THE SEALS. 147 



of tlie skins, wliicli are the especial difficulties in , Comparison of 



' ^ leases. 



the way of the United States working the rook- 

 eries itself. The course thus adopted by the 

 United States seems as free from criticism or 

 improvement as any that can be suggested.^ 



THE SEALS. 



Having reviewed the general management of 



the Pribilof Islands as it pertains to the United 



States Government and the native islanders, the 



next point for consideration is the management 



of the seal herd, tlie methods employed in taking 



the seals, and the results of these practices upon 



the number and condition of the herd. 



The peculiar nature and fixed habits of the Control and do- 

 mestication. 



seal make it an animal most easy of control and 

 management. A herd of seals is as capable of 

 being driven, separated, and counted as a herd 

 of cattle on the plains.^ In fact, they much 

 resemble these latter in the timidity of the 

 females and the ferocity of the males. One 

 example of the ease with which they can be 

 controlled is mentioned by Mr. Falconer, who 

 speaks of a herd of three thousand bachelor 

 seals being left in charge of a boy after they 



' See favorable criticism of the methods employed in ''Handbook 

 of the Fishes of New Zealand," page 235. 



'' H. N. Clark, Vol. II, p. 159 ; " Handbook of the Fishes of New 

 Zealand," page 235. 



