158 MANAGEMENT OF THE SEAL ROOKERIES. 



iMyiug. are saved."^ The same statement as to tlie re- 



moval of the skins is stated by others, the skins 

 being- counted in the quota allowed to the lessees.^ 

 In fact it may be questioned whether any seals 

 are ever killed on a "drive," except now and 

 then one by smothering.^ 



The effects of overdriving and redriving (that 

 is, the repeated driving of the same animal 

 several times during the season) upon the seals 



Overdriving and ,. , ^ -,.,. ^ , ^ . .... 



lediiving. whicli irom ag'e or condition are unlit tor kilnng, 



is of little or no importance in relation to seal 

 life on the islands. After a " drive " the hauling 

 ground is unmolested for several days and the 

 seals let go from the killing grounds, returning 

 to the same hauling grounds as is their habit, 

 have, therefore, several days to rest and recu- 

 perate before undergoing whatever extra exertion 

 is connected with being driven.^ Certainly no 

 male seal thus driven was ever seriously injured 

 or his virility affected by such redriving.^ Mr. 

 John Armstrong, who from 1877 to 1886 was 

 the lessees' agent on St. Paul Island, says: "The 

 driving gave them, with rare exceptions, very 



1 Vol. II, p. 72. See also A. P. Loud, Vol. II, p. 38. 



2 George Wardman, Vol. II, p. 178; Samuel Falcouer, Vol. U, 

 p. 162 ; John Fratis, Vol. II, p. 107. 



3 John Fratis, Vol. II, p. 107. 



* Daniel Webster, Vol. II, p. 182. 



6 A. P. Loud, Vol. II, p. 38; Charles Bryant Vol. II, p. 8; 

 George Wardman, Vol. II, p. 179; Daniel Webster, Vol. II, p. 182. 



