Fur Seals or Sea Bears. 241 



the fur of these animals is not as rich as that on the 

 Alaska Seals, and the money value of the skins is con- 

 siderably less. The difference in the quality of the two 

 species is probably due to climatic influences. The general 

 migration of this species is along the east coast of Japan. 

 The Alaska Commercial Company for years held a lease 

 from the Russian government, allowing them to kill 30,000 

 Seals, annually, on the Commander Islands. 



The fur of the skins taken from the Sea Bears found 

 on Robben's Island, south of Kamschatka, is of poorer 

 quality than that of the Copper Island skins ; and con- 

 sequently of much lower value. The Japanese Sea Bear 

 has the shortest, and thinnest fur, of all Northern Fur 

 Seals; and the skins of this species are used principally 

 for the manufacture of caps, and other small articles, where 

 a short fur is not objectionable. 



Northern Sea Bears show considerable variation in 

 color, both in the underfur and the top hair. In the 

 adult males the general color of the upper parts, with 

 the exception of the shoulders which are a decided grey, 

 is nearly black, with a more or less marked grey or reddish 

 grizzle. The sides of the nose and lips are brownish, the 

 breast is brownish orange, and the limbs and under parts, 

 are reddish brown. The females, and the bachelors, are 

 lighter in color; being uniformly grey above, with under 

 parts of brownish or rufous color. In both sexes there are 

 individual variations due to the varying proportion of 

 grey hair. The color of the Copper Island Seals is lighter 

 than that of the Alaska Seals, being a dark brown. The 

 Robben Island Seals are yellower and coarser-haired than 

 either of the above, and their short even under-fur is red. 

 The skins taken on the Japanese Islands are mostly those 

 of female Seals, with yellow necks and cheeks. The males 

 are called bachelors from the time they cease to be year- 

 lings until they are six years old, and from that time until 

 they become fully materialized bulls at seven years of age 

 they are classed as half bulls. All Seals under two years 

 are yearlings. At two years the females are designatpd as 

 virgins, and at three years as cows. The males when undis- 

 turbed will live from fifteen to twenty years, and the 

 females nine or ten vears. • 



