234 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



On Heard Island they still survive in considerable numbers, 

 owing to the difficulty of gaining access to their favourite 

 breeding-ground, to reach which from the shore two 

 glaciers have to be crossed. The difficulty of removing 

 the oil and hides from such a locality has, however, been 

 to a considerable extent overcome by driving the seals to 

 sea during stormy weather, when they are compelled to 

 seek an easier landing-place. In the Macquarie Islands 

 elephant-seals appear to be still found in considerable 

 numbers, but the difficulty, or impossibility, of obtaining a 

 fully adult male tells its own tale as to the persecution to 

 which the species is subject ; and it is only too palpable 

 that long before the middle of the present century elephant- 

 sealing will have been abandoned as an unprofitable trade. 

 But by that time we shall really be living in an impoverished 

 world, so far as large animals are concerned. 



