Mr. R. Hamilton on the Fur Seal of Commerce. 83 



perhaps be found, under the names of longicolHs and Falk- 

 landica ; and these it may be interesting to consider in the 

 sequel. But with these exceptions, ^vhich are truly more ap- 

 parent than real, it will be found that so far as the records of 

 the science are concerned, this animal has hitherto been neither 

 recognised nor described. 



It is the object of the following pages to supply these de- 

 ficiencies ; not indeed with all the accuracy we could wish, but 

 so far as our opportunities permit. We shall first, however, 

 premise a word or two respecting iYiefurs of seals. 



A slight examination of the recent skins speedily exhibits 

 that two substances sufficiently distinct go to form the coat or 

 robe of most seals, as well as of many other animals. These are 

 hair, so well known on our own persons, and on most qua- 

 drupeds, and a soft woolly down or fur, which usually lies at 

 the root of the hair, close to the skin, and which is penetrated 

 and covered by the hair. The hair of the different species of 

 seals is in very various quantities and of very different qua- 

 lities ; as is also the fur, positively and relatively. Sometimes 

 the hair is exceedingly coarse and meagre, and accompanied 

 with little or no down, so as to be of no more value to the fur- 

 rier than the hide of the horse or ox. In other instances the 

 hair is copious, soft, long, and silky, so that even without 

 down, and still more with it, it is highly esteemed as a fur 

 skin, and is used like those of the fox or sable ; and once 

 more, there are certain species in which the relative quantity 

 and quality of the hair is so inferior to that of the fur, that 

 the former is disregarded, and is wholly removed, so that no- 

 thing is left but the soft woolly down. Of this last descrip- 

 tion is \hefur seal skin of commerce. We need scarcely add, 

 that the skins of a great variety of seals are very extensively 

 used both by rude and refined nations. They are employed 

 by the former especially, as leather is with us, as articles of 

 dress and for domestic purposes, both raw and tanned, and 

 sometimes made water-proof. They are also used in their 

 natural state, the fur being retained ; and in this condition 

 some of them are compared to velvet : they are in this way 

 extensively employed by savage tribes, and also throughout 

 Russia and Asia, and more sparingly among ourselves. But 



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