ZeM)L()G 1 CAl, SOCIETY l;L LLEl'lN 



ing the nioutli is brought near the small Crus- 

 tacea, for which it constantly searches, and is 

 suddenly opened. The cheeks being inflated 

 at the same time, the food is captured with 

 the in-rush of water. Sea-horses are found in 

 most parts of the world, becoming scarce in 

 the higher latitudes. Except for their armor 

 of dermal plates they are defenseless creatures, 

 sheltering themselves in sea-weetl, where the 

 little creatures get their food. 



The Aquarium has adopted the seii-horse in 

 gold design as the insignia for unifurni caps. 



THE H.ARBOR SE.Al.. 



Une June 2, 1903. the Acjuarium lost ,a fine 

 specimen of the harbor seal. The animal had 

 been in the building for eight years and seven 

 months, which was a long period of indoor 

 life for a wild animal as active as a seal. 

 The immediate cause of her death was pneu- 

 monia, but like most other seals that have died 

 in the Aquarium, there was more or less fatty 

 degeneration of the heart, liver and kidneys. 

 due to lack of sunlight and sufficient room 

 for exercise. This was the most active seal 

 that the Aquarium has ever had, and fu!l_\ 

 one-half of her" time was spent swimming about 

 the pool, which accounts largely for her long 

 life. She was the sole survivor of quite a 

 colony of seals that had been with her at vari- 

 ous times in the same pool, and survived her 

 companions — seven in number — nearly seven 

 years. 



When the seal died, an active correspondence 

 was commenced with fishermen along the At- 

 lantic coast, from southern Massachusetts to 

 northern Maine, and it was not until October 

 17th that another specimen w-as procured. It 

 was taken in a fish weir at Xahant, and is still 

 at the Aquarium. An additional specimen 

 taken on the beach at Galilee, New Jersey. 

 March 7th, lived only three days. It was 

 found to be badly injured when taken. 



.■\ few years ago harbor seals were not dif- 

 ficult to procure, but during the last three or 

 four years it has been almost impossible to get 

 them. Tbev are in considerable demand for 



exhibition purposes in zoological i)arks and 

 elsewhere. 



The present scarcity of seals is doubtless 

 due to the bounties paid in the New England 

 States for their destruction. Correspondence 

 with fishermen, who had formerly been able 

 to procure specimens, and also with State 

 F"ish Commissioners, yielded considerable in- 

 formation on this subject. 



Massachusetts i)ays through town or city 

 treasurers $3 for each seal killed, when satis- 

 factory evidence thereof is produced under 

 oath, together with the tail of the animal. It 

 has been difficult to get statistics on the num- 

 ber killed annually. The State Fish Com- 

 missioners are without figures on this point, 

 and a canvass of all coast towns and cities 

 would be necessary to secure them. The city 

 treasurer of Portland, Maine, reports that 1,061 

 harbor seals were killed in the Casco Bay 

 region between January ist and September ist 

 of the year 1903. It is reported that the total 

 catch for that neighborhood was considerably 

 more than this number, as a good many seals 

 were killed and lost. The seal hunters about 

 Casco Bay are mostly Indians, and have been 

 quite active in their search for seals. 



Although the Aquarium has placed orders 

 for live specimens in several widely separated 

 localities, and has offered good prices, speci- 

 mens cannot be had. 



The bounty paid m .Maine for seals is $1 

 each, the State refunding to the towns, money 

 paid for seal bounties. 



Last year there was scarcely a seal to be 

 seen along the coast, and there is no doubt 

 that the species has been reduced to the 

 merest remnant along our shores. Orders 

 placed with dealers in wild animals have so 

 far been unproductive. The New York 

 Zoological Park is at ])resent without speci- 

 mens. 



The bounty on seals should undoubtedly be 

 removed occasionally. Of course the only per- 

 sons interested in the destruction of seals are 

 the fishermen. .\ lively harbor seal getting 

 into a gill-net or pound-net, or weir, undoubt- 

 edly does damage, but the race should not be 

 exterminated on that account. The fishermen 



