230 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



BRITISH COMMISSIONERS ON EFFECTS OF "DRIVING." 



The Britisli Commissioners, in treating the subject of 

 driving seals on the islands, and its effects, say: 



British Com- One of the most important points connected with the taking of fur- 

 iiiisMioiKM-s' Rfc- ggjjig Q,j ijjg Pribyloff Islands is that of the method of driving from 

 i-' ''^ • • the varions hanling-gronnds to the killing-gronnds. However safe- 

 guarded or reguhited, the method of driving fur-seals overland for 

 considerable distances must be both a cruel and destructive one. 



Tliis process of driving is then explained and examined, 

 and instances of its effects, as noticed by the Commissioners 

 themselves, are given; and the following further remarks 

 are made : 



Ibid., para. 707. If it were possible to drive only those seals which it is intended to 

 kill, little exception could bo taken to the method of driving in the 

 absence of any better method, but the mingling of seals of varied 

 ages upon the hauling-grouuds from which the drives are taken, even 

 nn(l(!r the original and more favourable conditions of former years, 

 renders it necessary to drive to the killing place many seals either too 

 young or too old to be killed. 



2G9 FEMALES INCLUDED IN "DRIVES." 



Attention is then called to the intensification of the evils 

 incident to driving when the whole number of "killable" 

 seals becomes much reduced, and, in particular, when it is 

 under such circumstances still attempted to secure a large 

 annual "quota" of skins. The necessary injury to vitality 

 in the case of the seals driven but not killed is noticed, 

 together with the fact that suckling females are often 

 included in the drives. 



On the point last alluded to it is said : 



British Com- Thus, it has occurred that, in late years, considerable and increasing 

 nii.s.sioiKu-s' Ke- numbers of breeding females have been (Iriven to the killing-grounds 

 2)ort,i)ara. 716. with the killables, though when recognized there in the process of 

 selecting for killing, they have been released. 



• "^Pr'.j'"'!'^' ^oi- Referring to his observation!? on the Pribyloff' Islands in 

 ''^' "■ 1892, Mr. Macoun also reports that in 1892 he counted the 



seals killed and those allowed to escape at four "drives," 

 and that the number killed varied from 13 to 17 per cent, 

 of the whole number driven, lie also mentions liaving seen 

 many badly injured seals driven from the killing-ground, 

 that would probably die; and that along the route over 

 which seals had been driven, many carcasses of seals that 

 had died were found. 



To show that the inclusion in the drives of seals not 

 intended to be killed, including females, is no new thing,. 

 Captain Bryant may again be quoted. In the passage 

 cited, he refers particularly to the year 1809: 



British Com- At the close of this period the great body of yearling seals arrive, 

 iiii.ssioiicrs Ko- xhese, mixing with the younger class of males, spread over the uplands 

 Hull. M lis. ^"*^ greatly increase the proportion of prime skins, but also greatly 

 Coiiip. Zool., vol. increase the difficulty of killing properly. Up to tliistime, there hav- 

 ii, Parti, p. 105. ing been no females with the S(^als driven up for killing, it was only 

 necessary to distinguish ages; this the difference in size enables them 

 to do very easily. Now, however, nearly one-half are females, and the 

 slight difference between these and the younger males renders it neces- 

 sary for the head man to see every seal killed, and only a strong inter- 

 est in the preservation of the stock can ensure proper care. 



