VICTORIA FUR SEAL. 195 



Some of the females have a slight wig or crest on the 

 head, and a few have a crest between the eyes as well, 

 but both of these are very rare. The mider fur is red, 

 but in the small skins it is usually light. 



The increase of the numbers of the Victoria skins 

 imported is probably owing to the increase of general 

 numbers on the Pribylov Islands. This is due to the 

 restricted number killed there. 



Most of the salted skins are bought by English, 

 French, and American houses. 



In 1891, a Bill was passed by both Houses of Parlia- 

 ment for establishing a close time in Behring Sea till 

 next May. 



COPPEE ISLAND EUE SEAL. 



Callorlunus ursiniis. 



Copper Island, which is the habitat of this Seal, is 

 one of the Aleutian group, close to Kamschatka, and 

 still belonging to Eussia. The fur is inferior to that of 

 the Alaska Seal, although it is probably the same animal 

 taken at a different season of the year. The colour is 

 also lighter, being usually dark brown, and the fur is 

 generally not of such good quality. The quality of the 

 fur varies considerably, owing probably to climatic in- 

 fluences, being sometimes almost equal to the Alaska, 

 and at others vastly inferior. The habits are probably 

 identical with those of the Alaska Fur Seal. 



The yearly catch of these skins is about 40,000 to 

 50,000. The skins are tied up singly, a little salt being 

 rubbed into the pelt, and packed in casks. 



They are sorted in the same way as the Alaska. The 



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