COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 99 



One of the witnesses cited by the United. States says that 

 the seals — 



grow much tainer, too, with repeated driving, and seem to learn the ^ ^"'^f^ ^States 

 road and what is expected of them on the killing-ground. voMi, p.2. ^' 



The so-called "domestication" thus resulting- from see pp. 200 et 

 114 repeated driving is fully explained by the details**^' 



given in another page with resi)ect to the methods 

 and results of such driving. 



ORIGINALLY FEARLESS, CONTACT WITH MAN HAS PRO- 

 DUCED TIMIDITY, NOT DOMESTICATION. 



So far from having had their comparative boldness while 

 on laud impressed upon them by any process of "domesti- 

 cation," it is indeed more than probable that the northern 

 fur-seals, like other animals when resident where they have 

 from time immemorial been exempt from attack, were at 

 first entirely inapprehensive of danger. Thus, of the fur- 

 seal of the Southern Hemisphere, Captain Morrell writes: 



When these animals are for the first time visited by man they evince Unitod States 



no more apprehension of danger irom their new guests than did the Case, Appendix, 



natives of Aan Salvador when first visited l)y the Spaniards; and the ° -^'P' 



confidence of the poor seals is requited in the same manner as theirs 



was — by robbery and murder. In fact, they will lie still while their 



companions are slaughtered and skinned. 



" Monograph 



A similar impression is conveyed by the original Russian of North Ameri- 

 accounts of the fur-seals of Behring Island. p^344 ^^^^^^ ^' 



ANALOGY WITH OTHER ANIMALS. 



The control of a given body of seals on land is thus 

 precisely analogous to that which may be exercised over 

 terrestrial animals such as deer, when found in or driven 

 into the water; and much resembles the domestic habits 

 which might equally be attributed to salmon when con- 

 gregated on their spawning- grounds, as compared with 

 their timidity at other times. In a manner quite compara- 

 ble to that employed in killing seals upon the breeding- 

 islands, the sea-turtle in other ]>arts of the world is taken 

 when resorting to the shores to deposit its eggs; but no 

 one has asserted that the marine turtles ai^e to be classed 

 as domestic animals because of their helplessness on land, 

 or has called them land animals in consequence of their 

 resort to the shores for breeding. 



MAN EXERCISES NO SPECIFIC CARE OVER THE SEAL. 



Neither can the fur-seal be classed as a domestic animal . 

 by reason of any specific care exercised over it by man in 

 connection with its production or protection. Man has 

 intruded and has established himself on the breeding- 

 resorts. The actual nature of the interference of man with 

 the fur-seals is clearlv expressed in the Eei)ort of the Bntis'i com- 

 British Commissioners, who write: port, para. 35. 



