Q542 The Zoologist — April, 1871. 



in nets, which are called " seal-frames." Three long nets of strong 

 seal-twine are required to construct a frame. One net is firmly 

 secured by anchors parallel with the shore, and at such a distance 

 that the remaining nets, placed one at each end, will just reach the 

 shore, thus forming a kind of oblong figure, the longest net being 

 on the outside. If in the spring, when the seals migrate from the 

 westward, the net nearest that point is sunk to the bottom ; but if 

 in the fall, when the seals migrate in the reverse direction, — the 

 shores of the island running nearly N.E. and S.W., — the eastern 

 net is sunk. Two men are required to constantly watch the nets. 

 As soon as a herd of seals has been seen to cross the sunken net 

 the top of it is immediately raised to the surface of the water by 

 means of a pulley, and so fastened in that position : the men then 

 commence shouting and firing off guns loaded only with powder, to 

 keep the seals under water and cause them to "mesh" in the nets; 

 otherwise they would spring over the nets and escape. When it is 

 seen that no seals rise to the surface the men launch their boat into 

 the pound and take the seals from the nets, most of them being 

 drowned, while others again have to be killed. 



As soon as the seals are got on shore the net is again sunk, and 

 the men, or others employed for the purpose, occupy themselves 

 " pelting," or skinning, the seals until another herd is impounded. 

 In a succcssfid season as many as eighteen hundred seals have 

 been captured in one of these "frames." The skins fetch from 

 a dollar to a dollar and a half each {i.e. from four to six shillings 

 sterling), and the oil from half a dollar to two shillings and six- 

 pence sterling. 



As my accident prevented my fulfilling an engagement to go to 

 the ice seal-hunting, perhaps I may be pardoned for reproducing the 

 experiences of a few days, out of about six weeks, spent at the ice by 

 two lamented naturalists, the late Professors Stuwitz and Jukes, and 

 graphically described by the latter gentleman, in his ' Excursions 

 in Newfoundland,' and which also accords so well with the descrip- 

 tions of many of the " skippers" and settlers that I have conversed 

 with on the subject. Stuwitz and Jukes left St. John's in a 

 brigantine, the "Topaz," Captain Furueaux, on March 3rd, 1840. 

 Nothing of interest occurred until — 



" March 5th. Tliis morning was dark and foggy, with the wind 

 at south-east. At seven o'clock, after making a tack or two about 

 an open lake, and finding no channel, we dashed into the ice with 



