The 

 decline or destruction of the fishery is certainly attrilmtable to the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of the seals on the few islands off the south coast, especially in Western 

 Port, where the old males and gravid females resorted iu the summer to bring forth 

 and tend the young. At present a few islands only are frequented by those seals, 

 now in the breeding season, and the number of individuals is too small to furnish, 

 any trade. 



(3.) The fur-seal fishery was conducted simply by manning a boat suitable for 

 landing on the islands, the landing usually taking place at night, and then the seals 

 were killed indiscriminately by clubbing them on the nose with large sticks. The 

 skins were chielly exported from Sydney. 



(4.) No measures effective for the protection of the fur-seal fisheries have been 

 undertaken on any large scale by any of the Australian Colonics, but some years ago 

 I recommended the Victorian Government to prohibit the killing of seals on the 

 148 small islands which they frequent near Phillip Island, and although the num- 

 ber has somewhat increased in consequence, it is far too small to furnish a 

 trade. 



(5.) The Australian fur-seals were never fished for in the open ocean. 



(6.) Generally the life history of the Victorian fur-seal exactly resembles that of 

 the North Pacific, following shoals of fish in the open ocean, but coming on the islands 

 to breed in the latter part of the summer. 



890. Sealing was a leading industry in New South Wales, especially 

 in the years 1810-20. Several firms fitted out large schooners, and 

 great numbers of skins were secured, especially from places like Mac- 

 quarie and the Antipodes Islands. Some years ago the Government 

 issued an order prohibiting the killing of seals on the mainland and 

 islands of the Colony, and they are reported as increasing in numbers, 

 as, for instance, around Port Stephens. 



891. From Tasmania sealing has been conducted on many neighbour- 

 ing islands, the seals all being shot or clubbed on the shore. No meas- 

 ures of preservation have been taken until 1891, when a Government 

 Proclamation was issued: "The taking of seals, known by the name of 

 seals or any other local name, in Tasmania and its dependencies, is 

 hereby prohibited for a period of three years from the 26th July, 1891." 

 The chief difficulty found is with schooners from other parts maraud- 

 ing on the rookeries. 



892. In New Zealand at the beginning of this century seals were 

 numerous in several places along the coast around Port Chalmers, along 

 the west coast, near Westport, round Stewart's Island, and in other 

 places. All the neighbouring islands, such as the Chatham, Macqua,rie, 

 Bounty, Campbell, aud Antipodes groups, were weU-kuown haunts. 



