404 CALLORHINUS URSINUS NORTHERN FUR SEAL. 



animal grows older, the fur on the posterior portion of the back 

 gets thinner. The skin thus deteriorates in value; the fur heing*^ 

 unequally developed on different parts of the body, prevents the 

 use of the whole skin in the same garment. The color of the 

 fur is not indicated by the overhair, and as a rule shows greater 

 variation in shade than the latter, varying from a smutty white 

 to a rich maroon, the latter shade being the most rare. 



"Moulting. A diversity of opinion exists on the island as to 

 whether or not the fur is shed with the overhair. I have given 

 close attention to the subject and find that all the evidence is 

 against the opinion that the fur is shed. The great quantity 

 of overhair annually shed by this immense number of animals 

 covers the ground like dead leaves in a forest. It is blown by 

 the winds around the rocks, and becomes trodden into the soil,, 

 so that when the earth is dry if a piece be taken and broken 

 the whole mass is found to be permeated with it like the hair 

 in dried plaster. The difference between the fibers of the over- 

 hair and the fur is plainly apparent to the eye. I have, how- 

 ever, gathered parcels of it at all times during the shedding 

 season and subjected it to microscopic examiuation, but have 

 always failed to detect the jiresence of fur in sufficient quantity 

 to warrant the belief that any of it is shed naturally. The 

 shedding of the overhair begins about the middle of August, 

 and the Seals are not fully clothed with the new coat until the 

 end of September, and it does not attain its full length before 

 the end of October. The first indications of shedding are 

 noticed around the eyes and fore flippers and in the wrinkles 

 or folds of the skins. The new overhair appears in the fur as 

 short black points, and as it grows out the old coat is gradually 

 cast. The whole process covers a period of forty days, during 

 which time the skins are in a condition denominated by fur- 

 dealers as ' stagey,' and are of inferior value. This, however^ 

 is not due to any defect in the fur, but to the condition of the 

 overhair, which is so short as to render the process of plucking 

 too slow and laborious by the usual methods to be remunera- 

 tive. In the first shipments of skins under the lease comjilaints 

 were made of the number of 'stagey' skins that were sent. 

 As this was a term that conveyed no explanation of the defect, 

 it was necessary to send to London for a package of stagey 

 skins. This was done during the third year, and on their re- 

 ception at the island the cause was at once understood and no 



